Meanwhile, somewhere in Anteca...
Nina and Finn sat in a private dining room at the restaurant. Earlier that day, they had visited a temple to ask for the most auspicious wedding date based on their star alignments. Nina wanted a mix of tradition and modern flair for the ceremony — so that’s exactly what they were planning.
Afterward, they checked out a few venues they had been eyeing.
Who would’ve thought wedding planning could be this exhausting? Even so, their bodies may have been tired, but their hearts were full.
"That’s all," Finn said to the server with a smile as he finalized their order.
The server nodded politely. "Please let me know if you need anything else."
"Thank you," both Nina and Finn replied, watching as the server left the room.
Once the door slid shut, Nina turned to Finn with a thoughtful look. "Finn, I’ve been thinking about the venues... Do you think we should keep looking?"
"Didn’t you like the ones we saw?"
"I did. They were great, actually. But something tells me we haven’t found the one yet."
Finn smiled in understanding. "We’ve still got time before the wedding. Why don’t we let everyone know what date we’re aiming for? Maybe someone will have suggestions."
"That’s not a bad idea," Nina agreed with a grin. "I should message Mom and Aunt Jessa—they asked for updates."
"Mhm." Finn watched as Nina dug through her bag and pulled out her phone to send the messages.
Since losing her job, Nina had plenty of time to explore what she liked. And with Finn also on a long break—occasionally taking calls, visiting his company, or bringing home small tasks—he often drove her around when she needed.
Lately, Nina had been spending a lot of time with Allison, Aunt Jessa, and Finn.
Not that Finn minded—he was still logging hours at Mama’s, Jessa’s and Allison’s restaurant. According to her, it was part of some "welcoming rite," though Finn knew Jessa was just taking advantage of having another set of hands. He also secretly helped Allison with management—something he offered to do, not something she asked of him.
But none of that was on Finn’s mind right now.
Instead, he was thinking about the phone call he received from Penny earlier that morning, right while they were at the temple.
Watching Nina smile as she tapped away at her screen, Finn took a quiet breath and finally said, "Nina."
She hummed, still looking at her phone.
"Penny called this morning."
That got her attention. She looked up slowly. "What did she want?"
"She said she’s dropping by later. She didn’t say much, only that she had a lot to discuss."
Nina pressed her lips into a line and nodded slowly. That piqued her curiosity—Penny wasn’t the type to hold back unless something was serious enough to require a face-to-face conversation.
But deep down, she knew it wasn’t a coincidence.
She had Penny — and Finn — to thank for the quiet. Penny had stationed bodyguards to keep that kind of encounter from happening again, and Finn had been the one to tell her. Different approach, but she was grateful regardless.
Nina swallowed and drew a deep breath. Closing her eyes for a moment, she reopened them with quiet resolve and met Finn’s gaze.
"Okay," she whispered, determination flickering in her eyes. "I want to hear what Penny wants to discuss."
"I’m sorry to bring it up like this," Finn said gently, "but knowing Penny, she might show up at our place before we do. I didn’t want it to blindside you."
She shook her head and gave him a small smile. "Don’t be sorry. If anything, thank you... for thinking of me. I’m not exactly thrilled about learning more about someone who was supposed to be dead, which is the only justification for why she’s not in my life, but... a part of me still wants to know."
Why was her mother still alive?
The hospital and the staff confirmed that her mother died of childbirth. How could she still be alive?
Many questions hovered over her head, but she chose not to dwell on them for now.
She gave his hand a firm squeeze. "Besides, I’ve got you. As long as you’re with me, I’ll be okay."
Finn’s expression softened. He lifted her hand and rested his cheek against it before kissing the back of it tenderly.
"I’ll be with you every step of the way."
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The readers' comments on the novel: Pampered by my three brothers: the return of the neglected heiress
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