Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 400

The card read:

"I've climbed mountains, crossed rivers,

Witnessed the rebirth of nature, in an endless cycle,

Now, you are my mountain, and you are my river too.

—To Elysia."

Anyone with a romantic bone in their body could tell, this was a sweet, heartfelt message.

If Tarquin had been sure she was the one he'd been searching for, he might have pursued her relentlessly. But uncertainty kept him at bay.

It wasn't him who sent the cake!

Nor was it the kids!

So, who could it be?

Blossom, ever curious, asked, "Elysia, looks like you've got an admirer. Has anyone been courting you lately?"

"Nope."

Blossom looked puzzled. "Could it be a secret admirer then?"

Elysia shook her head, "I barely made a peep about coming back, and I've been all wrapped up with Elijah. Haven't really seen anyone else. Who would have a crush on me?"

"Well, you never know with secret admirers. If you knew, it wouldn't be a secret, right? Someone's gone to the trouble of sending you a love note. It must be from someone who's got a crush on you."

Elysia frowned, considering how different her life might have been if she hadn't been forced to drop out and marry, like Blossom, with a normal graduation and a regular job. Maybe then, a secret admirer wouldn't seem so far-fetched.

But after everything she'd been through, the idea seemed impossible!

Yet, there was no denying the romantic gesture of the card.

Elysia pondered over this mystery for a while but couldn't make heads or tails of it.

The cake seemed all the more mysterious.

Emmett came out, eager for a bathroom break, and spotted the cake, his excitement palpable, "Mommy, mommy, are we having cake today?"

She was startled by the prices, clearly out of her league.

And these were just for single-tier cakes. The double-tiered one Blossom was holding would be even pricier!

In her book, a decent 6-inch cake from a high-end bakery would run about... $50?

Seeing Elysia's shock, Blossom leaned in for a look and was equally taken aback, "Told you it wouldn't be cheap! That place is all the rage online, a real hotspot for influencers, and their prices are through the roof. This double-layered one's gotta start at $400 at least. Geez, someone's really into you, Elysia. Your secret admirer must be loaded!"

Elysia snapped back to reality, her anxiety mounting.

She couldn't fathom who it could be and decided to put the matter aside for now, biting the bullet to order a smaller, more affordable cake for the kids. Then she told Blossom, "Let's just keep it for now, until we figure out who sent it."

Unidentified food was a no-go for her kids, but given its price, she couldn't just toss it. What if it needed to be returned?

Blossom agreed it wasn't wise to let the kids eat it just yet. With no room in the fridge, she found a temporary spot for it.

Elysia went back to chopping potatoes, while Blossom washed the greens by the sink.

Seeing Elysia weighed down with thoughts, Blossom comforted her, "If you can't figure out who your secret admirer is, don't sweat it. Being admired is hardly a bad thing, better than someone holding a grudge."