Chapter 81

Ethan and Mr. Larson were deep in conversation about military stuff. Mr. Larson, having transitioned from a military career to business, shared a lot in common with Ethan, so their talk was flowing pretty naturally. When Celeste came downstairs earlier than expected, Mr. Larson glanced at Oliver, clearly a bit uneasy. "Why didn't April spend some more time chatting with Celeste?" he asked. "She's still recovering after giving birth," Celeste chimed in with a casual smile. "Didn't want to bother her too much. Better to let her rest and keep a good mood, right? Once she's feeling better, I'll find time to apologize to her about that painting thing." The mention of the painting made Mr. Larson's expression shift subtly. He coughed awkwardly, saying, "There's no need for that. What happened was totally April's fault anyway. She misread the situation and almost made a big mess. The Shaw family choosing not to hold it against her-well, that's already quite generous." "Ethan's always told me