Chapter 778 - 777

778 Chapter 777

These days, there weren’t many people living at the Horton house.

Jake and his mother had already moved out, leaving only Keira and Lewis as the current heads of the household, with Erin still hanging around. Neither Lewis nor Keira were the chatty type, and Erin, well, she was like a firecracker, always going off whenever she saw Ellie. So, to help with hosting the Cobb family today, Keira had given James a quick call to ask him to come over and lend a hand.

James didn’t mind. He and Kate had been busy training at Freeman Sect anyway and didn’t have much going on. But what Keira hadn’t expected was that James would casually mention the whole thing in the family group chat, which then led to all the Olsen brothers immediately chiming in, eager to join the party too.

Charles, unsurprisingly, was the first to jump on the idea. After all, his girlfriend, Erin, was there.

Even Peter showed up, and he’d brought along Jenkins. As for Ellis and Mary, they didn’t come—Mary was heavily pregnant now, and Keira didn’t want to risk her being around too many people, especially with the South family’s shady reputation. No need to give them any excuses.

When the whole crew rolled in, Ellie pouted. “Keera, with all these people here, are you even gonna have time to hang out with me?”

Keira raised an eyebrow and smirked. “They’re family. They’re here to help me entertain you!”

Ellie’s mood shifted instantly, lighting up. “That’s awesome!”

Meanwhile, Erin was already long gone, having sprinted over to Charles’s side. She offered him a handful of pistachios and was chattering away non-stop, leaving Ellie to watch the scene unfold with curiosity.

“Is that Charles? Erin’s boyfriend?” Ellie asked.

Keira paused for a moment, then nodded. Charles seemed happy enough with the arrangement, and who was she to stop him?

Ellie, however, scrunched her nose. “Hmph, if I were feeling mischievous, I’d totally try to steal Charles away from her. Let’s see how long she keeps trying to steal you from me then!”

Keira blinked, speechless.

These rich girls and their thought processes were something else entirely.

Once everyone had poured into the house, the place came alive with laughter and conversation. The Olsen brothers were natural entertainers, and before long, even the usually reserved Ryan found himself pulled into a game of cards with them.

Keira exchanged a look with Lewis, her lips curving into a satisfied smile.

Lewis chuckled quietly in response.

By the time Selena and Gavin returned to the living room after their little tour of the estate, the house was already buzzing. The men were playing cards, the women sipping tea and enjoying the atmosphere—it all felt so warm and lively.

Selena, however, seemed out of place. She shot a glance at the room and muttered under her breath, “Anyone who didn’t know better would think this is the Olsen house, not the Horton’s.”

Her words brought an instant hush to the room. Everyone understood the jab behind her passive-aggressive comment.

Gavin gave her a gentle shake of the hand, silently pleading with her to stop, and Selena reluctantly lowered her gaze, falling quiet.

At that moment, Kate spoke up. “Who’s she?” she asked, casting a glance at Selena.

“She’s Gavin’s wife,” Erin explained, adding, “Oh, and also, the former Horton bastard.”

Kate raised an eyebrow. “A bastard? Really? You wouldn’t know it from the way she carries herself. I thought she was the eldest daughter.”

Selena’s face flushed with embarrassment at the dig. Kate had thrown her own words right back at her.

Her chest heaving with frustration, Selena looked at Gavin, her eyes watering as if she were about to say something, but Gavin was quicker, tugging her close. “Just let it go.”

Selena bit her lip and lowered her head, sulking.

Seeing the tension, Gavin decided not to head over to the guys, instead sitting on a sofa with Selena, the two of them somewhat isolated from the rest of the group. Their entrance had cast a strange, uncomfortable vibe over the room.

Keira and Lewis shared another glance. Neither of them were the type to make a scene, and given Selena’s illness, they certainly weren’t going to make a fuss. There wasn’t much point in picking a fight with someone who didn’t have much time left.

Keira stood up with a soft smile. “I think it’s about time we eat. What do you all say?”

“Yes! Finally!” Erin was the first to jump on the idea. “I’ve been smelling the food from the kitchen for ages now!”

Ellie shot her a knowing look. “Please, you probably already snuck in and grabbed a bite, didn’t you?”

“Me? Never!” Erin wiped her greasy lips with a napkin, nodding earnestly. “I wouldn’t dare!”

Ellie just stared at her in disbelief.

With everyone moving into the dining room, they took their seats around a large table that was set with a feast. Each person sat on either side of the long table, ready for the meal to begin.

But Selena was eyeing the food with something else on her mind. When no one was watching, she slipped into the kitchen, where everyone was busy preparing the last touches. Her gaze locked onto a pot of creamy stew simmering on the stove. Checking to make sure no one was looking, she pulled out a small packet of powder from her pocket and sprinkled it into the pot, stirring it in quickly before anyone noticed.