She had been terrified she wouldn't be able to make it back home if she went.
Gemma had been genuinely scared back then.
As much as she liked Barrett, she had absolutely no desire to venture out to some remote, unfamiliar countryside all by herself.
Looking back on it now, Gemma knew she was in the wrong. "I'm so sorry, back then I just..."
Trying to explain it away with words felt incredibly hollow.
Barrett fully understood Gemma's and her friends' concerns. "It's fine. You can see
how wonderful the James Village is now, right?"
Gemma nodded enthusiastically. "I really can!"
She apologized for her past malicious assumptions.
"We'll definitely pick a date during the winter or summer break. Make sure you come back for it, Clan Successor!" Gemma didn't want to take up any more of Claire's time.
Claire smiled and agreed.
Barrett and Gemma headed toward Edison's place. The Chapel Ceremony was over, and the next step was lighting the firecrackers and welcoming the newlyweds.
Which meant it was time for the feast!
Getting a good spot for the banquet was the top priority!
Claire watched the young couple walk away, a soft smile playing on her lips.
Now that she had fully integrated herself into the James Village, the thought of another couple from the village tying the knot brought a genuine, knowing smile to her face.
"What's so funny? Pandora asked me to come find you."
Dane had appeared beside Claire without her even noticing.
Claire snapped back to reality. "Let's go. I'm getting a little hungry."
They had brought in chefs from Patti's side of the family to handle the catering, and the banquet was shaping up to be spectacular.
Those same chefs had catered Claire's The Ivy Gala back in the day.
Hearing Claire say she was hungry, Dane naturally catered to her every whim. "Do you want to go back and change clothes first? Are you cold?"
Claire was dressed in the unique ceremonial attire reserved for the Clan Successor of the James Village, hand-stitched by the village elders.
While the garments looked heavy and layered, they weren't necessarily as insulating as a puffer jacket.
Dane was worried she might freeze.
Claire shook her head. "Don't worry, I've got a down vest on underneath. It's really warm."
"It's fleece-lined too, so it traps the heat."
Even with her reassurance, Dane wasn't entirely convinced.
Instead, he reached out and took her hand.
Her fingers weren't icy; they were comfortably warm, proving she really wasn't cold.
"See? Nice and warm," Claire said, looking up at Dane with a smile.
Dane didn't let go of her hand, simply offering a low, "Mhm."
Claire let Dane hold her hand the entire walk over.
But the moment they arrived at Edison's house, Dane smoothly released his grip.
Even the most formidable man knew he had to put on his best behavior in front of the elders.
Claire couldn't help but chuckle to herself.
As the grandson of Pandora's close friend and Claire's fiancé, Dane was seated alongside Claire at the head table.
The moment everyone caught sight of Dane, they couldn't stop praising his striking looks.
All the aunts and distant relatives,
even though they weren't seat
the same table, swarmed over before the food was even served.
"Is this handsome young man really our Clan Successor's fiancé? He's incredibly
good-looking!"
"There are definitely more
handsome guys out there in the
world than just here in the James
Village honestly used to think the
boys in our village were the
best-looking ones around." .net
"Back in the day, Agassi and Edison were absolute heartthrobs."
Someone casually brought up Claire's father.
Claire instinctively glanced toward Pandora.
She noticed the older woman's reaction was remarkably composed.
It seemed that even the most agonizing grief would eventually be smoothed over by
time.
Someone else chimed in, adding that Dewitt was also quite the looker.
However, the main focus of the conversation remained fixed squarely on Dane.
The relatives looked ready to interrogate him about his entire family history dating back eighteen generations.
Once theydearned that Dane was fiancé chosen for Claire by her
biological mother, not a single el.nete
person vorced an objection Contents
They even praised The Churchill Family for their incredible foresight.