After two days, El and Alec were having breakfast.
"We'll be visiting my parents today for lunch." Alec said.
El reluctantly nodded. "Why didn't you tell me that your birthday was on 6th May?"
"I forgot," El replied.
"You forgot your own birthday?" With every next question Alec was getting more livid.
'Why would I remember and celebrate a fake birthday?' El thought to herself.
"You know I haven't been well for the past few days, I've hardly been aware of what date it is," El said softly.
"Do you even remember our wedding date?" Alec asked, gritting his teeth.
"Yes, May 5th".
They continued their breakfast in silence.
"I'll be here to pick you up for lunch, be ready." Saying this Alec left.
That noon, Michelle had already found everything she had to know about the Wilson family.
The Fords and The Wilsons weren't exactly family friends.
But Michelle's grandmother Alexandra and Alec's grandmother Emilia were best of friends.
Isobelle told Michelle everything about Emilia.
Even Michelle had some memories of her when she was a teenager.
Isobelle assured her to not be worried about anything since the last time Emilia had seen her she was young, additionally, Emilia also had Alzheimer's disease.
Alec and Michelle arrived at Wilson's villa.
Alec introduced El to her parents.
"Is your name just 'El'? Alec's mother Carolyn asked.
"Yes," El replied.
"And what about your last name?"
"I don't have one."
Carolyn's aversion towards El was clearly evident. "A girl without a last name?"
She turned to Alec and said,
"You could have asked me to arrange you a bride on that day, there were so many prominent families there as our guests, they would all be willing to have their daughter as your bride. I would have arranged dozens of more worthy matches from well known families for you to choose from at the snap of my finger, but you married a lowlife with no family name". Carolyn exclaimed.
Michelle was trying hard to contain her anger.
"What do your parents do?" She asked El.
"They died when I was an infant, I don't know anything about them." El answered plainly.
"She might as well be an illegitimate child born from a whore" Carolyn said.
Michelle, unable to contain her anger, stood up. But what could she say? Her life, her identity was all a lie. Her anger had her truth buried in it which she couldn't reveal.
She remembered the time when her family abandoned her and left her all alone.
She remained standing at the same place completely still. Alec caught her arm turning her to face him.
Her eyes were teary. Alec felt disheartened seeing her like this.
"She is indecent as well," Carolyn commented.
"Enough mom." Alec said with a loud voice. There was pindrop silence for a moment.
"Where is grandma?" Alec asked with a cold tone.
"She is upstairs, in her room. The doctor has recommended her bed rest." Fred said.
"Come," Alec said looking at Michelle.
Before she could comprehend anything, Alec grabbed her palm and strode towards the stairs.
In mid way he gave her his handkerchief, "wipe your face" he said looking at her teary eyes.
Alec opened the room door and said
"Grandma, it's me, Al.
"I've been waiting for you and your bride. Why didn't you come early?" Emilia asked.
"She was unwell after the wedding because of an allergic reaction" Alec replied.
"How are you now, my child?" Emilia asked softly.
"I'm fine. G..grandma" El said.
"It's been so long since I saw you, you look more beautiful now. How are your parents?" Michelle was surprised to hear her words, she clearly remembered her.
Looking at El's widened eyes, Alec whispered to her "She has Alzheimers. Maybe she mistook you for someone, just say they are fine."
"They are fine, Grandma," Michelle said.
"How have you been?" She asked her as walked closer to her. Michelle sat on a chair beside the bed.
"I'm fine now, seeing you both together. I always wanted you to be Al's wife. You are way better than that girl that Al was going to marry, I'm more than fine now." Emilia replied and El shot her a bright smile.
Their interaction amused Alec.
"What have you been smiling about?" Grandma said, looking at Alec.
"She fell sick the day she married you, clearly you aren't taking good care of her." Grandma chided.
Alec felt speechless.
"You better take good care of her from now on or I'll reprimand you"
Michelle chuckled at her words, Alec glared at her.
"Don't you dare look at her like that, Alec Wilson."
Alec lowered his eyes.
"If he says or does anything to you, you come right to me, alright" El nodded with a playful smile.
It was the smile that Alec was missing all this while.
There was a knock on the door, "Madam Wilson has called you downstairs for lunch" the maid said and left.
Alec looked at El, El didn't move.
"You go, I'll be here with grandma". El clearly didn't want to be around Carolyn besides she wanted to talk to Emilia alone.
Alec felt perplexed, it was obvious that his mother would humiliate her again, but didn't she trust him to take her side.
Before Alec could ask her again to come along, Emilia said
"You heard her, you go along, have someone send our lunch here." Alec nodded and left.
"Where is your lowlife wife?" Carolyn asked Alec.
"Don't call her that, she is my wife". Alec said.
"And has she decided to make us all wait?" Carolyn asked again.
"Grandma wanted her to stay by her side." Alec said.
"You let her be alone with Emilia, people like her cannot be trusted."
Alec noticed how his grandmother hasn't yet permitted his mother to refer to her as mom but she didn't refute when El called her as grandma.
"Divorce her Alec" Carolyn said firmly.
"She isn't worthy of being your wife or a part of the Wilson family".
"Mom, I don't care who and what she was in her past, all I know is that she is my wife now and I expect everyone to treat her as the young madam of the Wilson family."
"Grandma has accepted her as her granddaughter in law, therefore I won't be divorcing her." Alec said with determination.
Meanwhile, "Grandma Emmy, could you please not tell anyone that I'm Michelle" Michelle requested.
"If you don't want anyone to know then I won't be telling anyone about it. But this isn't a game my child. You can't build a marriage on lies." Emilia advised.
"I'll tell him at the right time" Michelle said just for the sake of assuring Emilia.
Michelle hadn't given much thought about the future of her marriage, for a long time Michelle made herself stop thinking and worrying about the future.
Alec entered Emilia's room and said,
"Its time for us to leave."
"Fine, but you take good care of my granddaughter in law"
"I will" Alec replied.
"Bye grandma Emmy, take care" El said and they left the room. While leaving the mansion,
Carolyn stopped Alec and said "Consider the divorce" loud enough for El to hear.