Signed to love

Chapter 14

Mr Amirion walked down the last step of the staircase, his face as unreadable as ever.

The living room fell silent, the elegant woman standing in the middle of the room slowly turned around.

The moment her eyes landed on Chloe, the smile on her face faded, she frowned.

"And who is she?" Her sharp gaze shifted from Chloe to her son.

Mr Amirion answered without emotion.

"Her name is Chloe and she's my fiancee"

The woman looked Chloe over from head to toe, taking her time before letting out a quiet scoff.

"This is the best you could do" She said disrespectfully not caring about how Chloe felt, Chloe immediately lowered her head out of respect.

"Good evening, ma'am"

Mrs Gabriella didn't acknowledge the greeting. Instead, she looked at her son and then Chloe with disdain.

"I really expected better from you"

The words settled heavily in the room, Mr Amirion's expression didn't change.

"I didn't remember asking for your opinion"

Mrs Gabriella folded her arms.

"I've spent months searching for the perfect woman for you" She paused as she turned back to Chloe.

"And instead, I walk into my son's house and find... this"

Chloe swallowed the lump in her throat but remained silent.

"I already have someone in mind for Amirion"

Mrs Gabriella continued.

"She's educated, elegant, from a respected family, and she understands what it means to be a Walter"Her eyes rested on Chloe as she spoke

"You don't"

Before Chloe could speak, Mr Amirion stepped forward.

"That's enough"

"No, it isn't"Mrs Gabriella replied sharply.

"And why is she living here?"

"Because that's my decision and last time I checked this is my house"

Mrs Gabriella gave a dry laugh.

"I believed you knew what you were doing but turns out I was wrong" She glanced at Chloe again.

"I never imagined you would bring her into this house" Just then, cheerful laughter echoed from the hallway.

Everyone turned, Chloe's two younger sisters came running past, laughing over something they had seen in the garden.

A moment later, her little brother appeared behind them, holding a football almost as big as he was.

He froze when he saw everyone staring at him.

"Sorry"He quietly moved behind Chloe,Mrs Gabriella ace hardened.

"Who are they?"

Chloe gently rested a hand on her brother's shoulder.

"They are my siblings" She replied confidently

"And why are they here?"

"They're staying here for now"

Mrs Gabriella turned to Mr. Amirion.

"Staying here?"

"They'll remain here until they're safe"

"Safe from what exactly? Is it poverty?"

"Mom, don't say that"

For a few seconds, she simply stared at him. Then she laughed in disbelief or a sign of mockery.

"You've moved her entire family into this mansion? Or are under some sort of spell we aren't aware of?"

No one answered,he shook her head.

"This is unbelievable"

At that moment, Mrs Hampson stepped into the living room after hearing the raised voices.

She paused when she noticed the unfamiliar woman, Mrs Amelia looked at her.

"And you are?"

Mrs. Hampson offered a polite smile.

"I'm Chloe's mother"

Mrs Gabriella closed her eyes for a brief moment before exhaling.

"So the whole family is here, where's their daddy?"

"Ma..." Chloe started but was interrupted by Mrs Gabriella.

"I wasn't speaking to you" Mrs Gabriella interrupted.

The room fell silent again, she looked directly at her son.

"I will not allow this"

Mr Amirion's voice remained calm.

"You don't get to decide who stays in my house"

"I don't?"

"No"

They held each other's gaze, neither of them looked away.

Finally, Mrs Gabriella smiled, though there wasn't a trace of warmth in it.

"Fine"

"If you're so determined to protect them, then they won't stay in this mansion"

She turned to Chloe.

"Your family will be moved to one of the villas"

Chloe blinked in surprise.

"The villa?"

"Yes"

Mrs Gabriella nodded.

"What's a villa?"Chloe's brother, Fredrick asked.

"He doesn't even know what a villa is"Mrs Gabriella laughed in disgust.

"He's just a child, you shouldn't expect him to know everything" Chloe defended.

"Whatever, all I know is they aren't staying here with me" Mrs Gabriella said.

"They won't be living under the same roof as my son, only God knows what kind of bacteria harbors in their skin"

Chloe instinctively looked at Mr Amirion, she wanted him to say something.

Instead, he remained silent, Mrs Gabriella noticed the look on Chloe's face.

" I am not that mean, I promise they'll be comfortable and look less impoverished"

"But this mansion is for the Walter family"

She took one step closer.

"And whether you like it or not..."

"You haven't earned that title and you may never" Mrs Gabriella whispered to Chloe, Chloe lowered her eyes.

Those words hurt more than she wanted to admit.

Mr Amirion finally spoke.

"Mother"His voice was quiet, but firm.

Mrs Gabriella's eyes met his gaze without the slightest fear.

"I've already compromised enough"

"The villa is my final decision and no one is gonna go against my decision" She passed a warning, the tension in the room was so heavy that no one dared to speak.

Chloe slowly tightened her grip on her brother's hand, something told her this wouldn't be the last time she and Gabriella stood on Mr Amirion walked down the last step of the staircase, his face as unreadable as ever.

