Sweet Love 2x: Miss Ruthless CEO for our Superstar Uncle

Chapter 408: Aren’t We Your Brothers?

Franz appeared at Arianne’s elbow just as she settled alone with Lexx in her arms. "You need to eat," he said, lifting Lexx from her in a smooth, practiced motion. "And I need to show our son off to my uncles before they accuse me of hiding him."

"He’s been awake for an hour. He might start crying."

"Then I’ll bring him back. But you’ve been holding him all afternoon. Eat. Talk to people. Let me take a turn."

Arianne looked down at Lexx, who was blinking up at her with the unfocused intensity of a newborn who hadn’t yet decided whether to cry or fall back asleep. Then she looked at Franz. He was dressed in a light grey shirt and dark pants, his hair neatly combed, his face relaxed in a way it rarely was at public events. He looked happy. Genuinely, uncomplicatedly happy.

"Fine," she said. "But if he starts wailing, don’t blame me."

"I never blame you. I blame genetics."

"He’s your son."

"Exactly. Any crying is inherited from my side."

She passed Lexx over, and Franz settled the baby against his chest with the easy confidence of someone who had been practicing for weeks. Lexx made a small sound—not quite a cry, not quite a coo—and then settled against his father’s shoulder, his tiny fist curling into the fabric of Franz’s shirt.

"I’ll be back," Franz said. "Try to enjoy yourself."

"Try to enjoy myself at a party full of people I don’t know?"

"You know me. You know the twins. You know my parents. That’s four people. That’s a start."

He kissed her forehead and walked off toward a cluster of older men near the dessert table. Uncles and cousins, from the way they immediately began gesturing at Lexx with expressions of delight. She watched Franz present their son like he was unveiling a masterpiece. The pride on his face was unmistakable. The joy. The unguarded, unrestrained love of a father showing off his child.

She was watching when Gilbert and Nate dropped into the chairs across from her.

"We come bearing gifts," Nate announced, setting a wrapped box on the table. "Well, we dropped the gifts at the gift pile. This is moral support."

"And alcohol," Gilbert added, sliding a glass of something amber toward her. "You look like you need it."

"I’m breastfeeding."

"Then I’ll drink it for you." He took the glass back and sipped from it himself. "How are you holding up?"

"Fine. Tired. Lexx has been awake more than usual today."

"I meant with all of this." Gilbert gestured at the party around them. "The relatives. The attention. You’ve never been good with crowds."

"I’m managing."

"That’s not an answer."

"It’s the only answer I have."

Nate leaned back in his chair, his eyes tracking something across the garden. "Look at Julian. He’s been chasing Kyle for twenty minutes."

Arianne followed his gaze. Julian was near the balloon arch, attempting to reason with a four-year-old who had no interest in reason. Kyle was pointing at the decorations with the fervent excitement that only children at parties could produce, his voice carrying across the lawn.

"Can we have this theme for my birthday? The blue ones and the stars? And the big cake with the flowers? Can we, Dad? Can we?"

"We’ll talk about it later."

"But I want this one. This exact one. With all the balloons."

"Kyle, your birthday is in eight months."

"That’s not that long. We need to plan."

Julian looked up and caught the three of them watching. His expression was the particular mixture of exhaustion and affection that seemed to define his entire existence as a father. He started making his way toward their table, Kyle attached to his hand and talking about birthday themes the whole way.

"I never thought I’d see the day," Gilbert said, shaking his head. "Julian. A father. A responsible one."

"Responsible might be stretching it," Nate said. "He got Kyle dressed this morning. In matching clothes."

"That’s the bare minimum."

"For Julian, that’s growth."

Nate took a sip from his glass. "You’re one to talk. If you hadn’t gotten back together with Audrey, you’d have spent the rest of your life alone in that apartment, leaving the Pemberton family with no heir. Sam certainly isn’t going to produce one. She’s too busy with her career, and she doesn’t seem interested in dating anyone, let alone starting a family."

"Sam’s career is doing well. She just signed three new projects."

"That’s not the point. The point is you were just as hopeless as Julian until Audrey came back."

Gilbert shrugged, unbothered. "Arianne was the same. She told us for years she’d never have children. And yet here we are." He gestured at her. "Married. A son. Twins. A garden full of relatives. Things change."

"People change," Nate corrected. "People change when they meet the right person."

Gilbert looked at Arianne, his expression turning attentive. "You’ve been quiet. What’s going on?"

Arianne hesitated. The question was simple, but the answer was not. She had been withdrawn for most of the afternoon, if she was honest. Watching the Rochefort relatives interact with each other, with the twins, with Lexx. Watching Amanda move through the party with the easy grace of someone who had been hosting family gatherings for decades. Watching Franz carry their son across the garden, introducing him to people who welcomed him with open arms.

"I didn’t have this," she said. "Growing up. A family that was proud of each other. That celebrated together. The Conways were cold, and the Summers were worse. There was no love in those rooms. Just obligation."

She paused, her eyes drifting back to Franz. He was laughing at something one of his uncles had said, Lexx against his chest.

"I didn’t know families could be like this. The Rocheforts—they accepted me. Without question. Without reservation. I was a stranger who married their son for the sake of a company, and they welcomed me like I’d always been here." She looked at Gilbert. "I read that a family who can’t treat their daughter-in-law well won’t treat the child any better. I thought about that a lot, when I was pregnant. Whether Lexx would be treated differently because of me."

"And now?"

"Now I know I was wrong. They love him. They love me. I didn’t expect that."

Nate set his glass down. "What are you saying? Aren’t we your brothers? Me, Gilbert, Julian—we’ve had your back since high school. We know you better than anyone."

"Better than most," Gilbert corrected. "Franz knows her best."

"Franz is her husband. That’s different. We’re her brothers." Nate looked at Arianne. "Blood doesn’t matter. You know that. It never has."