Accidentally Yours, My Super Rich Second Husband-Chapter 158: Night of Conversations

The dining room of the Walton estate was a picture of elegance and warmth. The long mahogany table, adorned with a pristine white tablecloth and an arrangement of fresh lilies, held the remnants of a luxurious dinner. The soft glow of the chandelier overhead cast a golden hue over the family gathered around, their conversations a quiet hum against the crackling fire in the adjoining living room.

Delphinia sat beside Evander, her posture relaxed but attentive, as she took in the cozy yet undeniably grand atmosphere. Across from them, Elaine and Victor sipped their after-dinner tea, while Julian leaned back in his chair, a lazy grin on his face. Near the fireplace, Ashton sat on the plush rug, engaged in an animated game with Julian, the occasional burst of laughter filling the room.

"So," Elaine finally said, setting down her teacup, "do you two have any plans for tomorrow?"

Evander, who had been absently tracing patterns along Delphinia’s wrist with his fingers, straightened slightly at his mother’s question. He exchanged a glance with Delphinia before answering, "Actually, Ashton got invited by his mother to visit her workplace."

Elaine’s brows knitted together. "What?" she asked, exchanging a brief, unreadable look with Victor. "That seems rather sudden."

Delphinia, who had momentarily frozen at the mention, composed herself quickly. Truthfully, she had almost forgotten about Lydia’s invitation. Neither Evander nor Ashton had brought it up again, and she had assumed it was no longer a concern. But now, knowing that it was indeed happening, she felt a familiar knot of unease settle in her chest.

"Don’t worry," Delphinia interjected with a small, reassuring smile. "I’ll be going as well."

Elaine exhaled softly, some of her tension visibly easing. "That’s good to hear. But still, why such short notice?"

Evander shrugged, his expression unreadable. "Lydia wanted Ashton to come, and Ashton wanted to go. I couldn’t exactly say no."

Elaine pursed her lips, clearly not pleased, but she nodded in understanding. Victor, on the other hand, had remained silent throughout the exchange, merely watching the conversation unfold with his usual unreadable demeanor. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"She’s trying to make up for lost time," Delphinia said after a beat, her voice gentle yet thoughtful. "And Ashton seems excited about it."

Delphinia kept her expression neutral, but inside, she was mentally sweating. Did I just make that up?

She had no idea if Ashton was actually excited or not. He hadn’t exactly said much about it, and truth be told, he wasn’t the kind of child to make a big fuss over things. He could be thrilled, or he could just be going along with it because he didn’t mind either way. Either possibility was valid.

But no one needed to know that.

She had only said it to smooth over the tension, to ease the worry that was thick in the air. Elaine already looked like she wanted to argue, and Victor—well, who knew what he was thinking? Evander had said his piece, but she could tell he was watching their reactions carefully.

It was one of those moments where she figured a little optimism wouldn’t hurt. And honestly, even if Ashton wasn’t all that excited, maybe it was better to let them believe he was. It might make things a little easier.

Still, she made a mental note to actually check in with Ashton later, just in case.

Victor finally spoke, his deep voice carrying a weight of skepticism. "That woman has had plenty of time. Why now?"

Evander exhaled, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I don’t know, Dad. Maybe she regrets things. Maybe she just wants to be part of his life in some way."

Victor let out a low hum, clearly unconvinced. "Regret alone isn’t enough."

Delphinia understood his hesitation. It was difficult to trust someone who had willingly stepped away from their child’s life, only to decide to return when it was convenient. But Ashton was just a little boy who longed for his mother’s affection. It was a delicate situation, one that couldn’t be handled with hostility or skepticism alone.

"Whatever her reasons," Delphinia said, her tone firm yet composed, "I’ll be there to make sure Ashton is okay."

Elaine reached over and patted Delphinia’s hand, her grip gentle but reassuring. "You’re a good mother to him."

Delphinia’s lips parted slightly, caught off guard by the unexpected warmth in Elaine’s voice. A part of her still felt uncertain about how much she had truly been accepted into this family, especially when it came to Victor, but hearing those words from Elaine filled her with a quiet sense of validation.

Julian, who had been uncharacteristically silent throughout the conversation, suddenly let out a snort. "You know, I think it’s funny how no one actually asked Ashton if he wants to go see his mother. You all just assumed."

Delphinia blinked, then turned her gaze toward the fireplace, where Ashton was still completely engrossed in his game. He seemed blissfully unaware of their conversation, his small fingers carefully maneuvering the pieces in front of him.

"I don’t think we assumed," Delphinia countered. "Ashton does want to go."

Julian smirked. "Sure, sure. But it wouldn’t surprise me if the real reason he wants to go is because you’re going too."

Delphinia felt her cheeks warm slightly at his words. Ashton had, in many ways, grown deeply attached to her. It was both heartwarming and daunting to realize just how much he relied on her presence.

Elaine sighed, shaking her head at Julian. "You always have to add unnecessary commentary, don’t you?"

Julian grinned, completely unapologetic. "Just speaking the truth."

Evander rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair, draping an arm around Delphinia’s shoulders. "Regardless of the reason, it’s happening. And as long as Ashton is happy, that’s all that matters."

Victor let out another quiet hum but said nothing further. His silence was not one of approval, but it was at least not outright opposition.

A comfortable lull settled over them as the conversation died down. The sound of the crackling fire, Ashton’s occasional giggles, and the faint clinking of porcelain as Elaine picked up her teacup filled the room.

Delphinia exhaled, allowing herself to relax into Evander’s warmth. Tomorrow would be a significant day—not just for Ashton, but for all of them. And as much as she wanted to believe everything would go smoothly, a quiet unease still lingered in the back of her mind.

I hope everything will be okay tomorrow.