TER

PHEW R

L

from the previous night in my mind. Someone was coming, a family member I

g for a few seconds be

five days, and somehow, it already felt as tho

et halls, the staff who seemed to know where I was supposed to

I took my bath and dressed up, I found

didn't give a name or an explanation, he had ju

Clara and Vivienne were already

she is," she said with disgust in

intly. "Goo

ther to look at

a moment and then grin

t," I b

nsisted. "Your h

curious," I d

?" Clara asked, finally glancing

sed.

ook with her sister an

?" I

ienne replied,

yes. "You both

family, I mean real family, not th

s hit li

pressed, igno

u'll find out soon enough, t

entered the room. He looked as composed as ever, dre

his eyes sweepin

nne straightene

, Dad," Clara

smiled. "

s so fast it

rning,"

t him. "Go

t. For a few moments, bre

t me. "He should arr

ho he meant. "The fa

e replie

ed. "I

roperly when he ar

the way he said it that

ying here?

eplied "He has been awa

?" I aske

months," Vi

ad never heard about him during th

tor. "Was he aw

reply was shallow. He didn't el

most of the morning tryin

hrough the gardens but every now and then, my mind

ne and I knew Victor and now someo

e uncomfortable. Maybe because I was still learning my place in this family, maybe becau

oon, I returned

nd Vivienne nea

air done, both smiling like

aren't you?" I asked and

ced at me, then back at the door

e importan

gh. "To us, he is but to you

at's that supp

t means he's actually family,

IRED hung

. "He's the only person in this house

a smile

bluntly. "But you will

wer, we heard tire

diately lit u

he door, leaving me stan

of a car approaching came from outside and

e house. My heart leaped a beat, I im

ened and a ma

the wind. He wore a simple dark jacket over a white shirt, and from a distance, there was something confident about the way

s met through the window, the

feel so unc

lara whisper

fore I could respond and

y changed. A smile appear

well. "It is good

e Victor pulled him in

outside next. "

hed. "I told

hree months ago,

here I am.

im next. "You

s a complimen

he replied, ma

tween them that made it obvious they had known one anoth

e looked so relaxed, confident and strangely fa

man's eyes followed his and our eyes met again.

xpression, it wasn't hostility and not

s and that made me str

, I noticed the small details I hadn

es were sharp but relaxed and there w

wn," Victor

fter six month

hed. "Still

I've become more respo

to lie to you."

ferent from what I had thought he'd be, maybe I had imagined

s, I felt a sudden awar

suddenly became conscious of the fact that I was stan

time, his smile faded slig

was trying to figure out who I was, which was f

ou two haven't met befor

my hea

. "Not before today.

de me look at him a little longer th

Well, this is going

ked, raisin

gged. "N

picious look but

. "Come inside. You must

d worse," the

what worries me.

the house and I followed

talking about his trip, the business he had been han

omething unusually attractive a

ybe it was because everyone else seemed so comfo

because of a marriage contract, I wasn't here to become emotion

sitting room, everyone sett

nd Vivienne caught him up on everything that had ha

ed at me again. "

an eyebro

" He

t have anything

you're still trying t

e he wasn't wrong.

ned slightly.

tor stood. "There's somethi

Victor looked at the

tanding beside him and said, "Elena, m

. "Adrian, meet

an f