Broken Vows and Buried Twins novel Chapter 253

Jasper sat quietly for a moment, watching the newly appointed godparents celebrate.

He cleared his throat, bringing a loose fist to his lips. "Well, if we're operating on the principle that a child can never have too many godparents... maybe add one more to the roster?"

Before Hester could even respond, Jett pounced. "Hey! Didn't you just give me a hard time for inviting myself? What do you call this?"

Jasper ignored him completely.

Hester looked at the two cousins, feeling a warm wave of amusement. She could tell Jasper genuinely wanted to be a part of her child's life too. Over the past few days, she had found herself falling into an easy, natural rhythm with this group. They hadn't known each other long, but the relaxed, effortless dynamic between them was something you couldn't fake.

Finding people who operated on the same wavelength was rare. Watching them laugh and bicker, Hester gently rubbed her stomach. She could vividly imagine how they would all dote on Sprout when the baby finally arrived. Surrounded by this kind of affection, her child would never feel alone.

"Well," Hester finally said with a smile, "Gigi calls me her godmother, so it's only fair that Mr. Kane gets to be a godfather to Sprout."

Jasper arched an eyebrow at Jett. "Did you hear that? It's called reciprocity. Much more dignified than begging."

Jett just rolled his eyes.

"Alright, you two, stop fighting. You're both godfathers," Chiara chimed in, having watched the exchange with a fond smile. "Honestly, the bigger the support network for Sprout, the better. If Julian ever tries to pull a fast one and fight for custody, this family will be a brick wall he can't get past."

While the courtyard was filled with warmth and easy laughter, the atmosphere at the neighboring inn was suffocatingly tense.

Julian still hadn't returned. Seraphina had dragged Caden back to their room earlier that afternoon and had been pacing the floor ever since. She had called Julian's phone a dozen times, but it went straight to voicemail. Her mood had nose-dived into pure fury.

Caden had felt awful ever since getting off the boat. He was lethargic, pale, and had completely lost his appetite. But Seraphina was too wrapped up in her own anger to care. She had simply dumped him on the sofa and left him there until night fell.

When the takeout finally arrived, she suppressed her boiling frustration and snapped at the little boy curled up on the cushions. "Caden. Get over here and eat."

Caden's brow was slick with sweat, his face pale with discomfort. At the sound of her sharp voice, he forced his heavy eyes open. "Mommy... I don't feel good..."