"You look lost," Elizabeth heard a voice and turned to see that it was her father-in-law, Marcus Winchester.
" I _I was just thinking about some random stuff," Elizabeth faked a smile.
"How are things going between you and him?" Marcus asked Elizabeth about Aaron and her marriage life.
"We are good," she answered and saw him nod. "Were you searching for mother, dad?" Elizabeth asked him.
"No. I am not. I was actually looking for you. The last time you visited us, we couldn't talk properly and I wanted to get close to my daughter-in-law to know her better," Marcus smiled.
" That's so sweet of you, father. " Did you have anything?" Marcus asked her. " Wine or juice, what do you want?"
" No, thank you. I don't want to have anything right now," answered Elizabeth.
"Did you see your mother-in-law?" Marcus asked her looking around.
"I met her just before you came here, but she left saying that you were waiting for her," Elizabeth said to him and wanted to know if her mother- in-law used her husband's name as an excuse to leave.
Marcus laughed and asked Elizabeth, "what else did she say about me?"
"Well, she actually told me about Aaron's childhood," said Elizabeth.
Elizabeth noticed a change in Marcus's facial expression. The man who was smiling until now, had a worried look on his face. " That's great. I guess, I should go to your mother-in-law now," he said and excused himself. Elizabeth thought if she was over thinking that his parents were hiding something from her or was there really something, which they didn't want her to know.
After thinking for a few minutes, Elizabeth followed her father-in-law. She directly headed towards her mother-in-law's bedroom and stood near the door. "Do you have any idea that if you had told a little more about Aaron, the girl would've started to suspect us?" Elizabeth heard Marcus's voice. The man who spoke to her sweetly just a while ago, sounded different while talking to his wife. Elizabeth felt that his voice, apart from what meaning he conveyed in words, showed that the man was furious with his wife.
"The truth will be revealed sooner or later, Marcus and that girl will know it. She is not a harm to us," she replied.
"Don't you know how Aaron married her? He threatened her by almost shutting down her uncle's company and if this woman, whom you say is no harm to us, might be the one to turn against us and use the truth we are hiding from everyone, to threaten us. Do you get that? "
"You shouldn't have done it at that time then, you are in no position to question me or tell me what to do, Marcus," Fiona replied.
"It was your brother, Steve, who made me do it" said Marcus.
"Great!! So you mean everything that happened was because of my brother?!" Fiona was raged into anger.
" I_ am only saying that your_ your brother is involved in this too, Fi_ona," he replied.
"Marcus, calm down. Did you forget to take your medicines?" Fiona asked him. Marcus was having difficulty breathing. Fiona immediately went to bring his medicines and saw the shadow of someone standing near the door.
"Take the medicines," she gave it to her husband after taking out the tablets for him immediately and headed towards the door. By the time she went to the door, she saw a woman leaving in a rush.
"Was there anyone?" Marcus asked after taking the tablets.
"None," she replied when she clearly saw that it was Elizabeth. The woman was aware that Elizabeth has been standing near the door listening to the conversation from the beginning.
Ryan was utterly shocked by Roseline's sudden confession. He turned to Roseline and looked at her. There was no hint of playfulness in her eyes. "Is that how you confess a person?" Ryan asked her.
"How am I supposed to say that?" Roseline asked him innocently.
"You need to express it, Roseline. Through your actions or by doing something," Ryan explained to her.
"Like what?" she looked at him quizzically.
"A kiss would be fine for now to express your love to me, I guess," Ryan said.
"You are such a shameless person, Ryan," Roseline tried to release her hand from his and leave but Ryan didn't let her go. "I was serious and you are having fun. I hate you, Ryan,"
"Didn't you just say that you love me? What am I supposed to believe?" Ryan asked her while teasing her.
"I take that back. I hate you and leave me," said Roseline.
"Do you think I would leave your hand even after knowing that you love me?" Ryan's words made her blush.
"People will see us, Ryan," she said.
"So you are fine as long as people don't see us, am I right?"
"Whatever!!" she exclaimed.
"I'll take that as a yes," he smiled and took her a lonely place while holding her hand.
"What made you take so long to tell me?" he asked her.
"You ignored me all these days and how do you expect me to talk to you?" Roseline pouted.
"Sorry, I've been busy with something," he said in a serious tone while thinking about the conversation he had with his cousin and suddenly changed the topic, "But you did a good thing by telling me," Ryan said as he walked beside her.
"I should be the one to apologize. That day...."
"You didn't want to tell your friends about your feelings for me. I understood that," Roseline smiled at his words and felt relieved that he didn't misunderstand her.
"Sarah and I had a bet actually," Ryan said after pausing for a few seconds.
"What bet?" Roseline asked him.
"That you won't love me," he replied.
"Are you a kid? Which idiot would take that bet seriously? That sounds lame," Roseline said and saw Ryan not uttering a word. "Don't tell me that you took it serious," Roseline felt her heart heavy.
