Dinner with Ethan's family went well, they were very nice and welcoming to me. There was none of the condescending looks that Miranda or her children would give me. Which to be honest is good because I'm sure I'll be spending a lot more time with the Maxwell family than my fathers.
The next day there was definitely a tension in the mansion. It was obvious that having Charlotte back home with her husband was causing everyone to be on edge. I got to meet Michael at lunch, he seemed nice. He at least wasn't giving me looks of disdain or throwing comments that were cutting. Or saying nice things but obviously not meaning them. Seriously, if this was what life in a house with a lot of money was like, I'd much rather go back to my tiny apartment filled with love growing up. Of course Michael was also getting those looks and remarks from the family as well so he probably didn't feel like he could act like that toward me as he didn't want to alienate my father.
I was seriously considering asking Ethan to take me to dinner or have dinner with his family every night the next week just to avoid being in this awkward situation. Maybe I'd ask Mom if she wanted to keep staying here with me or go back to the apartment. I didn't want her to have to suffer for another week of staying here, especially with the new tension.
That afternoon I found myself alone with Charlotte, I'm not sure exactly how it happened. One minute I was walking down a hall, the next she had her arm in mine and we were walking into the garden. I knew nothing good was going to come out of her mouth.
She started speaking in an overly caring voice, "Sera, I want to make sure you know what you're getting into. It may all seem like such a fairy tale to you right now. So Cinderella-esque, going from rags to riches." I almost snorted at that. It's not like I'm in rags, I make a six figure salary. So I'm not mega-rich like she is use to, but I'm definitely not poor. I know what it's like to be poor and I'm definitely not right now.
"I just wanted to give you some sisterly advice," She continued. I smiled at her but don't interrupt because even if I objected I knew she wouldn't give up. "Ethan may seem nice while he's trying to romance you. After a while, he will close off and will not be available at all. He's not known for having a cold heart for nothing."
Charlotte paused for a minute and I was hoping she was finished, but no such luck. "In time you will stop being so star struck around him and will notice all the other girls out there trying to get his attention. And that is annoying, but at least you won't have to worry about him responding to them. His heart is like stone. He never looks at any woman. I use to think he was trying to hide his preferences, but I learned as a teenager he loved a girl and couldn't be with her. I don't know a lot, I just heard bits and pieces over the years. But since then he won't open his heart to anyone. I just thought you should know." Charlotte looked at me with sympathy. Was it real or not, I honestly couldn't tell at the moment. Maybe a little of both.
"I appreciate the concern, and I have yet to be with him much in public so I haven't noticed all the female attention he gets. That's good to know ahead of time." I smiled, totally seeming to ignore all the other stuff she'd said.
"I guess I judged you wrong, Sera. I thought you'd be against being with someone so cold and distant. I know it may not seem like it now, but it will come." She warned.
"People also say I'm an ice queen. I haven't really dated so maybe I just don't understand what to expect. Thank you for being concerned." I laughed internally. All her warnings and fake concern only made me happy. The fact he never looks at other women and that there was a girl, aka me, that he couldn't get over were in fact good things. It showed how much he loved me and even when we weren't together, he still only wanted me.
"And I know the family judges me for eloping with Michael, but he's shown me love and kindness more than Ethan ever could. Trust me when I say that having a heartthrob, rich husband does not make up for a heart of stone."
"Charlotte, I appreciate you telling me all this and I'm glad you found someone to love and who loves you back." I said sincerely. I was happy for her to have found love.
I tried to keep a more somber expression on my face as we headed back into the house so she thought I actually was thinking about what she said and facing 'reality'. It was strange really, part of me really thought she may actually not want to see me in an unhappy marriage. The other part was still as cynical as ever and wondered why she thought she needed to warn me about Ethan's 'inability to love'. Maybe she wanted me to admit that I knew he didn't love me but I just wanted him for his money/title/etc. and then she'd use that against me.
Ethan and his family were invited to dinner again that evening. We were still trying to act like semi-strangers and not completely head over heels in love in front of our families. We didn't do so well at the engagement dinner, but I think that people suspected we were acting more in love then to make everyone think we are. Since Mom knows she has been helping me gauge how well we're doing. Then we adjust to give the impression we want to portray.