The Rose He Killed novel Chapter 307

Chapter 268: Dinner Time

Bella POV

“No, he is not,” Olivier said, his voice quiet but firm. He turned his head to look at Tom, his stiff demeanor softening completely. “Why is it underrated?”

I shut my mouth, a small, surprised smile tugging at my lips as I sat back in my chair.

Tom’s eyes went wide, thrilled to have a captive audience. “Because it has armor plates all over its body, and a giant club on its tail. If a T-Rex tries to bite it, the Ankylosaurus just swings its tail and breaks the T-Rex’s leg. It doesn’t even have to run away!”

“And the armor is thick enough to stop a bite?” Olivier asked.

“Yes,” Tom said, gesturing wildly with his hands. “It’s like a tank. A real living tank.”

Olivier actually listened. He didn’t look bored, and he asked two more questions about the dinosaur’s habitat while cutting his food. Under the table, Caleb’s foot gently brushed against mine.

“Alright, Tom,” I said, standing up and tapping his shoulder once he had finished his dinner. “It is way past your bedtime. Time to go upstairs.”

“But I didn’t tell him about the Triceratops yet,” Tom complained, pouting as he dragged his feet.

“You can tell him next time,” I said, leading him out of the kitchen. “Say goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Uncle Olivier,” Tom said.

“Goodnight, Tom,” Olivier replied.

Upstairs, I tucked Tom into his bed, pulling the warm blankets up to his chin. He looked up at me, his eyes sleepy but still stubborn.

“Mom,” Tom said, clutching his stuffed dinosaur. “I miss Nadia.”

“I know you do, sweetie,” I said softly, brushing his dark curls back. “She went to visit her mother for a little bit. She will be back tomorrow morning. Now you need to rest, okay?”

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“Can I go stay at Auntie Diana’s house?” Tom pouted, turning onto his side. “Grace is already there.”

“Tom,” I said, raising an eyebrow at him. “Weren’t you the one who refused to go to Auntie Diana’s yesterday because you wanted to stay here and watch Victor sleep?”

“That was yesterday,” he mumbled into his pillow.

“Well, today you are staying here, and you are going to sleep,” I said, kissing his forehead. “No more excuses. Close your eyes.”

He let out a dramatic sigh but finally closed his eyes, his breathing slowing down almost instantly.

I quietly shut his bedroom door and walked down the hallway. When I reached the top of the stairs, I paused. The house was quiet, and I could hear the low, deep voices of Caleb and Olivier coming from the kitchen below.

113

Chapter 3 timer Time

Clam

“If you ever cause her that kind of pain again,” Olivier’s voice was cold, sharp, and entirely stripped of its polite dinner tone. “I will personally make your professional life extremely difficult. I will pull every resource the Marchetti Group has out of your reach.”

There was a long, heavy silence.

“Understood,” Caleb’s voice replied, quiet and steady.

Another short silence followed, the tension thick even from the top of the stairs.

“Thank you,” Caleb added softly.

I stayed on the landing for a few seconds, a small, involuntary smile touching my lips.

I walked down the remaining steps, making enough noise so they knew I was coming. When I walked into the kitchen, both of them were standing near the sink, looking perfectly composed.

Olivier was already buttoning his jacket and checking his watch.

“It’s getting late,” he said. “I should head to a hotel.”

“You don’t have to do that,” I insisted, leaning against the counter. “We have plenty of rooms. Won’t you stay here with us?”

Olivier smiled faintly, shaking his head. “I appreciate the offer, Bella, but I think I prefer the hotel. I have some early calls to take in the morning.”

“That’s completely fine,” I replied, respecting his space.

Caleb extended his hand. “Thank you for coming, Olivier.”

Olivier took it, giving Caleb a firm, brief handshake. It was simple, but there was a quiet, settled understanding between them now.

I walked Olivier to the front door. As we reached the hallway, he stopped and looked around.

“I just realized,” Olivier said, “where is Grace? I didn’t see her tonight.”

“She’s spending the weekend with Caleb’s sister, Diana,” I said with a laugh. “Grace is completely obsessed with her aunt right now. We couldn’t keep her away.”

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