Upon entering the gate, Ashlyn noticed a quaint building at the edge of the back garden. A woman relaxed on the second-floor balcony. From this distance, Ashlyn couldn’t make out who it was.

Curious, she turned to Katelyn and asked, “Who’s that on the balcony?” Katelyn looked towards Sophia and answered simply, “That’s Sophia.”

Ashlyn was taken aback. She was puzzled why Sophia would be here, given Sophia’s past with Katelyn.

Katelyn spoke softly. “It’s complicated. I’ll explain it to you some other time.”

Though Ashlyn remained curious, she nodded and let the topic drop. “Alright.”

Khalid cast a glance towards where Sophia sat, his demeanor calm and detached, seemingly uninterested in the dramas unfolding.

They then proceeded towards the main house.

With Ashlyn and Khalid’s arrival, Katelyn had Jaxen bring Alfy along for a casual barbecue in the garden.

The gathering offered a much-needed break.

Alfy, holding a beer, chuckled lightly. Jaxen leaned in and whispered a joke. Caught off guard, Alfy burst out laughing, accidentally spewing beer in surprise.

Suddenly, beer splashed across Jaxen’s face, catching him off guard. In a state of shock, he hastily wiped it away.

The disturbance caught the attention of nearby onlookers, who turned to look, their curiosity piqued. One of them asked, “What’s going on?”

Alfy gestured dismissively with her hands. “It’s nothing, really.” She pulled out a tissue and handed it to Jaxen, keeping a smile on her face. Jaxen’s usually composed expression darkened, yet he held back any anger toward Alfy. He accepted the tissue and began to dab at his face.

gα?ησν?s﹒cm has it all

Noticing that Jaxen and Alfy appeared to have the situation under control, the curious crowd returned to their conversations. Once the onlookers had shifted their attention elsewhere, Jaxen whispered harshly into Alfy’s ear, “Was that intentional?”

Alfy faced Jaxen with a look of pure innocence and shrugged. “Of course not. Maybe be more careful with your words next time.”

At that time, Sophia approached and took a seat next to Katelyn. As soon as Sophia arrived, the lively chatter among the group came to an immediate halt.

Sophia, unfazed by the sudden silence, reached for a kebab and was about to take a bite when Katelyn’s voice cut through the stillness, interrupting her. “One bite and you’ll face death.”

Sophia paused, giving Katelyn a hurt look. “Can’t I even enjoy a kebab?” Katelyn took a casual sip of her beer, and though she didn’t say anything, her response was clear.

With a sigh of resignation, Sophia placed the kebab down and said softly, “Alright. Looks like I’m as fragile as a porcelain doll now.”

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