Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 1476

“Elysia! Great to see you.” A group of young men from prominent families strolled over to greet her. With Tarquin absent, they were on their best behavior, a far cry from their usual playful and irreverent selves. Their smiles were as bright and sincere as a summer morning. “Can I help you with something?” Elysia replied politely. Gale chimed in with a grin. “Not at all. We just wanted to come over and say hi, get properly introduced. That way we don’t startle you if we run into you on the street.” “I’m Gale, by the way…” After Gale’s introduction, the others followed suit. When they had all finished, they spoke as a group. “If you ever need anything, anything at all, just let us know.” “We might not be as capable as Tarquin, but we’re not useless. We can definitely help with the small stuff.” “Tarquin is like a brother to us, which makes you family. To our first official meeting, we’d like to propose a toast!” “We’ll drink, but you shouldn’t. Tarquin would have our heads if he found out we let you drink.” One by one, they tipped their heads back and drained their glasses. The other women in the private room glanced over, their eyes filled with envy.

These trust-fund elites, like Gale, were men that women usually tripped over themselves to get the attention of, often with little success. Yet here they were, acting like loyal followers, all vying for Elysia’s favor. It was true what they said: a woman’s standing among her husband’s friends reflected her husband’s own status. When a man of high standing clearly adored his partner, his friends naturally treated her with the utmost respect. It was similar to how a woman was treated by her in-laws; it all depended on her husband. If he cherished her and had a voice in the family, she would be respected, and no one would dare bully her. Any woman who was mistreated by her in-laws undoubtedly had a husband who wasn't pulling his weight. Seeing them all drink, Elysia felt it would be rude not to join. She raised a glass of red wine and took a sip with them. Gale buttered her up. “Elysia, you’re basically a legend in our house. Whenever my mom talks about you, she can't stop singing your praises.” Booker jumped in. “You’re even more popular in my house. It’s not just my mom—even my dad speaks about you with total reverence.”

“And in my family,” another added, “it’s not just my parents. The whole extended family practically worships the ground you walk on. They keep telling me I need to find a woman with half your class and grace to settle down with!”

Elysia forced a slightly awkward smile. After the group left, Blossom asked, “When did you become the talk of the town for the older generation?” Elysia sighed. “I didn’t. I just happen to be very fertile.” “What?” Blossom’s eyes widened. “These old-money families don’t lack for cash,” Elysia explained. “They don’t have to worry about the cost of raising children, so they adore kids. But nowadays, young people are more open-minded, and a lot of women don’t want any children at all. And then there’s me, who had several at once. In the eyes of those elders, isn’t that considered a huge accomplishment? Something to be proud of?” Blossom finally understood. “Oh, that’s why. I was wondering when you suddenly started running in their circles.” “Having multiple babies at once is rare, but it’s also incredibly dangerous. You and the kids were just lucky nothing went wrong. Elysia, are you and Mr. Bradford planning on having more?” Elysia gave a wry smile. “More? We already have a whole crew.” “Have you two talked about it?” “We have. Tarquin doesn’t want me to get pregnant again. He said it’s too painful and too risky, and he’s absolutely against it.” Blossom gave her a thumbs-up. “A big thumbs-up for Mr. Bradford. He knows how to take care of you.”