Relieved at the excuse to escape, Rita gave a quick nod and trailed after him as they moved off.

Not far off, Ellis observed her departing silhouette, an intrigued smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

If his memory served him right, this was definitely Rita— the very one his sister had enlisted to stir trouble between Lyndon and Tilda.

Too bad she hadn't made much of an impact. His phone chirped with an incoming text. He glanced down. It read: "Mr. Rayne will arrive in an hour."

A gleam of anticipation lit up Ellis' eyes as he tapped back a simple "OK" emoji.

Meanwhile, Lyndon, Tilda, and Sheldon were wandering through the sprawling estate.

Beyond the picturesque Landscapes, a unique section had been carved out to showcase an array of animals and birds, set up like a little zoo for visitors.

Sheldon, unbothered by the earthy stench, crouched near a line of enclosures, his eyes wide with curiosity as he watched the creatures.

Every now and then, he'd toss bits of feed to the animals.

Tilda, wrinkling her nose against the sharp smell, fought the urge to bolt from the area.

But with her son so engrossed, she couldn't be too picky, so she toughed it out and pulled out her phone to snap a few photos of the scene.

Lyndon lingered nearby, splitting his time between them and stepping aside occasionally to take work calls.

Before long, Casper rang to report that Xavier and his family had shown up.

"Got it. Show them to the villa, and I'll head over shortly," Lyndon replied, tucking his phone away.

He glanced at Tilda and Sheldon, who were huddled together admiring the peacocks fanning their vibrant tails, hesitant to break up their quiet enjoyment.

"Sweetheart, Xavier and his family are here. How about I go on ahead, and you hang back with Sheldon?" he offered.

Tilda shot to her feet at the news. "They are already here? Shouldn't we join you?"

She'd had her fill of the odor and was more than ready to leave.

Sheldon popped up too, latching onto her hand. "It's smelly here-let's get going!"

Tilda chuckled. "I thought you didn't mind."

Sheldon flashed a grin, casting a quick look back at the animals and giving them a little wave. "Bye-bye, I'll come play with you next time."

Lyndon's lips curved into a warm smile as he guided them to a sink to rinse their hands, and then the trio set off toward the villa, walking side by side.

From a distance, they spotted Casper ushering a small group toward the house.

Rita was at his side. Tilda's smile dimmed just a touch, though she kept quiet.