DINNER SAGA
1687 Words
"Tristan, what sort of joke is this?" Theodore asked, seeming to be the first to snap out of the shock.
"Joke? She is my wife," he declared, his eyes locking on Wilson cockily. "Sapphire Tristan DeVille."
"Bullshit!" Wilson slammed his palm on the table. Looking at his face, it seemed like he'd be the last one to get out of the shock. "Father, grandpa, mom, ask him what he's doing with my wife?"
"Brother, you do know she is your brother's wife, right?" Tracy asked as carefully as she could, like she was reminding Tristan of the relationship.
Sapphire faced Tracy, brother echoing in her head. The returning prince Alyssa spoke about—Tristan is Wilson's and Tracy's brother, their older brother!
She could feel air leaving her lungs. Sudden heat, sudden suffocation. The room felt heavy. The aroma that's supposed to smell delicious scented nothing like that.
"Sapphire," Rosa called Sapphire back to reality. "We deserve an explanation from you. What is going on?"
"I'll tell you," Wilson pointed towards Tristan. "This bastard here would do anything to prove himself to this family. He accepted a stupid challenge, and because of his ugly personality, he couldn't find a woman. Rather than accepting defeat, he dared to ask my wife to play the role since he knew I wouldn't be around."
"Really, Wilson?" Tristan smirked. "Isn't your wife supposed to be sick?"
This time, the whole family's gaze went to Wilson.
Seeing their eyes on him, Wilson curled his fingers into a tight fist. "Sapphire is my wife. Whatever happens between us is between us. I don't need you interfering."
"Sapphire wasn't sick?" Theodore cast a stern look at Wilson.
"Dad, whether she's sick or not, it's not our concern. Ask her what she is doing with my brother when she's married to Wilson." Tracy threw Sapphire a cold look.
Wilson stormed towards Sapphire. His hand stretched, aiming for her right hand.
Tristan stepped between them before his hand could touch her, his eyes daringly cold.
"I won't entertain you touching my wife."
"f**k out of my way, greedy bastard. What game are you trying to play? You were f*****g present at my wedding!"
"It means nothing."
"Of course it does!" Tracy crossed the table and went towards them. "Tristan, this is a childish challenge on Wilson's path. I understand you didn't want to lose, but bringing your brother's wife to act as your wife is—"
"Clown on you all to think I'm joking," he looked away from them and met Old Marco's eyes. "I got the wife. Let's get this dinner over with."
Wilson turned to Marco. "You aren't gonna say a word!? The hell do you see in siding him? How dare he come here with my wife!? Don't tell me you're gonna support his s**t after this!"
"That's right, grandpa," Tracy agreed. "Cancel this challenge. If you wanna include him in the business, fine. Don't make the necessary wife thing a must."
"I agree with Tracy," Rosa nodded.
"Where are you standing there, wifey?" Tristan urged Sapphire. "Come in, and take your seat."
Sapphire heard him, loud and clear, but somehow her body couldn't move. It felt like she had been transmigrated into a dream world, a horrible dream, where she was trapped in hell. Monsters are there. Beasts with scary grotesques are present. She'll know it's a dream, but somehow she can't wake up. All she needed was someone to pinch her. Pinch her and tell her it's a f*****g dream. The hell and the mess she's standing in. None of that happened.
It's true. Every single thing is true.
"Sapphire," Tristan said in an unusually calm voice, but she knew better. That wasn't a calm call, it's a calmness masked with a reminder.
The contract. She's signed it.
Not sparing anybody a glance, she began walking to the space reserved for her. Their eyes were on her. It's expected since she's like the center of attention.
She hadn't properly sat down when Wilson burst at her again. This time, his storm was more dangerous than the first. His hand came in contact with hers.
She flinched.
"You can't sit without explaining to me what's going on. What did he say to you? f*****g answer me!" Wilson yelled in frustration.
Sapphire's breath hitched. Wilson's hand on her triggering her fears.
"You don't want the family demanding an answer on why you lied about her being sick? Get your hands off her," Tristan said, darkness hinting in his voice.
Wilson grudgingly released her hand.
Sapphire inhaled.
"Wilson, enough of this madness. Sit down, let's have our dinner."
Wilson laughed at himself, sarcastically amused. "You've gotta be kidding me, old man. Your favorite son walked through this door with my wife, and you're calling me mad!"
