Chapter 4
1122 Words
DINNER NIGHT
Anna
Sighing, Patrick drags his hand through his hair. There's something close to frustration in his eyes as he watches me drag my feet out of the SUV. I totally get it, he wants to introduce me to his family, but I am not ready for that, but yet, he doesn't understand.
“You'll be fine, Anna. They are family and trust me, they won't bite,” he whispers.
“I hope you're right.”
“I will walk you through it all, trust me. I will be here all night just for you, Anna.”
Patrick struts across the mansion and walks me through. He scans the dining room and then stops when his gaze lands on an elderly woman that looks like his mother.
“Hello mother. I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner. I have an announcement to make.”
“What is he doing?” Mrs. Conti asks.
“I have no idea,” Mr Conti answers.
The dining hall reeks of awkward silence as Patrick steals the moment. He slowly turns to me, his grin wide, but yet I swallow.
“The last time I agreed on a family dinner, I was a single man, but now, a lot has changed since that night. I started seeing someone and we are in love. So everyone, meet Anna Rossell, my girlfriend.”
He points his finger at me, smiling softly.
“Your what?” Mrs. Conti says as he turns to kiss my forehead right in front of his family.
Her reaction reeks of confusion but her husband, on the other hand, looks wowed, same as Leonard, his little brother I saw earlier on the video call.
“Have a seat, dear,” his father says.
Mrs. Conti rolls her eyes, her breath settling in the air as she smiles at me. “So, you are seeing Patrick?”
“I-I,” I stammer.
“Tell me about your family. What industry do they work in? I need to know everything if you're going to be a part of my son's life,” Mrs. Conti asks, sipping from her glass.
My journey from being the rejected daughter to being a fake Heiress is miserable. I always end up telling lies upon lies just to keep up. The constant whispers feels like torture, like a sharp blade slicing through my thick skin.
Here goes the usual lie.
Luckily, I rehearsed well enough to fool anyone that poses a threat to my good life.
“Uhm! My family—”
When I start talking, Patrick jumps in and grins slightly. “Anna's family is kind of private, making them the most mysterious family in the industry. I bet you missed her name, Ma. She's Anna Rossell— one of the richest families in the country and in our industry.”
“Rossell?!”
“Yeah!” I nod.
They grin side by side and amusement flushes me.
“So tell me, does your family occasionally visit New York? Heard a lot about you guys, but how come you are here? What happened to privacy— not being seen?”
“People change, Ma,” Patrick jumps in.
I watch them chuckling, talking about the Rossell family, clicking their glasses in my honor. I watch Patrick stand by me all through the night but something about him amazes me. I never told him about my family.
How come he knows so much?
I whisper in his ears, “Thanks.”
He gives me that reassuring grin, but suddenly, the door opens and there a lady, dressed in a short red dress walks in. I watch her get friendly with the entire family and something about her screams trouble when she pauses, glaring deep into my eyes.
“Uhm! Patrick,” she says. “Aren't you going to introduce her? Haven't met this face before.”
He squeezes my hand slightly, as if he's afraid to reply to her. “Hi Sophia. Meet Anna, my girlfriend. Anna, this is Sophia, the woman I told you about I would rather call sister.”
She pauses dramatically and turns to face me, her eyes boiling in hatred even though she tries to smile at me. I spot the tension between them, it must mean something.
“Here,” Patrick hands me a glass, the entire family scanning my expression as if they want me to raise a toast to clear the air. I look confused at the glass, I haven't had a wine tasting in my life and certainly don't know anything about wine, except for the name only when I am given a bottle.
Patrick first takes a mouth rinse and observes the color before tilting his head to ask. “You don't like this one?”
I quickly imitate his actions, it feels like he is my guardian angel.
“Ms. Anna, do you seldom drink red wine?” Sophia asks, she scrunches her face, observing every move I make.
“She seldom drinks alcohol,” Patrick jumps in and she rolls her eyes.
All through the dinner, Sophia wouldn't detach from Patrick, and I am starting to understand her deal. I watch her trying to use Leonard to get close to Patrick and my anger boils. She tries to get all cozy around him and I stand, only to fall slightly for Patrick to catch me.
“Sorry, I seem to be a bit allergic.” I cough.
Sophia's face hardens as Patrick carries me in his arms, up the stairs. I grin at a distance as we make our way up.
“Feeling better? I had the servant prepare soda lemon water for you.” He lays me on the soft mattress, staring passionately into my eyes as he plants a kiss on my forehead.
I nod.
“When will you let me meet your parents, Anna?”
I freeze, my eyes looking for an exit route when he suddenly grins, asking the most awkward question ever.
“Will you marry me?”
"Huh?!"
Words fail me, for a moment I can feel time stop. My heart pounds rapidly and tears well in them.
“What? You are going to refuse me?” He teases.
“No! I just didn't expect you to decide so quickly.”
“I loved you the first time I saw you. I will make up for the proposal and the ring I owe you. Have some rest.” He gently strikes my hair, causing a surge of emotion to run through me.
Patrick's eyes narrow on me, but I nod, his gaze slowly dropping to my mouth.
I need no invitation.
I lock lips with him, so passionate that my hands go numb.
- Writer
