Broken Vows and Buried Twins novel Chapter 256

"Right away!"

Leon sprinted to the Maybach and threw open the rear door.

Julian slid into the back seat, cradling Caden tightly against his chest. Seraphina caught up a second later, sobbing hysterically. "Julian, let me come with you!"

Julian didn't even look up. His dark eyes were locked on his son's pale face. "Get in the front," he ordered, his voice laced with absolute ice.

"Okay." Seraphina scrambled into the passenger seat without a word of protest.

Leon jumped behind the wheel, slammed the car into gear, and whipped it around. The black Maybach tore off into the night.

Jovie and Mr. Wallace stood frozen at the entrance of the inn, watching the taillights disappear down the dark road.

Jovie blinked, trying to process what she had just seen. "What on earth just happened?"

Mr. Wallace shook his head, looking just as bewildered. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"I'm heading back," Jovie muttered, waving a hand as she hurried back to her own inn.

...

Dinner had finished, and the group was gathered in the lounge on the first floor, drinking tea and watching a movie. Gigi was wide awake now, happily playing with the inn's lazy old cat on the rug.

Jovie hurried in and immediately sat down next to Hester, leaning in close. "You will never believe what I just saw next door."

Hester pulled her eyes away from the screen, noting Jovie's grave expression. She raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me Julian and Seraphina were making out."

Jovie looked revolted. "Don't be gross! If I saw something that toxic, I'd bleach my own eyes."

"Then what's with the face?"

Hester's chest tightened violently. Her hand flew to her heart, pressing against a sudden, sharp ache. "I've lived with him. His immune system is strong—way stronger than Gigi's. Even if he caught a chill from the sea breeze, it wouldn't hit him this hard, this fast."

"That's what I'm saying. He was eating and playing all day with us and was completely fine," Jovie said, shaking her head. "How does he spend a few hours with his biological mother and end up rushed to the ER?"

Chiara leaned forward, thinking. "What did he eat on the boat today?"

"Just the packed lunches we brought from the inn," Jasper replied. "The only thing we cooked fresh was the fish soup, but that was just standard grouper."

"He's not allergic to seafood," Hester confirmed. "He's eaten grouper at home plenty of times."

"Then it makes no sense," Jovie muttered, taking a tense sip of her tea. "Should we head to the hospital?"

Everyone looked at Hester, waiting for her call.

Hester's brow was deeply furrowed. Logic dictated that Caden was with his parents. She was the ex-wife, an outsider now. It wasn't her place to interfere.