"I've been quiet, but that tone isn't condoned at this table," Marco cleared his throat. "She is your wife, then you must have an explanation for this." He unlocked his phone and placed his phone on the table so that everyone could have a clear look of the screen.
His eyes widened with that of Yvonne. On the screen was Sapphire in her lingerie. Her eyes were streaked with tears, and she was on the road looking so broken. Wilson and Yvonne recognized the picture, Sapphire included. It's the same night he betrayed her.
Tristan looked at the picture quietly.
"It's your wedding night, but I need a reasonable explanation as to why she was on the road," Marco continued. "It was secretly captured. I paid a lot of money to get my hands on this picture. Imagine if it had gone out," he sounded angry while talking.
He raised his face away from the picture. "This dinner was prepared to welcome Tristan's wife. He did that. You should all sit down quietly and eat."
"I can't believe you, grandpa. You're in support of—"
"Tracy..." Marco cut her off. "I believed I just said we should all eat quietly."
"Grandpa?" Tracy gasped.
Marco threw her a cold glare. Having no choice, she sat down.
Yvonne, who had been speechless since Sapphire walked into the room, sat down.
Tristan took his seat right beside Sapphire, and just like Marco had instructed, the dinner began. Forks and knives clinked the plates. People like Marco, Theodore and Rosa ate normally, like they weren't bothered about what happened. Wilson, Yvonne and Tracy's plates made the loudest noise. The poor food had to get a share of their aggression. Tristan ate normally, not a bit bothered about what happened. Sapphire had to be the most pitiful person in the room. She was barely eating. Took minutes to masticate the food. During those waiting minutes, she'd be playing with the food.
Tristan's phone rang through the silent room. Excusing himself, he left the dining room and went outside.
Sapphire immediately dropped her cutlery and trailed after him. At this point, their gazes meant nothing. Her answers were all she needed.
--
"The room seems ready, Yasmine. Make sure you check properly before sending them away." Having said the last words, he ended the call.
His ears caught someone's heels storming through the garage. Normal to say, that step was something he recognized, and the person was whom he suspected.
With a regular turn, he saw Sapphire marching towards him like a soldier preparing for war. Everything about her screamed mad. Her eyes were red, curiosity, questions and anger blazing in them.
Getting to him, she looked up at his face with tight jaws.
Silence hung between them. Thick with unspoken questions from her, and waiting from him.
"You lied to me," she muttered. "You deceived me!" She snapped.
The silence continued, cold breeze brushing their skins.
"You made me sign this s**t of a marriage with you! You used me as a leverage to get yourself involved in the business!"
"I don't recall giving you the contract out of love."
"Even if it's just a deal, you should have told me! I spent days wondering about the surname, doing research, trying to convince myself that it's just a coincidence of name! You should have told me Wilson is your younger brother!"
"You never asked," he replied, his tone so flat that it caused Sapphire's eyes to widen in disbelief.
"Are you kidding me!? I should have asked!? What would it have done!? Change the fact that you're aware that I am married to your younger brother, yet you came up with the deal!"
"You weren't forced. You willfully volunteered to do anything I say."
"Anything that doesn't include getting married to my husband's older brother!" Her breathing quickened. "You have no idea how the whole thing sounds. I'm literally married to two men right now! Two f*****g brothers! If I had even the slightest idea of this s**t, I wouldn't have signed the contract!"
"Is that your bone of contention?"
"What?"
"You'd have little problem if it was someone not tied to Wilson. Then you can marry two men, but because it's Wilson's brother, your brain suddenly processes the whole idea of marrying two men." His look was nothing less than degrading, hypocrisy, every odd word he'd use to describe the way her shits were going over his head.
"To hell with your thoughts!" Her eyes reddened. "You intentionally hid the truth away from me!"
"The day you walked into my office, you saw my name on the name tag. The documents you signed had my name clearly written on them," he countered, clearly bored by the whole conversation.
"I've told you, I thought it was only a coincidence—"
"No," he cut her off coldly. "Your desperation made you ignorant."
Her breathing stilled, the time seeming to slow at what he said.
Her hand flexed once, and her palm aimed towards his cheek.
With a swift move, he caught her wrist, his eyes looking like a predator that caught a helpless prey.
"I'm not Wilson. I won't pretend to be nice when I'm not."
Throwing him murderous glares, she snatched her hand away from his grip and stormed out.
- Writer
