Dark Revenge Of An Unwanted Wife: The Twins Are Not Yours!

Chapter 127: Christmas Dinner

"Gianna, you are so funny! How does your boss deal with you?" Sandro asked, his voice filled with amusement as he helped himself to yet another generous serving of the Christmas turkey and mashed potatoes.

Gianna let out a melodic laugh while reaching for a plate of gingerbread cookies adorned with icing.

"He doesn’t really have to deal with me; he just has to keep his side of the bargain, and I’ll do my job," She replied with a cheeky grin, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

The table erupted with laughter, all except for Zane, who pretended to be overly focused on the sweet potato casserole brought by old Mr. Thorne for the evening’s dinner.

He furrowed his brow, wondering what was so amusing about Gianna’s quip.

Grabbing another slice of prime rib, he closed his eyes momentarily, savoring the explosion of flavor in his mouth. How had he gone twenty-nine years without tasting something as spectacular as this?

Caught up in his culinary delight, Zane didn’t notice the shift in attention until he opened his eyes, startled to find everyone staring at him. "What?" He asked, confusion etched on his face as he noted the inscrutable expression on Gianna’s face before she turned away.

"Zane, you should stop moaning while you eat. It’s weird," Sandro chastised lightly, shaking his head as if he was scarred for life by the noises his friend had made.

Athena chuckled, reaching for another of her cookie creations. She was surprised to find herself enjoying the evening more than she had anticipated. "Let him be, Sandro. He’s someone who appreciates good food—one of the reasons why I keep him around,"

Zane made an exaggerated grimace at Athena’s half-hearted compliment, eliciting laughter from the twins, Kendra, and old Mr. Thorne, all of whom had become inseparable since dinner began.

The atmosphere felt light, each moment filled with playful teasing and warmth.

Within the next few minutes, the table was cleared completely—no leftovers remained. Athena was pleasantly surprised. She had prepared an extravagant feast, aided by the twins and Gianna, and despite the little addition of just three men and two women—one of them a child—the food had vanished.

"Everyone to the living room!" Stella shouted merrily after the table was cleaned up, a pan of apple pie in her hands. She was standing by the kitchen. Athena was right behind her, carrying some other desserts.

settling into the plush sofas, eager to relish the

later, Zane and Sandro were careful to exclude their hotheaded friend, Ewan, sensitive of the delicate peace within

pressures of work, and none of them wanted

a soft clink of glass rang out, and the chatter died down as all eyes turned to Athena. She was holding her cup, a spoon in the other hand,

a gentle wave. "First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude for the presence of each and every one of you tonight. Christmas is a time for reflection, and I take this moment to appreciate each of you

innocence and joy. "To my children, Nathaniel and Kathleen, you are the light of my life. Every day I see you grow and blossom, and it fills my heart with

that!" Zane chimed, raising his glass,

has always been a bright spot in her life. "To you, Gianna, thank you for being an unwavering pillar of strength. You bring joy, laughter, and adventure into my life. Your friendship is a gift I

surprise,

ethic and spirit inspire all of us daily. I can’t thank you enough for the joy you bring to our lives, for being the brothers

came Sandro’s enthusiastic response, clinking his

to Stella, Kendra, and Old Mr. Thorne. "To my new friends and allies, I also cherish your presence here today. It means a lot to me and my family.

trio smiled and nodded, a twinkle in their eye, visibly touched

deep breath, summoning the courage to conclude. "And finally, here’s to family. Whether by blood or by bonds forged through love and shared experiences, may we continue to cherish one

Zane echoed, clinking his glass with Sandro first and then turning to the twins, and then to

he walked over to

if she were frozen in

trying to gauge her reaction. "Won’t you

touched the air before she turned her attention

shook off the unease. He only needed to remember her acts of unkindness to

knowing eyes, sighed and shook

another cup of holiday cheer from the kitchen, a sudden knock on the door interrupted their moment

we are not aware of?" Gianna asked, her eyes darting toward Athena