After her rebirth
Chapter 39

Katniss rolled back home and spotted a birthday cake chillin' on the table.

"Aunt Daphne, is it Micah's birthday today? I totally spaced," Katniss asked, scratching her head.

Daphne grinned, "Nah, it's for you, Katniss. I know you dig cake."

Katniss felt all warm and fuzzy inside; Daphne was always so sweet to her.

Anna walked in, eavesdropping for a bit, feeling kinda salty.

They took Katniss in, fed her, gave her a roof, and now even bought her a cake. Why were they so nice to her?

Anna grumbled, "Cake's pricey. It's cool to have it once, but don't spoil the kids. How will they handle the real world?"

Daphne noticed Anna at the door and got a bit tense, "Mom, this cake was a bargain. Someone else ordered it, and I got it cheap." Wesley chuckled, "Yeah, it's for the fam. It's okay if it's a bit pricey. We don't eat it every day, and it wasn't that expensive."

Anna still felt uneasy. Why were they pampering Katniss so much?

After some nagging, the vibe in the house got awkward. Daphne and Wesley tiptoed around, scared of ticking Anna off again. Katniss frowned; the whole mood was shot.

Micah popped out, "Granny, it's just a cake. Think of it as an early birthday treat for me."

Seeing Micah's attitude, Anna softened a bit, "Alright, if you wanna eat it, go ahead. But remember to be frugal."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Katniss shot Micah a grateful look, feeling a spark of hope.

Micah, though, just coldly headed to the kitchen.

But Katniss didn't mind; she owed him big time.

Katniss quickly ran to help, grabbing the yogurt she had saved for the family, sticking close to Micah, "Micah, try the yogurt I made later."

Micah ignored her and walked away.

Katniss secretly vowed to help Micah get Anouk back after the exams!

The next morning, Katniss whipped up some herbal dishes and headed to The Hamilton Manor. Once inside, Felix asked her to wait in the guest room.

"Sure thing!" Katniss agreed, noticing a couple of extra pairs of shoes at the door and guessing who the guests might be.

Could they be Maximilian's business buddies? But the shoes looked kinda old-school, so maybe relatives?

With no phone to mess with, Katniss played detective in her head.

Meanwhile, Felix made his way to Maximilian's study, knocking a few times.

A raspy yet strong voice came from inside, "Come in."

Inside, besides Maximilian, there was an old man with silver hair at his temples, eyes full of wisdom and experience. He rocked a dark gray suit, neat and classy, with a thumb ring on his left hand, adding a unique flair. Despite the wrinkles, his eyes had a hidden smile, showing a calm and elegance honed by time. His vibe screamed authority and brilliance.

"Sir, Ms. Manners is here, waiting in the guest room," Felix said, more respectful than usual.

Maximilian nodded, not saying much.

But the old man got curious, smiling, "What Ms. Manners? Has Maximilian got a girlfriend?"

"No," Maximilian lazily lifted his eyelids, glancing at the old man, "She's just a college kid, barely an adult. I'm way older than her. Don't start rumors."

"Ms. Manners isn't Maximilian's girlfriend," Felix confirmed for Katniss, but for some reason, this made Maximilian feel a bit uneasy.

Samuel Hamilton didn't buy it, thinking his grandson felt differently about Ms. Manners. Confidently, he said, "Not now, but who knows in the future." Listening to Samuel, Maximilian felt a mix of emotions. But being naturally reserved and respectful of his grandpa, what could he say?

Felix was left speechless but filled with various speculations.

"Katniss is already an adult. A big age gap isn't unusual," Felix suddenly said, a sly glint in his eye. "And older husbands tend to be more caring."