Chapter 384

Danielle burst into laughter, thinking, “This guy really has it down. He’s a certified golden retriever boyfriend.”

On the other end, Molly was starting to waver. “You’ve been drinking?”

“Yeah. Henry’s evil. I lost to him in a dice game,” Roy whined, looking completely wronged.

Behind him, Henry clicked his tongue, thinking, “Great. He thinks he’s the king of the world just because he’s got himself a girl now?”

He strolled over with a drink in hand, grabbed Roy by the collar, and tugged him back. “Game’s not over, lover boy. Where do you think you’re going?”

Roy pushed his hand away. “Back off, I’m on a call with Momo.”

Henry looked like he was this close to kicking Roy. He thought, “Unbelievable. Now I know he’s the chicks-over-dicks kind of friend.”

Danielle laughed and offered, “Let him flirt in peace. I’ll take his spot.”

“You sure?” Henry asked. “Aren’t you still healing?”

“I’m mostly healed. I can handle a few rounds,” she said.

“Say less.” Henry led her away.

Meanwhile, Shermaine had been quiet all night. She was not unhappy, but just… somewhere else in her head. Still, she went through the motions—smiled, chatted, picked at her food—but something was definitely weighing on her.

Back at the grill, Ross was failing miserably at multitasking. His wings were half-charred, and his attention was zeroed in on the fact that Henry and Danielle were getting very cozy.

He hadn’t forgotten that his grandma once tried to play matchmaker with those two. Nothing came of it, sure, but they clearly still clicked.

Now, with Danielle off laughing and playing games with Henry, Ross couldn’t take it anymore. He dumped the raw food on Joshua. “You handle the rest.”

Joshua just gave a knowing nod, letting him be. Ross marched over, dropped into the seat beside Danielle, slid an arm around her waist, and snatched the drink from her hand. “I’ll take this for her.”

Danielle raised an eyebrow. “I can handle my own drink.”

Ross didn’t even blink. “Not tonight.”

Someone whistled. “Damn, didn’t know Ross was the possessive type.”

Ross downed the shot without breaking eye contact. Then, he turned to Danielle and said, “Alright. Let’s keep going.”

Classic. He showed up to make sure his girlfriend wouldn’t get tipsy without him.

Henry was still grinning, making small talk with Danielle like he didn’t have a care in the world. Ross, on the other hand, was not having it—his expression getting more solemn by the minute.

By now, the sky had turned navy, and autumn in Basterel meant the chill was really starting to bite. Around 10 PM, the party was winding down.

A few guests who’d had too much to drink decided to just crash at Roy’s place for the night and head out in the morning.

Joshua, sober as ever, had Shermaine tucked under his arm. She was warm and a little giggly from the drinks. He leaned close and murmured, “Let’s get you home, Sheary.”

“Mmhmm.” She nodded, leaning into him.

She hugged Danielle goodbye. Danielle didn’t seem ready to leave; she had a second wind and was deep in a game of poker with Roy and Henry. After being confined to a hospital for over two weeks, she was clearly enjoying her newfound freedom.

The drive back was quiet and slow. Joshua headed to his place instead of the family estate, as it was closer. Once they pulled up, he carried Shermaine inside.

The moment they stepped into the living room, Shermaine reached for his wrist. Her fingers pressed gently to feel his pulse. Then, she lifted the hem of his shirt, slipping her hand underneath while her eyes were focused, like she was looking for a sign only she could see.

Joshua kissed her forehead. “What’s going on?” he asked.

“I’m just checking,” she said.

Joshua said directly, “Sheary, I don’t like it when you hide things from me. Whether it’s about my dad or whatever’s been off with you tonight—I’d rather you just tell me.”

Joshua had sensed something off about his father from the very beginning, but he’d chosen not to call it out. And as for Shermaine, there was no denying she’d been acting strange all evening.

Shermaine hesitated. Then she exhaled slowly, “When you were changing earlier, I thought I saw something on your lower back. Like… something strange. But when I went to check again, it was gone.”

It sounded crazy, even to her. However, Joshua didn’t look surprised. Instead, he said quietly, “Sheary, there’s something I’ve never told anyone. Not even once.”