Elizabeth left the place immediately when she heard Fiona's footsteps approaching her. Elizabeth was panting for breath. She understood that there was something that the family members were hiding from her and she wondered if Aaron was aware of what happened years ago. What could be the secret they are trying to hide? What made the man who appeared to love his wife talk in a serious tone?
Elizabeth was unable to come to a conclusion. The curiosity she had, since the second time she came to the Winchester's Mansion, grew as the seconds passed. "Didn't I tell you to act like a doted wife?" she was startled by Aaron's voice. "I'm sorry," Elizabeth apologised and stepped back. Since the moment Elizabeth came to the garden, his eyes were on her from time to time. He understood that something happened while his wife was talking to his parents. He didn't miss to notice the way his father and mother left in a hurry and the way his wife followed them. Aaron was not interested to know what made his parents to leave but he was more interested to know what was running on his wife's mind. "You are lost in your thoughts again. Over-thinking is not good," he said without asking her any questions. There was no need for him to ask her because, since his school days, he knew that she was a kind of person who thinks too much even for a little thing.
" I guess. I shouldn't," she thought.
" Hold my hand," he said and pointed through his eyes that people's eyes were on them. Elizabeth understood that he wanted her to act like a doted wife.
"Are you hungry?" he asked her as they were walking.
"I'm not," she replied.
"You are sweating,why?" he said, taking his hand to her face, tucking her hair behind her ear. He then blew air softly and slowly running his fingertips onto her face. Judging his character, Elizabeth doubted if he was putting an act in front of others or if he was really caring for her because she knew that Aaron never cared about people's thoughts. She didn't know what Aaron's intentions were, but she surely knew the fact that his act was making her heart race.
"I never knew that you used to love seafood," she said to change the atmosphere between them.
"People change Elizabeth, isn't that natural for a person who once loved something starts to develop hatred towards it?" Elizabeth felt his words were directing towards her. She shifted her gaze from him and remained silent as she walked beside him, holding his hand. " I was only talking about the food, darling," she heard him say.
Elizabeth shifted her gaze from Aaron without giving any reply and saw her uncle and aunt standing a little away from her. "Where is Roseline?" Elizabeth saw her aunt asking her with hand movements. Elizabeth hand signed and with her lip movements, she hinted to her aunt that Roseline went to the washroom.
While everyone were busy in the party, Ryan and Roseline were on the other side of the Mansion where there was no sight of a human other than them. "Ryan_ don't tell me that you_you were serious," Roseline's said to him in broken words.
"I was always serious Roseline," he said. "About you," he added at the end to see a tear roll down on her cheeks.
"I hate you," she said with a smile on her face as she wiped her tears.
"Do you know that the number of times you said that you hate me is more than the number of times you said I love you?!" he said, "Look at me, Rosie," he added.
"I don't want to...."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know you would cry, if only I had known that you would cry because of this, I would've done it long back," Ryan interrupted her and laughed.
"Laugh as much as you want. I'm leaving," She said in anger.
"Okay. I'm sorry, I really didn't know that you would cry. I promise, I will try my level best to make you smile," said Ryan and saw her pout.
"Are you saying this for real?!"
"Do you think I can joke around when it comes to you?"
"Who knows. You might be just bluffing," Roseline rolled her eyes.
"I can never, at least not with the girl I love," Roseline, who heard his words, tried to control her blush. "We should go now. My parents might be searching for me," she said. "You can tell them that you lost your way," he said. "Why should I lie to them?" she asked him. "Do you want them to know the reason why your cheeks turned red?"
"I am fine!!" Roseline tried to hide her face away from him which triggered Ryan to plant a small kiss on her red cheeks. "Meet me tomorrow at our school's bus stop," he said and headed towards the party. Roseline felt her heart skip a beat when she felt Ryan's lips on her cheeks. The girl didn't expect him to make a move. A few minutes after Ryan left, Roseline also went to the garden where the party was taking place." Where have you been?" her mother asked her. "I was lost," she replied and looked at Ryan who winked at her when she smiled at him.
Aaron, who was looking at Elizabeth, cocked his head to the side when he saw his grandpa walking towards them. Everybody in the party was wishing the old man. Elizabeth forced a smile on her face when she felt Aaron's hand around her waist. "I want you to meet someone," he said to Elizabeth.
When she looked at him, Aaron pointed at a direction with his eyes. Elizabeth followed his direction and saw a man coming towards them. "He is my aunt's husband, Anthony Whales. The one who dealt with the case of your mother who is a murderer," he said with a calm expression. The man whom she was searching for since ages, turned out to be her husband's uncle, the only person who can help her. But what made her heart prick was Aaron's words, there was a hidden anger and a pain of betrayal in his voice, even though his expressions appeared to be calm.