Betrayed By The Hero, Loved By The Lord-Chapter 322: Family (3)

"When will you tell them we have all those things already?" Xavier asked, sitting back with Selene as they watched her family bicker over gifts.

"I think you just told them," Selene replied, noticing how all their heads turned at once. "It couldn’t hurt to have more than one of everything. We have the estate, and now, we have this home. We can leave a set here."

"Has your father always been so good with tools?" Xavier asked, paying close attention to Thomas.

"He has. You couldn’t see it because of the mess Trevor and my aunt created in my room, but my father personally made a lot of my furniture. The chairs and tiny tables from when I was younger," Selene said, reminiscing on the past.

"I don’t think I will get to see much of my father these days because there is so much for him to build. We once thought he should have worked selling his furniture because it made him so happy. Maybe in the future," said Selene.

"He can do it now," Xavier said, having a plan in mind. "He can make them, and I can arrange for someone to sell them on his behalf. They are going to need money at some point."

"I haven’t asked how the Everharts keep up with their wealth. Perhaps there isn’t much to spend since they live alone, but they must keep up with the ever-growing world. It would be wonderful if you arranged it," Selene said, seeing it as a way for Xavier and her father to bond.

"I have been worrying about the Everharts finding out that we are having our first child. I am amazed that my grandfather has kept them away, but would that stay the same now that a baby is involved?" Selene wondered.

The Blackthorns were becoming more and more restless, with some trying to disobey Orlork’s orders. Selene was lucky no one was able to reach her as of now, but once news finally got out of Xavier’s child, she knew it would only get worse.

Selene turned to face Xavier and poked his cheek. "Why did you need to be born with so many talents?"

"Ask my parents," Xavier replied.

"Camilla mentioned that Ragnar thinks it’s time he has an offspring, so the Blackthorns will have someone else to focus on. I don’t think your aunt intends to marry or have children," said Selene.

Camilla had her mind made up that no one would want to marry a vampire without fangs and was once labelled as crazy.

"I think she will find love. She is only looking for it in the wrong places now. Maybe she will finally convince Jasper to accept her, but Orlork also spoke of Jasper wanting to go into a deep slumber," Selene said, laughing at what she witnessed between the pair.

"You have been meeting with her a lot," Xavier said, a little surprised that Selene got along with his aunt. She equally got along with Camilla and Josephine.

"She comes along with Orlork during his visits, and she is always kind to seek me out to speak. In the beginning, she was a little angry and distant. She admitted to not liking the sight of us playing family, but then realised it was genuine. I like her," Selene said, highly fond of Camilla.

In Selene’s eyes, Camilla was greatly misunderstood.

"She also tells you many things about my father," Xavier said, once overhearing a conversation the pair had.

"Yes," Selene confessed. "He thinks I am meeting with his sister to upset him. That is all she has told me."

Selene still found herself far from close to Nathaniel. He was still against her, though he wouldn’t speak of it out loud now to upset Orlork.

Selene was fine with Nathaniel keeping his distance and didn’t speak ill of him since Josephine had decided to fix her marriage. It had to be awkward for Josephine with the things Nathaniel said, so Selene didn’t want to make it even more awkward by speaking about Nathaniel.

"I do not hate your father since I don’t know him well, but when our child is born, I would prefer for Josephine to come to the estate. I don’t want to send our child where they would be near Nathaniel. I do not trust that he wouldn’t try to take the child to the other Blackthorns," Selene said.

In a better world, their child would be able to see both grandfathers, but Nathaniel had dug his hole too deep.

"I was never going to allow it," Xavier said as he knew well his father would try to test his child’s skills. "My aunt has gotten it wrong. My father is willing to accept you since you are an Everhart. He wants to know your family secret. He won’t."

Xavier touched Selene’s belly, which was still quite flat. He was waiting for the time when there would be movement.

"He picked which side he wanted to be on, and now he will have to stay there. Do you need blood?" Xavier asked, positioning the parasol over Selene’s head better. "It must be looked into why Everharts cannot bear the sun well."

"It must be the price of having such a rare talent. I don’t need any blood. It isn’t as bad as Orlork made it sound," said Selene.

The stories Orlork told made it sound like she would need blood every hour.

"This is the beginning. This is the easy part, but you will be fine," Xavier said to keep Selene calm. "I am quite curious about what your father is building. Do you mind if I go with him for a moment?"

"No," Selene replied, shaking her head. "It would be sweet to have something built by both grandfather and father. Now, great-grandfather," Selene added as Zephyr picked up a tool. Go on," Selene encouraged Xavier.

She liked to sit back and see her family all together. A few were missing since now Selene considered Josephine, Camilla, Orlork, and even Jasper to be family, but she hoped that one day, when there was even more trust, they could all be present.

Xavier left Selene’s side with the intention of building the mostfurniture so he would not be outshone by Thomas and Zephyr.

"We should have hidden those tools," Selene told Agnes, who stood behind her holding the parasol. "They are going to spend so much time competing with each other."

"Should I get your mother to stop them?" Agnes asked, searching for something to hold up the parasol with so she could run over.

Selene thought about what she should do. "No. I might have some furniture to sell from this, and I like this sight. This is much better than where we were months ago."

"It is," Agnes agreed with Selene. "I am happy you found your family."

"Me too," Selene replied.

Months ago, Selene had no one to her side besides Agnes and Elsie. Now she was surrounded by many people who cared for her. More importantly, she had her parents back.

Selene found herself thinking of how one small invitation to the Blackthorn estate, which she thought would have been ignored, changed her life for the better. She was grateful that despite years of not seeing each other, Xavier had always considered her a friend and gave her a second chance to fall in love.