“Wait, it was your birthday, Meredith?” Orion asked, his brow quirking upward. “What useless gift did you get?”

“Miss Perdita gave me and my sister tickets to see Nolan Dalton in concert,” came the reply.

“Nolan Dalton?” Orion echoed in confusion.

Perdita didn’t bother hiding her irritation as she fixed her gaze on her brother. “You know, Sweet Caroline, Love on the Rocks, Forever in Blue Jeans—ring any bells? Meredith used to blast his music while cleaning up after your lazy ass.”

Orion gave a half-hearted shrug. “Can’t say I remember.”

“That’s because it wasn’t about you.” Perdita muttered under her breath before grabbing a slice of bacon from her plate. She inspected it, then took a bite, letting out a satisfied hum. “Oh my god, this bacon is perfection.”

Ambrose, sitting across from her, glanced up with a skeptical look at her enthusiasm.

“Oh, come on,” she teased, catching his expression. “Don’t act like you don’t appreciate perfectly cooked bacon. It’s not rubbery, not burnt—just the right crispiness.”

“You’re seriously strange,” Ambrose commented as he shook his head.

“Coming from you, freakshow? That’s rich,” she shot back, her tone sharp but playful. Her eyes flicked toward Caspian, who had been silently observing the exchange. He hadn’t joined in but instead stared at her from across the table with a stony expression. Perdita tilted her head and smirked. “What’s the matter, Mr. Roboto? Did someone forget to plug you in last night? Need a factory reset?”

“No,” Caspian replied flatly.

She raised a brow at his curt response but let it slide. Before she could press further, her phone buzzed on the table. She glanced at the screen, and a grin spread across her face. “Oh, it’s Margot.”

Orion sat up straighter at this. “Wait. My mother Margot?”

“How many Margots do you think I know?” she retorted as she answered the call. “Hey, Margot! I’m having brunch with Mom and Dad. And your waste of DNA offspring is here too. What’s up?”

“Hi, Perdita,” Margot greeted warmly. “Hi, Garrett. Hi, Seraphina. Hi, my darling Orion. Are you all enjoying brunch?”

Seraphina leaned closer to the phone and chimed, “We are! And you’re missing out. I made the best mimosas—they’re basically juice!”

“You’re drinking because Orion’s there, aren’t you?” Margot teased with a laugh. “Wish I could be there, but I’m waiting on a delivery. I’m pretty sure the weirdo across the hall’s been stealing my packages.”

“Ugh, that’s the worst,” Perdita commiserated. “So, what’s up? Why the call?”

“Well,” Margot began, “since I’m stuck here instead of coming over, I thought I’d ask for a tiny favor.”

“Hold on,” Orion cut in, clearly annoyed. “Why are you calling her for favors?”

“Because she’s thoughtful, sweet, and dependable. Unlike certain people,” Margot shot back without missing a beat. “Plus, we work in the same building, and we have lunch together all the time.”

“Oh, Margot, you flatter me,” Perdita joked, batting her lashes at her phone. “What do you need?”

“I was hoping you might have some time before your trip to help me out with something. A woman I know is a big fan of yours and would love to meet you.”

“Seriously?” Perdita’s smile widened.

“Yes. We were chatting just this morning.”

Seraphina’s eyes lit up. “Hold on—this morning? How early was this, exactly?”

“Calm down, Seraphina,” Margot laughed. “Garrett, can you please handle your wife?”

“As if I could,” Garrett replied, grinning.

“She came by for breakfast,” Margot continued. “She noticed my signed copy of Rogue Deserter and was thrilled. Turns out, she’s a fan of your entire collection. Maybe we can all do lunch tomorrow?”

“I’d love that!” Perdita exclaimed.

“But promise me you’ll be honest about your impression of her after you meet,” Margot cautioned.

“Of course,” Perdita assured her. “But honestly, if you like her, that’s all that matters.”

“Yeah, right.” Margot chuckled knowingly. “Don’t pretend family opinions don’t sway you. Remember that jerk you dated from spin class? Your mom and I warned you, and you dumped him after we spoke up.”

“Fair point.”

“She’s not your family!” Orion hissed, his temper flaring. “Her mom stole your husband!”

“Orion!” Margot chided. “That was decades ago, and I’m over it. You should get over it too.”

“She’s right,” Garrett added quietly. “And maybe you should ask yourself why Margot feels closer to us than she does to you. But this isn’t my conversation to have. Talk to your mother.

“You’re confiding in her?” Orion glared at Seraphina. “After everything?”

Seraphina stayed calm. “Yes, because Margot is a wonderful person, and I genuinely enjoy her company.”

“You slept with her husband and destroyed her life!” Orion barked, barely containing his fury.

“Watch it,” Garrett warned, his voice low. “I suggest sitting down with your mother to figure this out. Brunch is not the place for this conversation.”

Before Orion could add anything else, Perdita slammed her palm against the table. “Enough!” Her voice echoed sharply, drawing shocked silence from everyone present. “For nearly thirty years, you’ve blamed us for things you don’t even fully comprehend. You’re so self-centered and blind to reality, it’s no wonder Margot prefers us to you.”

She stood abruptly, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. Her face was flushed as she kissed both parents on the cheek and threw her napkin on her plate. “Excuse me, Daddy. I need a moment.” Then, without another glance at Orion, she stalked out of the room.