Skye's name flashed on Yvonne's phone.

"Tell me," Skye started, lacking her usual fiery temper. Her tone was surprisingly conflicted, like someone genuinely asking a friend for relationship advice. "Do you think Finley actually likes Tegan?"

"What did he do now?" Yvonne asked.

"That bastard actually made Tegan fetch him takeout! Has he completely lost his mind?"

It was universally understood that a guy trying to woo a girl shouldn't be lazy. If anything, Finley should have been sprinting to get Tegan her food.

"You know Finley has always had the emotional intelligence of a rock," Yvonne pointed out. "This is pretty on-brand for him." Ordering a girl around when he should be romancing her was sadly typical for him.

"Hey, watch it!" Skye snapped defensively. "What do you mean my brother lacks emotional intelligence?"

"Are you really going to deny it? He's been emotionally dense around my brother for years. You're going to have to coach him if you want this to work."

Skye let out a heavy sigh. She had to coach him on this too? It was infuriating. Dragging her oblivious brother to the altar was going to take a miracle. She decided to just handle it herself and abruptly hung up the phone.

Yvonne put her phone away and followed Xander into the living room.

"If she's not cut out for managing the household, you need to hand that responsibility back to Mona," Tristan was saying as they walked in.

A glimmer of triumph flashed in Mona's eyes. Tristan was finally taking her side. She hated how chaotic the house had become under Yvonne's neglectful reign.

"Tristan is right, Xander," Mona chimed in, flashing a sickly sweet smile. "Setting aside whether Yvonne is good at it, the main issue is her pregnancy. A pregnant woman needs to rest, don't you agree?"

She didn't wait for an answer. "Rest assured, if I take over, I'll assign two maids specifically to cater to Yvonne's every need. I'll make sure she feels completely secure here. Talk some sense into her Xang The house has been a complète disaster these past few days."

And it had been. With no one directing the staff, things had quickly unraveled. Assuming Yvonne wouldn't be home yet, Mora and

Tristan were trying to wear Xander down to secure his approval first.

Xander's face remained stony. "You'll have to ask my wife. I don't make the calls."

Tristan and Mona stared at him, stunned.

*Ask his wife?* Tristan's face contorted in disgust. Was that something a real man would ever say?

"Since when does a Schultz answer to a woman?" Tristan barked.

"She's not just some woman," Xander replied smoothly. "She's my wife and the mother of your grandson."

"But she's doing a terrible job!" Mona interrupted, her frustration boiling over. "She's not managing anything! What's the point of her hoarding all this authority?"

"Authority gives her a sense of security," Xander stated simply.

Mona gaped at him. "What did we even do to make her feel insecure?" The sheer audacity of his excuse made her want to scream. Her sweet accommodating facade crumbled, leaving her face twisted in a nasty scowl.

"I lack security because you're a stepmother," Yvonne announced, stepping out from the entryway. "Having a stepmother in control of the household finances is exactly why I'd feel insecure."

Tristan and Mona froze, their expressions tightening as Yvonne strolled into the room.

Ignoring their glares, Yvonne crossed her arms, sat down next to Xander, and casually slipped her hand into his.