Zelda nearly dropped her whisk when Leopold came crashing down onto the cobblestone path with a thud.

"Blimey, Leopold, that's flagstone, you absolute brute!" She exclaimed, still half-focused on perfecting her cake recipe. Jasper could not help but chuckle at the scene. "Alright, alright, enough with the dramatics. Get up," he said with a grin.

Leopold rose, shaking his head with a laugh and holding a gift box. "Well, Sir, these are some of your favorite things. I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I just grabbed a bit of everything." Jasper's smile widened. "You're quite the character, kid. No wonder that Martinez girl fancies you so much. Speaking of which, aren't you going to come out?"

Hearing this, Leopold froze, his feet suddenly as heavy as lead.

His heart stopped for a moment as if encased in ice.

Vivienne and Percival exchanged glances that did not need words; it was clear Leopold was in the dark.

Percival just shrugged. If he knew, would he have even shown up?

Thomas muttered under his breath, "Percival's as ruthless as ever."

Zelda, putting aside her baking tools, dragged Griffin out from the shadows. "No use hiding now, love. It's not like you're being dragged to the altar."

Griffin Martinez stood at the threshold, her eyes cast down, her feet rooted to the spot.

Both of them were wracked with unspeakable thoughts and mutual guilt.

Vivienne nudged Leopold forward with a swift kick. "Snap out of it, will ya?"

Leopold stumbled into Griffin's space, and she looked up, her eyes rimmed with unshed tears, at a loss for words.

Zelda snickered and finally remembered to turn off the oven while she, along with Natalia and Yasmine, quietly exited the kitchen.

Percival and Vivienne ushered Jasper to the back garden, leaving the two frozen figures alone in their awkward silence.

chill breeze caused

jacket and draped it over Griffin's shoulders, breaking the silence.

said you were alright, so he

arms around Leopold, her sobs

was not sure how to

back slightly, sniffling. "Couldn't you try to comfort me just

In his impression, Griffin had always been the woman who was either forcing him to marry

a little, he blinked in surprise. "You

the tears she had

yelped, rubbing

comical attempt to stand

up to see her smile through the

vowed never to make her cry

in his.

heart skipped a beat as she held his gaze,

never doubted Leopold's innocence, and she was glad her unwavering

face in the curve of his neck. "I'm just

his hands, hesitating before wrapping them

his hands and pulled them around her waist,

hiding spot, Vivienne rolled her eyes.

pretty hopeless. Our dad's way better at this. He

Especially at bedtime, he never lets us sleep

quickly covered their mouths before they

shared a laugh at

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