The living room fell silent, the elegant woman standing in the middle of the room slowly turned around.

The moment her eyes landed on Chloe, the smile on her face faded, she frowned.

"And who is she?" Her sharp gaze shifted from Chloe to her son.

Mr Amirion answered without emotion.

"Her name is Chloe and she's my fiancee"

The woman looked Chloe over from head to toe, taking her time before letting out a quiet scoff.

"This is the best you could do" She said disrespectfully not caring about how Chloe felt, Chloe immediately lowered her head out of respect.

"Good evening, ma'am"

Mrs Gabriella didn't acknowledge the greeting. Instead, she looked at her son and then Chloe with disdain.

"I really expected better from you"

The words settled heavily in the room, Mr Amirion's expression didn't change.

"I didn't remember asking for your opinion"

Mrs Gabriella folded her arms.

"I've spent months searching for the perfect woman for you" She paused as she turned back to Chloe.

"And instead, I walk into my son's house and find... this"

Chloe swallowed the lump in her throat but remained silent.

"I already have someone in mind for Amirion"

Mrs Gabriella continued.

"She's educated, elegant, from a respected family, and she understands what it means to be a Walter"Her eyes rested on Chloe as she spoke

"You don't"

Before Chloe could speak, Mr Amirion stepped forward.

"That's enough"

"No, it isn't"Mrs Gabriella replied sharply.

"And why is she living here?"

"Because that's my decision and last time I checked this is my house"

Mrs Gabriella gave a dry laugh.

"I believed you knew what you were doing but turns out I was wrong" She glanced at Chloe again.

"I never imagined you would bring her into this house" Just then, cheerful laughter echoed from the hallway.

Everyone turned, Chloe's two younger sisters came running past, laughing over something they had seen in the garden.

A moment later, her little brother appeared behind them, holding a football almost as big as he was.

He froze when he saw everyone staring at him.

"Sorry"He quietly moved behind Chloe,Mrs Gabriella ace hardened.

"Who are they?"

Chloe gently rested a hand on her brother's shoulder.

"They are my siblings" She replied confidently

"And why are they here?"

"They're staying here for now"

Mrs Gabriella turned to Mr. Amirion.

"Staying here?"

"They'll remain here until they're safe"

"Safe from what exactly? Is it poverty?"

"Mom, don't say that"

For a few seconds, she simply stared at him. Then she laughed in disbelief or a sign of mockery.

"You've moved her entire family into this mansion? Or are under some sort of spell we aren't aware of?"

No one answered,he shook her head.

"This is unbelievable"

At that moment, Mrs Hampson stepped into the living room after hearing the raised voices.

She paused when she noticed the unfamiliar woman, Mrs Amelia looked at her.

"And you are?"

Mrs. Hampson offered a polite smile.

"I'm Chloe's mother"

Mrs Gabriella closed her eyes for a brief moment before exhaling.

"So the whole family is here, where's their daddy?"

"Ma..." Chloe started but was interrupted by Mrs Gabriella.

"I wasn't speaking to you" Mrs Gabriella interrupted.

The room fell silent again, she looked directly at her son.

"I will not allow this"

Mr Amirion's voice remained calm.

"You don't get to decide who stays in my house"

"I don't?"

"No"

They held each other's gaze, neither of them looked away.

Finally, Mrs Gabriella smiled, though there wasn't a trace of warmth in it.

"Fine"

"If you're so determined to protect them, then they won't stay in this mansion"

She turned to Chloe.

"Your family will be moved to one of the villas"

Chloe blinked in surprise.

"The villa?"

"Yes"

Mrs Gabriella nodded.

"What's a villa?"Chloe's brother, Fredrick asked.

"He doesn't even know what a villa is"Mrs Gabriella laughed in disgust.

"He's just a child, you shouldn't expect him to know everything" Chloe defended.

"Whatever, all I know is they aren't staying here with me" Mrs Gabriella said.

"They won't be living under the same roof as my son, only God knows what kind of bacteria harbors in their skin"

Chloe instinctively looked at Mr Amirion, she wanted him to say something.

Instead, he remained silent, Mrs Gabriella noticed the look on Chloe's face.

" I am not that mean, I promise they'll be comfortable and look less impoverished"

"But this mansion is for the Walter family"

She took one step closer.

"And whether you like it or not..."

"You haven't earned that title and you may never" Mrs Gabriella whispered to Chloe, Chloe lowered her eyes.

Those words hurt more than she wanted to admit.

Mr Amirion finally spoke.

"Mother"His voice was quiet, but firm.

Mrs Gabriella's eyes met his gaze without the slightest fear.

"I've already compromised enough"

"The villa is my final decision and no one is gonna go against my decision" She passed a warning, the tension in the room was so heavy that no one dared to speak.

Chloe slowly tightened her grip on her brother's hand, something told her this wouldn't be the last time she and Gabriella stood on opposite sides. sides.