The IVF Secret That Shook a Dynasty novel Chapter 533

Seeing Hillary react with such intense, desperate gratitude left Vivica entirely speechless.

Thankfully, Raymond called out from the dining room, breaking the tension. "Dinner is ready! Everyone, grab a seat."

Hillary looked over, then turned back to her daughter and grandson. "Come on, let's go eat."

Since Hayes couldn't move on his own, he had to rely on the others for help.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime reunion. No matter how paralyzed he was, he absolutely needed to be at that table.

Caleb, Raymond's father, stepped behind his wheelchair and carefully pushed him into the dining room.

"Just tell me what you want to eat tonight," Caleb told him warmly. "I'll be taking care of you."

Watching the exchange, another wave of shock rippled through Vivica.

No wonder Raymond treated her parents with such immense care. It wasn't just his mother, Cheryl, who was devoted to them; his father was equally supportive.

The Smith family was truly cut from the same cloth as the Baird family.

They were all incredibly kind, honorable, and fiercely loyal people.

She had been unbelievably lucky to marry into the Baird family and experience that rare, pure goodness firsthand.

And her biological parents were just as lucky to have the Smiths, finding a glimmer of warmth amid their tragic, shattered lives.

In terms of pure tragedy, her biological family had endured absolute hell.

But in terms of luck, they had found the best possible people to lean on.

A flurry of emotions twisted in Vivica's chest, and she instinctively glanced at Joseph.

Vivica returned the warmth. "Thank you for going to all this trouble. Preparing such an incredible feast couldn't have been easy."

Having been a full-time housewife herself, Vivica knew the drill. Every holiday season, she had always been the busiest person in the house. She intimately understood the sheer exhaustion of orchestrating a massive dinner and deeply appreciated the effort.

The woman laughed, her tone bright and breezy. "Oh, it was no trouble at all. I wasn't sure what you'd prefer and worried you might not like local Sydville dishes, so I had Raymond hire a chef who specializes in Riverdale cuisine."

She gestured to the sprawling spread on the table. "The chef handled all of these. I only made these few dishes right here, so please forgive my average cooking skills."

Raymond walked out of the kitchen carrying a large bowl of soup, immediately jumping into the conversation. "Don't listen to her modesty, Vivica. My wife is an incredible cook. I did throw together these two dishes, though, and they pale in comparison to hers. You'll just have to bear with my amateur attempts."

The effortless banter between the couple was a clear sign of a deeply loving marriage. Vivica couldn't help but feel a twinge of admiration.

Joseph hadn't expected a guy like Raymond to know his way around a kitchen. Seeing the unmistakable look of envy on his wife's face, a hint of competitive jealousy flared in his chest.

Was he going to have to learn how to cook now, too?