The next morning, we all gathered around the breakfast table, and I felt a genuine wave of relief wash over me. The thick, suffocating tension from last night had miraculously vanished, replaced by a much lighter, almost serene atmosphere. It allowed me to truly relax, to actually enjoy the delicious food and the quiet hum of conversation.
"So, when do you two plan to hold the wedding?" Mr. Brooks, Mason's father, finally spoke, breaking his silence from the previous evening. A soft, doting smile played on his lips as he looked at Ava, a complete 180 from the fury that had etched his face yesterday. The anger had melted away, replaced by the warm, affectionate gaze he usually reserved for the ladies of the house. He looked at Ava as if she were already his beloved daughter, and he simply
