Accidentally Yours, My Super Rich Second Husband-Chapter 222: Mini Gathering (I)

The weekend finally arrived, and just as Evander and Delphinia had planned, his friends were coming over. Delphinia had spent the morning making sure everything was ready—fresh flowers in the vases, a variety of snacks prepared, and the dining table set up for drinks and conversation. The mansion had a warm, welcoming atmosphere, perfect for a small gathering.

Valerie was the first to arrive, just as expected. When Delphinia had invited her, she had practically squealed in excitement.

"Evander’s friends are coming? Oh, maybe I’ll go home with a boyfriend!" Valerie had joked over the phone, making Delphinia roll her eyes at her dramatics.

Now, standing at the front door, Valerie held up a box. "I brought dessert!" she announced cheerfully.

Delphinia accepted it with enthusiasm, peeking inside to find an assortment of pastries and tarts. "You’re an angel," she said, stepping aside to let her in.

"I know," Valerie replied smugly, grinning as she walked inside. "But I didn’t just come to see you, Delphie. I’m here for your husband’s mysterious friends."

Delphinia chuckled, leading Valerie toward the living room. "Of course, you are. You didn’t even try to hide it."

Valerie winked. "Why should I? A girl’s got to dream."

Not long after, the doorbell rang again, and one by one, Evander’s friends arrived. The first was Gion, a tall, lean man with dark brown hair and sharp green eyes. He had an easygoing air about him, dressed in casual slacks and a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

Next was Wilson, a well-built man with short-cropped hair and an amused glint in his eyes, followed by Luca, who had slightly tousled blond hair and a smirk that seemed permanently fixed on his face. Lastly, Alaric arrived, his expression calm and composed, as if he were studying everything around him.

When they stepped into the living room and saw Delphinia, their reactions were almost identical—staring at her in obvious fascination.

Evander leaned against the doorway with an easy smirk as he gestured toward the men who had just entered. "These bunch of fools went to the same high school as me," he said, his tone filled with fond amusement. "Somehow, despite all their terrible life choices, they survived long enough to annoy me into adulthood."

Wilson snorted. "That’s a hell of an introduction."

Evander ignored him and turned toward Delphinia, his gaze softening. "And this," he continued, "is my lovely wife, Delphinia."

Luca crossed his arms, shaking his head. "Now, that is such an unfair and biased thing to do."

Delphinia raised an amused brow. "What is?"

"Calling us fools but introducing you like a goddess," Luca replied, gesturing between them. "The favoritism is painful."

Alaric, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "It is interesting to see you like this," he mused. "I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this... settled."

Wilson snickered. "He’s right. You didn’t tell anyone you were getting married."

Evander shrugged, placing a hand on Delphinia’s lower back in a casual yet possessive gesture. "It was private. Not everyone needed to know."

Gion shook his head, looking at Delphinia with interest. "Well, I have to say, it’s a pleasure to meet the woman who actually managed to tie down Evander Walton."

Delphinia smiled politely. "It’s nice to meet you all. And I think ’tie down’ is a bit dramatic."

Luca grinned. "We’ll be the judge of that."

As they settled in, Delphinia introduced Valerie. When she said her name, Gion’s eyes lit up in recognition.

"Valerie?" he repeated, looking almost shy. "I remember you."

Valerie, who had been sipping her drink, nearly choked. She coughed, looking at him wide-eyed. "Wait... you do?"

Gion rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly looking slightly nervous. "Of course, I remember you," he said with a small, shy smile. "We went to the same school, didn’t we?"

Valerie blinked, still looking startled. "Yeah, but—I don’t think we ever had a class together."

Gion nodded. "We didn’t. But sometimes, we’d walk past each other in the halls." He let out a soft chuckle. "You probably don’t remember, but I do."

Valerie stared at him for a long moment, processing his words. "Wait. Hold on." She tilted her head. "You’re telling me... you actually noticed me back then?"

Gion’s smile widened, his ears tinging slightly pink. "Well... yeah." He glanced down briefly before meeting her gaze again. "I mean, you were kind of hard to miss."

Silence fell for a moment before Luca let out a low whistle, while Wilson and Alaric exchanged knowing glances. Valerie, for once, was speechless, her cheeks turning pink.

Delphinia bit her lip to hold back a smile. Well, well, maybe Valerie would get lucky tonight after all.

Evander cleared his throat, moving things along. "Alright, enough staring and reminiscing. Drinks?"

With that, they moved to the dining area, where the table had been set up with an array of food and alcohol. The atmosphere lightened as they all began to talk, laughing and sharing stories about their past. The banter between Evander and his friends was easy, filled with a mixture of playful insults and genuine camaraderie.

Wilson poured himself a drink and leaned back. "Cedric isn’t here yet?"

Evander shook his head. "I invited him. He said he’d come, but he’s probably running late."

Luca smirked. "That man is always late."

As they continued talking, the doorbell rang. Delphinia stood up before Evander could move. "I’ll get it," she said, smiling. "You stay here and enjoy your time with your friends."

Evander gave her a small nod, his eyes softening. "Alright."

Delphinia walked to the front door, her heels clicking against the polished floor. She adjusted her dress slightly before opening it, expecting to see Cedric alone.

But he wasn’t alone.

There, standing beside him, was Lydia.

Delphinia barely managed to control her shock before smoothing her expression into something neutral. Her grip on the doorknob tightened for a brief second, but she quickly let go and forced a polite smile.

"Cedric. Lydia," she greeted, her voice even. "It’s... nice to see you both."

Cedric gave her a small nod. "Hope it’s not too much of a surprise."

Lydia, standing beside him, offered a polite smile of her own. "Hello, Delphinia." Her tone was friendly, but there was an undeniable hesitance in her eyes, as if she, too, was uncertain of how this was going to go.

Delphinia inhaled quietly before stepping aside. "Come in."

Cedric and Lydia stepped past her, moving into the house, and Delphinia followed behind them.

As she walked, she found her thoughts drifting. Was Evander okay with Lydia being here? He had known Cedric was coming, but Lydia? That was an entirely different matter.