The kiss broke abruptly as a chorus of hoots echoed from the poolside. Abby and Mia turned, cheeks flushed, only to see Navya, Bella, and Julian laughing and cheering at them.
Mia's face turned a deep shade of red, and she buried her face in Abby's chest, while Abby awkwardly glanced around, embarrassed, trying to avoid eye contact with the teasing trio.
Julian, grinning mischievously, called out, "Damn, bro… you got my sister pretty fast!" His words carried both amusement and mock admiration.
Bella, never one to miss a chance to tease, leaned forward with a sly grin. "Brother, you do know there are rooms in the farmhouse, not just the pool, right?"
Abby shot Bella a sharp glare, but Bella only responded with an even naughtier smirk, clearly enjoying his flustered reaction.
Mia didn't wait for any more teasing—she bolted toward her room, cheeks burning, and the sound of laughter followed her.Her feet were almost at the door when Bella's hand gently but firmly caught her wrist.
"Hey, slow down, sleepyhead," Bella said with a teasing grin, holding her back. "Don't run off before everyone sees how cute you are."
Mia froze, her heart skipping a beat, caught between embarrassment and relief. "B-Bella…" she stammered, glancing around at Abby, who was awkwardly trying to hide his flushed face.
Navya and Julian were nearby, exchanging knowing smiles, clearly enjoying the chaos. Bella laughed softly, giving Mia a playful nudge. "Come on, let's not hide in your room. You've got to face them… at least a little."
Mia hesitated, but with Bella's encouragement, she took a deep breath and stepped back toward the pool .Navya, arms crossed but still smiling, smirked at Abby. "But I have to say, that was… hot."
Abby's blush deepened, and he muttered something under his breath, while Bella, with a playful grin, pulled Mia back toward the pool. Trio surrounded the couple, dragging them into a flurry of splashes, laughter, and playful celebration of their new relationship.
Bella clapped her hands, smiling softly and yawning, and said, "Guys… let's go to sleep."
But everyone was still grinning at her, waiting eagerly. The clock showed just two minutes to midnight, and the excitement in the air was palpable.
Abby raised his glass with a mischievous grin. "One last drink?"
Everyone cheered in agreement. Bella took a small sip of her drink, laughing at their antics… but in the next moment, she suddenly stumbled and fell onto the soft grass.
"Bella!" Abby shouted, rushing to her side, followed by Mia, Navya and Julian. They all enveloped her in a protective, warm hug.
At the stroke of midnight, their voices rang out together, full of love and joy:
"Happy Birthday, Senorita!"
Bella's eyes sparkled with tears of happiness. She hugged each of them tightly, feeling the warmth and affection surrounding her. One by one, they pulled back, letting her savor the moment as she laughed and thanked them.
Finally, the laughter settled, and everyone made their way to their rooms, hearts full, smiles lingering… while Nandini lingered a moment longer, still glowing from the love of her friends and family.
The next day, the sunlight gently streamed into Bella's room. She was still fast asleep, tangled in the blankets, with Navya and Mia snuggled beside her, all three of them looking like sleeping angels.
Richard and Susan quietly entered the room, followed by Alexander and Yonika. They paused at the doorway, smiles spreading across their faces as they admired the girls.
Susan whispered softly, "Aww… look at them. They're so cute together. May God always protect them from the evil eye."
Richard chuckled, nodding in agreement. "Yes… their bond has brought us all closer."
Yonika smiled warmly. "It's because of them that our families have become so connected."
Alexander added with a proud smile, "Exactly. Now we are truly one family. Time to wake up these sleeping beauties."
Susan nodded, stepping closer and gently brushing Bella's hair back. She placed a soft kiss on each girl's forehead. "Wake up, girls. It's 12 noon!"
At that very moment, Julian and Abby appeared at the door, both wearing mischievous grins. They darted toward the bathroom, emerging moments later with buckets of cold water.
"No, Julian! Abby!" Alexander shouted, his tone sharp but laced with amusement.
Susan gasped, trying to warn them, "I'm warning you, boys—don't you dare!"
But Richard simply winked at them. "Susan darling, you look gorgeous this morning," he teased, planting a quick kiss on her cheek.
Susan blushed and hid her face in Richard's arms, causing Yonika and Alexander to laugh heartily.
Their laughter died abruptly as Julian and Abby splashed the girls with icy cold water. The girls screamed in surprise, and a playful war erupted instantly. Bella, Navya, and Mia shrieked and retaliated, drenching the boys in return.
Alexander and Richard could only laugh at the chaos. "They will never grow up!" Alexander exclaimed.
Susan giggled, holding her stomach. "Because of them, our lives are always full of joy."
Finally, Richard clapped his hands. "Okay, that's enough! Stop, everyone!"
The youngers reluctantly paused, dripping wet and laughing uncontrollably.
Richard leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Bella's forehead. "Happy Birthday, my dear."
Bella hugged him tightly, her eyes sparkling with happiness. One by one, Susan, Yonika, and Alexander came forward to wish her, each sharing loving words and kisses on her cheeks.
Then Abby, Julian, Navya, and Mia surrounded her, jumping and hugging her with all their excitement, wishing her with uncontained joy.
After the playful chaos settled, everyone finally moved downstairs for breakfast, laughter still echoing through the house, hearts full of love and warmth from the afternoons festivities.
After breakfast, everyone moved to the lawn, the fresh morning air filling their lungs as laughter and chatter bounced around.
Bella clapped her hands with excitement. "Guys, let's do painting, okay?"
Julian tilted his head with a playful grin. "Painting, huh…? Why not? But… where's the painting stuff?" He winked cheekily at Abby.
Abby smirked back, amused. "Yes, yes, let's do it. I'm all in."
Navya narrowed her eyes at the boys, suspicious. "Why do I feel like you two are plotting something evil?"
Mia and Bella exchanged amused glances, giggling at the boys' mischievous expressions.
Julian, pretending to be offended, crossed his arms. "Wow, girls, wow… I'm thrilled to be enjoying painting with you after so long, and here you are, suspecting me!"
Abby gave Mia a subtle wink, making her cheeks flush bright pink. Mia looked away shyly, trying to hide her smile.
Bella rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress her grin. "Okay… let's go!"
Fifteen minutes later, everyone was busy painting, brushes in hand, colors splashing across the canvases. The elders watched from the side, chatting softly while keeping an amused eye on the chaos.
Julian suddenly dipped his hands into red paint, smearing some across Bella's cheek before darting away with a triumphant laugh.
Bella gasped, her eyes narrowing into playful fire. She grabbed yellow paint, smeared it on her hands, and chased after him, yelling, "Julian Whitmore! You're dead!"
He Froze.
Abby, meanwhile, had already slathered green paint on Mia's arms, who squealed and retaliated, flicking blue paint at him. Navya joined in, and soon the lawn turned into a riot of colors as paint flew everywhere.
The elders couldn't stop laughing, their faces lighting up at the sight of the younger generation's unrestrained joy. The sun shone down, reflecting off splattered colors, laughter, and playful shrieks—an afternoon filled with mischief, happiness, and pure, unfiltered fun.
At the same time, a sleek car rolled into the farmhouse driveway. The door opened, and a tall, striking man stepped out, wearing stylish sunglasses. He lowered them, letting the sunlight hit his sharp features, but the sounds of laughter, shrieks, and playful chaos from the garden immediately caught his attention.
Curiosity piqued, he walked toward the source of the commotion, his polished shoes crunching on the gravel path. As he rounded the corner and saw the scene in the garden.