He should have known.

Marcel felt his phone ring earlier, but then, he had been so engulfed in the fun he was having with the children that he ignored it. Moreover, he had not expected Arianna home until the early hours of the morning, nor had it ever crossed his mind that she would ever come here.

Even late at night, the children had a great burst of energy and didn't tire easily and who knew that the game would turn out to be more fun than he thought? Victor decided that they should play paintball and it was even stunning that he had the equipment in his booth as if he had seen this coming.

Enlightening the kid on how to play the game was a bit taxing at first, but after about four trial games, they were good to go. The kids were smart and Marcel couldn't have been more proud of his daughter over the way she expertly dodged the Marker, paint-filled pellet.

However, they were holding back on purpose because he, Elijah, and Victor were all expert shooters and this was supposed to be fun. But then, he had to be impartial and could not spare his daughter nor that he had her in sight.

Aside from that, Marcel was a leader and thus needed to test his daughter and see if she had the same ingredients to take over his position one day, even if she was merely two years old. It was never too old to start grooming his heir.

So he fired pellet after pellet at her, but she couldn't dodge him forever, and to his surprise, his daughter didn't try to ignore the shot and run off like the other kids who had been hit, she fell like a worthy warrior. Pride filled Marcel's chest, and he ripped off the mask, showing off the lips on his lips.

He was about to walk over to his daughter and lift her to her feet since she was still pretending to be dead only to sense movements from the corner of his eyes and turn only for his heart to leap out of his chest.

Oh no.

He was dead meat.

It was his wife, Arianna.

And no, he was not hallucinating.

Arianna was standing right in front of him.

He looked at her and the shock on his face as she stared at her kid was not surprising. He would be shocked too if he were in her shoes, nor did he tell her his intention of coming here. Marcel knew that he had to do something. Someone had to save his ass.

And so, Marcel reached for the weapon that has been tested and proven to melt her raging heart. He carried Aricel off her the ground and into his arms as he carefully approached her, saying, "Guess who is the best mummy in the world?"

historical

Marcel gave Arianna a lopsided grin just as their little girl recognized her presence, "Mummy!" Aricel made grabbing motions with her little hands and Marcel knew what that meant because he handed the child to her.

"Aricel, my baby." Arianna cooed, accepting her child from Marcel, but not without directing a glare that told him he had an explanation to do.

Behind them, Victor was going through a similar phase with Mimi, but unlike them, they were already in the kissing stage. His dear cousin Victor was wise enough to expel the fight out of his wife with his expert lips.

"Start."

It was just one command from Arianna with that furious look in her eyes and he started, "Aricel was missing her cousins." That was his pathetic excuse.

"Try harder," Arianna said firmly. Marcel was not so great at lying when he was under tension.

Marcel opened his mouth to cook up another lie but he sighed, knowing that he had an observant wife that would see through all of it in the end.

"I was bored. We decided that it was appropriate that the men meet up as well." He confessed.

"It's late and you left with Aricel?"

"I was very careful."

"She shouldn't even be up past sleeping time," Arianna said this time with a deep frown, staring down at her kid whose gaze was as clear as day with no sign of sleep.

"I'm sorry." Marcel had no choice but to apologize knowing that he was in the wrong. Yes, he was bored, but a deal was a deal. Also, Aricel shouldn't be up by this time.

He told her, "It wouldn't happen again, at least not without your knowledge."

"Good." She said, "Now, come on." Arianna tugged him by the shirt and when he was close enough, plastered her lips against him.

The move took Marcel by surprise, but who was he to refuse such a sweet treat? He wrapped one arm around her waist, aware of their kid between them, and moved his lips against hers.

He could have kissed her deeper if it wasn't for the resistance on his chest and he glanced down to see that it was Aricel shoving against him. Noticing that she finally had her father's attention, the little girl puckered her lips, wanting her fair share of the kiss as well.

Genuine laughter ripped from Marcel's chest, so much for trying to be careful around her. Clasping her face with both of his hands, Marcel first pecked her on the forehead, cheeks, no, everywhere. There was not a skin on her face left untouched by the time he was done.

"Yes, I love you too, my baby girl." He finally pecked her on the lips, his eyes twinkling with joy and amusement. Marcel was happy. He was very happy.

Arianna watched their interaction and while it was cute, she couldn't help but feel a quick stab of jealousy. If she hadn't come around, all of that attention would have been on her. Yet, Arianna did not regret it one bit; she just had to get used to her daughter stealing her husband's attention.

And then she remembered why they were here in the first place, but when she did look ahead, Adele was already wrapped securely in Elijah's arms.

Arianna shook her head in disbelief, how didn't they notice it all along when there was more than a spark between the couples?

Nonetheless, she was happy that things worked out for them. Adele has suffered long enough and needed a bit of happiness in her life.

Now, she -Arianna- just had to work hard on getting baby number two in the making before Mimi beats her to it.