Assistant Ron could feel the chills as pure silence reigned inside the car. The two people at the back weren't talking at all. 'What an awkward situation,' he mused as he tried to focus his attention on the road.
Xander let out a silent sigh. He was deeply lost in his own thoughts. He did not know what had possessed him a while ago that he suddenly had the urge to kiss Yera. He knew he was acting rashly. Yera might have not slapped him, but she was definitely not pleased with his bold act.
'Geez, Xander… Since when did you lose control like that?' He chastised himself.
Both of them stayed quiet during the ride. No one was willing to start a conversation. But after a while, Xander could not stand the silence anymore, so he tried to apologize once again, "Are you still mad? I'm really sorry about earlier."
Yera blew air on her forehead and simply countered, "Stop apologizing. It's not okay, but we can no longer go back. It already happened. So, just make sure it won't happen again because the moment it does, forget about slapping you, I'd probably end up breaking your neck..."
Xander's face paled because Yera sounded so sincere with her threat. 'Why is she so brutal?' Xander complained silently.
"No, it won't happen again. Except, of course, when needs be. You know, situations will arise where we have to show off some affectionate acts in front of others. So let me apologize in advance for cases like that," Xander explained.
Yera turned her head to face him. She looked at him with her cold and piercing eyes as though they were directed right to his soul, which succeeded in making Xander gulp nervously.
Then she smirked and said, "Well, I warned you, okay? So don't try me."
'Geez, that actually scared me a bit. Why is she so uptight!?' Xander growled inside and unconsciously massaged the nape of his neck.
Yera was the first and only woman who treated him like this. All the other women around him would always act coy, sweet, and caring, just to get his attention. He only had to turn his head toward them, and they would all fall at his feet.
After what seemed to be an excruciating ride, they arrived at Yang's ancestral mansion. The grandeur and its impressive decor caught Yera's attention. She was not new to big estates, as she had also lived in one. But this one was definitely bigger than her family's ancestral home.
The Hans' family mansion also had a swimming pool and spa, but they did not have a tennis court, like the Yangs'. She had even heard about a spacious ballroom because Senior Yang loved to party and entertain his guests, as well as a 3,000 square feet wine cellar with a tasting room. She gushed and drooled at the thought of all the wines available in there. She would love to visit that room.
The car stopped at the entrance of the mansion, and they were immediately greeted by the butler and servants. While Yera was still trying to get accustomed to the name they were calling her by, 'Young mistress,' Senior Yang suddenly darted from inside the house to hug her.
"Oh, welcome! Welcome, my dear daughter-in-law. Oh God, Xander told me everything last night, and I was doubting if he was telling the truth. But after seeing you right here, right now... Oh God, Yera, You are really alive..." He said as he gently released her from his hug so he could look at her closely.
Yera gave him an awkward smile. She suddenly felt guilty for fooling the old man, who was sincerely welcoming her into his family.
"Let's go inside. I'm sure the two of you are hungry. I have instructed the cook to prepare nice dishes. I hope you will like it," Senior Yang chirped. He could hardly conceal his happiness for finally having a daughter-in-law. Yera realized where Xander got his sunny personality. He got it from his father!
"Thank you, Sir," she replied. Senior Yang suddenly stopped walking and turned around to face her. With furrowed eyebrows, he urged, "Sir? Call me 'Father' from now own, like Xander… You are now part of this family, and I am now your father…"
Yera didn't know how to respond, but her instincts told her to just nod. So she did, hesitantly. But Senior Yang was still glued to his spot while looking at her. She was confused. Xander laughed, seeing the scene before him and hinted, "You have to call him 'Father' now, or else he won't move at all. He needs to hear it first."
Yera opened her mouth in a daze as she muttered, "Oh! Okay. Father…"
"There! It's so nice to hear. Now I have a daughter. Come here, child, and let's proceed to the dining area," Senior Yang beamed, with a wink, totally satisfied with what he heard.
'Wow. What a tandem of father and son,' Yera mused. How could a father and son were so similar in personalities, like these two? Not only did Xander got his cheerfulness from his father, but also his persistence. But she must admit, Senior Yang's kind and caring conduct toward her, had brought some warmth into her heart.
She lost her father at a young age. So she could not help but feel touched by Senior Yang's fatherly affection. She heard that Xander's mother had passed away when he was young too. 'At least his father is still there for him,' she thought silently. Both her parents had died in a plane crash when she was a teenager. She only had his grandfather, but then he died too.
Senior Yang noticed Yera's somber expression. He knew everything that had happened to her, as Xander didn't miss a single detail when telling him about her story. The young woman had suffered so much. She had lost everything she had, including her only family, her grandfather.
He took Yera's hand and clasped it tightly in his hands as he said, "Don't worry, my daughter. I will see to it that Xander will fight by your side. We are your family now. We will always stand by your side."
Xander held his breath upon hearing that. He told his father everything about Yera and his marriage to her, except for the part that they had signed a contract in which it was stated that they would divorce as soon as Yera succeeded in getting back all of her family assets.
Well, of course, his main goal was to make sure that the divorce part would never happen. And a wicked smile suddenly surfaced on his handsome face...