Emmaline took a deep breath.
She was a professional.
She had dealt with worse things.
In her second year of film and theater school, Priscilla had paid someone to Photoshop Emmaline's face on some porn star's body and printed the photo to stick all over the academy walls.
For an entire year, Emmaline had been mocked and shunned because people believed that she was a porn star and that she had slept with every guy in her cohort.
Emmaline had been so humiliated that she almost dropped out and spent a few days moping at home.
Then she had come to her senses and been incensed. Pornography was also professional work!
In the beginning of her third year, she had invited a director, a producer as well as a few of the cast for a pornographic film to share their insights with the whole academy.
Not only had the students been surprised by the hard work and professionalism these people had, this translated over to respect for Emmaline as well.
If she could overcome being called a 'whore' by practically every person in her cohort, she could overcome this.
Steeling herself, she got into the character of Emmett Spelt and took Ashton's hand.
"Lead the way, I'm right behind you," She gave him the soft smile of lovers, fond and affectionate.
Ashton's confident smile warmed and grew genuine in response.
And when he squeezed her hand and whispered, "Don't worry, I won't let them hurt you." Emmaline wanted to believe him.
The house was lavishly decorated but not in the gaudy manner that some places were.
Several art pieces were hung on the walls, tastefully selected and complementing the style of the room.
Emmaline had never been in such a mansion before. But the corridor, though carpeted with some plush, expensive material, was lined with framed photographs instead of other showy status symbols.
Slowing down, Emmaline studied a very attractive couple that had to be Ashton's parents. The likeness was impossible to miss.
Plus, she had searched for him on the internet like a good contract lover.
Most rich people liked to have perfectly posed shots, the kind that could end up on the covers of glamour and finance magazines.
But this couple had blurry photographs and bad lighting, sometimes a bit of the other person's head was missing from the frame.
Yet, in every photo, they were smiling. Whether at the camera or at each other, it was evident that they were madly in love.
Moving on, there were photos of Ashton when he was younger, chubby cheeks squished into a laugh as his parents played with him.
It was clear that he was loved, that no matter how much wealth they had, the people were what they held dearest to them.
Emmaline swallowed past a lump in her throat.
How would they react when they found out he was gay? Would they be angry? Supportive?
She didn't have time to wonder any longer because the door at the end of the corridor burst open and Sienna Wright leaned against the doorframe with folded arms.
"Thought you chickened out," She jibed but her tone was teasing. Emmaline recognized it from the way she and her own mother joked with each other and part of her instinctively liked Sienna already.
"You know that I never back down, I only take it up a notch," Ashton shot back, but his voice was also lighthearted.
Sienna's eyes found Emmaline and she couldn't help but hold her breath.
She watched as Sienna's gaze tracked from Emmaline's face to the pair's joined hands and waited for some kind of reaction.
Surprisingly, all Sienna did was cock her head thoughtfully, her green eyes serious, before she went back into the room.
The 'couple' followed, Emmaline taking a deep breath and allowing herself to slide fully into character.
Whatever came next, she was just going to have to roll with the punches.
Ashton paused only once when he registered an elderly lady at the head of the table, but it was almost imperceptible to anyone but Emmaline, and he continued to usher her to her seat smoothly.
Emmaline expected some kind of shock or at least an a twitch of the facial muscle, but clearly Ashton's entire family had mastered the pokerface.
Zero impact!
No one batted an eyelid as she sat down and for a second, Emmaline wondered if she had forgotten her wig and if they were seeing a girl instead of a guy.
Ashton didn't waste any time.
"Mom, Dad, Great grandmother," He began in a serious tone that Emmaline had only heard a couple of times, "This is Emmett, the man I'm in love with."
All eyes went to her and Emmaline wondered if being stared at by overly attractive people was a new interrogation tactic because it was totally intimidating!
Even Ashton's great grandma looked elegant and poised, her snow white hair cropped and her eyes sharp.
It was showtime.
"Thank you for inviting me to your home, Mr and Mrs Wright," Emmaline cleared her throat and inclined her head to the matriarch, "Thank you for welcoming me, Great grandmother Wright."
From underneath the table, she drew out a small paper bag.
Ashton looked confused but he hid it well. Emmaline's hands shook, but acting or not, her mother had raised her properly.
"It's nothing special but I baked some muffins to thank you all for having me here," Her fake low voice was steady and she made it a point to glance at Ashton and smile at the end of it.
"Ashton, what about all the girls you've been fooling around with?" Damon Wright's voice was stern and the frown on his face showed that he definitely didn't approve of his son's playboy ways.
"I was experimenting," Ashton grasped Emmaline's hand gently, "But only when I met Em did I realise why none of them felt right."
On the inside, Emmaline applauded.
What a great line!
Sienna had her eyes narrowed, "Then why didn't you bring this up earlier? You even mentioned marrying a woman!"
It was a test, because instead of watching Ashton for his answer, Sienna was looking at Emmaline.
Sienna wanted to see if Emmaline was being used.
In response, Emmaline slipped her hand back into Ashton's and gave him an encouraging smile.
Taking her cue, Ashton nodded and replied, "I didn't know how you would react to me bringing a man home…"
It was going well so far, Emmaline thought to herself.
They managed to portray a couple forced to hide their love for fear of not being accepted.
In that moment, