Nathan invited Frank and the others because it was his youngest daughter Kaye's birthday—she was turning six years old. For a change, they decided to celebrate it with a pool party at their house.
It had been quite some time since they all bonded together, so Nathan and his wife thought it would be good to host this celebration.
Nathan noticed how Frank took care of his younger sister, Mariely. After five years of going through a difficult and toxic relationship with Edward, she had now been in a three-year relationship with Frank, and Nathan never saw sadness in her anymore.
She would be turning twenty-nine this year. When will these two finally get married? he wondered silently.
Her boyfriend even brought Mariely abroad for vacations, and he knew they were enjoying each other's company. Nathan was also glad that Andrew and Veron had tied the knot the previous year. Their baby was now close to nine months old.
"Brother, Andrew and Veron might arrive a little late," Mariely told him.
He simply nodded.
"Go now, enjoy the pool," he told her.
She laughed. "Brother, how can I enjoy? I have kids to watch over."
Nadia chuckled as well while she was helping prepare the food. Nathan saw Frank with his two kids, while little Kaye played with Nathan's youngest sibling. Clover was also there, carrying his two-year-old child.
Damn, time flies so fast. We're meeting again, but now with our own families, Nathan thought.
"Hey, Nathan! Sorry we're late. Hopefully not too late?" Andrew called out as they arrived.
"Hello, Veron!" Nathan's wife greeted her, hugging her while she carried their baby.
Veron smiled warmly. "We brought a gift for the birthday girl."
Mariely waves at Veron while holding Kaye's hand.
"Happy birthday, Kaye," Veron greeted.
"Thank you, Tita," Kaye smiled brightly.
"You're welcome. I'll give you your gift later, but for now, let's enjoy the party," Veron replied.
"Thank you both for making time to come," Nathan said gratefully.
"No, we always make time—especially for our baby too," she responded.
Then she teased her friend, "So, when are you and your fiancé planning to have kids?"
"Honestly, I already have lots of godchildren and nieces and nephews. Maybe I won't have kids anymore," came the playful reply.
"Oh please, one day we'll just be surprised when I show up pregnant."
"Girl, if you get pregnant and the father isn't around, I'll seriously kick your fiancé's ass," Veron joked.
"They're always picking on me," Frank laughed. "Soon we'll have a child; don't pressure us, okay?"
Mariely only chuckled, her cheerful glow finally returning. The scars on her legs and body were gone, and Nathan was thankful that her wounds—inside and out—were healing.
"Dad, I want to buy ice cream over there," said Xyrel, their seven-year-old daughter.
He noticed where his daughters were heading, and since it was still within sight, he allowed them to go.
****
Clover went back to fetch something from the car. On his way, he noticed Nathan's two daughters had already bought ice cream. They didn't step outside the gate, but he spotted a vehicle parked nearby.
Something about it felt wrong. Before he could return, two men suddenly stepped out of the vehicle and casually approached the girls. He couldn't see their faces clearly—they were covered.
Trusting his instincts, Clover immediately walked over to the children.
"Excuse me?" He called out to the two men, talking to them.
"Xyrel, Kaye, come here," he said firmly, calling the girls back.
The children quickly obeyed, hurrying back to him. He held their hands tightly. The car engine roared to life, and Clover caught one of the men staring back at him before the vehicle pulled away.
He led the girls back to the cottage.
"Oh, Clover," Andrew greeted him, noticing his serious expression. Frank also turned, sensing something was wrong.
"What happened?" Nathan asked.
"Dad, two men were talking to us," Xyrel spoke innocently. "They said they'd buy us a lot of ice cream if we went with them."
Nathan's brow furrowed instantly.
"I just looked away for a minute, and someone already talked to you? Strangers?" he asked sternly.
Both girls nodded.
"Kidnapping cases are so common these days," Veron said worriedly.
"They kept insisting we go with them, Dad," Kaye added. "But sis, Xyrel told us not to."
Nathan shook his head. "Stay here. Don't wander off alone, even inside the compound. Are you both okay?"
The girls nodded. Nathan turned to Clover. "Thank you for stepping in right away. I didn't notice they were already being talked to by strangers."
"Where's Xavier?" Nathan asked.
They saw Xavier with Frank, who looked equally alarmed at what had almost happened.
Clover sighed, thankful he trusted his instincts. We need to take action immediately, he thought grimly.
Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that he knew one of the men.
"Hey," Andrew called him.
Clover looked up.
"I'm fine," he replied. "It's just… my gut tells me I know that man."
Andrew sighed.
"Maybe because we really do know him. Who else would dare attempt something like this?"
Clover froze. "No way… He's still planning to take revenge against the Celestial family?"
"Yeah. You know his background. He may be quiet now, but his real goal is to take Faith away from Frank again. That's why he keeps threatening them."
"Do Frank and Nathan know?" Clover asked.
"Not Nathan. He'd lose it—especially if he knew his daughters were nearly taken. Same with Nadia. Did you know? Just last week, she was almost held hostage. If I hadn't found out in time, we'd be facing a huge problem. I haven't told Nathan yet, but he needs to know eventually."
Clover only nodded, his gaze shifting to the children splashing happily in the pool and his wife, Clarisse, chatting joyfully with the others.
"What's the next step for Frank?" Andrew asked.
"Don't worry. He's not foolish enough not to realize what's happening to Faith's family. He'll speak up sooner or later. Just keep me updated on what happens," Clover replied.
Andrew nodded again. Clover didn't want this happy gathering to be ruined. He needed to talk privately with the person Andrew mentioned—he had to uncover everything.
Andrew patted him on the shoulder. "For now, let's just enjoy. Look at them."
Clover finally smiled faintly and walked over to his wife and children, joining in their laughter.