The Gilded Cage

chapter 15

The sound of the doorbell came, so I said, heading to the room: "I won't be late!"

I closed the door and began searching for suitable clothes in my bag. It's true I didn't bring enough clothes with me, but luckily I had put some appropriate ones in it. My gaze fixed on the simple dress that appeared before me. It was a golden dress whose colors blended with dark brown, fading into white at the hem. It was short and very simple... I put it on slowly and carefully, and I can't deny that I felt completely satisfied as I stared at myself in the mirror!

This dress has been with me for two years. Ethan gave it to me on my nineteenth birthday. I let my hair down to fall over my back, but in the end, I changed my mind and pulled it up a little... I also let my bangs fall over my forehead and put on eye shadow and lipstick...

I looked at myself one last time... and here...

I realized!

What have I done to myself, for God's sake? Why all this? Why am I exaggerating my appearance in the first place, and why all this excitement and agitation?

I swallowed hard, looking at myself and talking to my reflection: "What do you want by appearing in this look?"

My reflection showed a disapproving face, and I found no answer as I felt that my action would drive me crazy. I sighed deeply, whispering encouragingly: "It's okay... it's okay!"

Then I slowly left the room towards the living room and found only two people!

A woman who appeared to be in her mid-forties and a man who seemed close to her age as well!

What caught my attention the most was the elegance and refined appearance of each of them! The woman was wearing a shirt and skirt made of linen in a dark blue color with cute white embroidery, holding a small bag of a shiny sugary color! She is a slender woman who raises her head with some confidence and pride. Her features are sharp and beautiful, her lips adorned with a calm smile as she looked at me with enigmatic glances!

The man was also wearing a formal black suit. He was relatively tall and broad-shouldered... There was a strange aura that suddenly appeared in the apartment!

I said, smiling kindly: "Hello..."

I was approaching to find them staring at me with very scrutinizing and examining looks that confused me! I even felt anxious and flustered despite myself.

I stepped forward to shake the hand of the man standing next to Chris, so his hand extended slowly as he looked at me for a long time in a way that made me look at Chris with intense bewilderment and tension!

However, I ignored the matter, saying: "I... I'm Charlotte!"

He said with a gentle calm: "Hello, Charlotte... I'm Joshua!"

He added: "Call me Josh..."

— "Pleased to meet you!"

Then I approached the woman with brown hair that fell just past her shoulders and leaned towards a hazel color exactly like Chris's hair!

I shook her hand with a calm smile as she said: "Hello, Miss Charlotte, I'm Claudia, Chris's aunt, and Josh is my husband..."

She continued, puzzled: "You're wonderful, dear. I didn't expect to meet a young woman with features like yours!"

M...my features? What is she referring to, and what do my features have to do with meeting them?!

I whispered in astonishment: "My features? What do you mean, Ms. Clau—"

— "My aunt..."

Chris said it calmly to interrupt me and gave her a quick look, so his aunt smiled and sat down after her husband sat and said: "Pleased to meet you, dear."

Chris sat opposite them, so I sat next to him, repeating: "Me too!"

She lowered her brown eyes slowly, then looked at me again before asking with a slightly raised eyebrow: "How old are you, Charlotte?"

— "I'm twenty-one!"

"Huh!"

It was Josh's reaction, who soon heard my answer, causing his eyes to widen while his wife said, looking at Chris immediately in surprise: "What!"

I was confused by this reaction and looked at Chris silently!

Seconds passed until his aunt stood up and pulled him by the arm, so he followed her away from the table towards the window. I don't know what they were whispering about, so I sat with my hands clasped nervously...

I raised my head anxiously, looking at Josh, who smiled kindly, so I returned the smile calmly...

Well, I won't deny the beginning of my feeling of confusion! Why did his aunt's looks suddenly change?

I looked at Chris, who whispered in annoyance: "Fine... I'll explain this later..."

They returned again to the table to sit, so his aunt asked, smiling: "Charlotte, are you from this city, dear?"

I shook my head: "No, Ms. Claudia. My city is about an hour away from here."

— "So that's it! Do you work?"

— "I'll be graduating very soon..."

She blinked her eyes quickly, not comprehending. A frown appeared between her eyebrows, and she soon stood up again and pulled Chris by the arm as he sighed in boredom and annoyance...

Wh...what's wrong with them?!

They kept whispering at a distance, and the sound of her gritting her teeth didn't escape my ears. Moments later, his aunt returned and sat down, asking quickly: "Have you known Chris for a long time?"

Chris quickly said calmly: "Auntie... Charlotte prepared dinner. What about eating it?"

— "Chris, I thought you were about to lose your mind, but I didn't imagine you'd actually lost it!"

— "I don't have to explain everything now! Besides, I made my decision beforehand..."

— "It seems you won't learn your lesson! Why did you think about the matter as you please? What about us? Doesn't our opinion or our presence matter?"

— "It's not as if I ignored you! But it's a decision that concerns me..."

— "I hate your way of talking! You don't live alone, Chris... I told you that you..."

Josh intervened firmly: "That's enough..."

The two fell silent as they turned their faces away...

Wh...what is this suspicious riddle-like conversation?! I contemplated them carefully and examined my gaze at them!

I feel that my presence... is unnecessary in these family discussions...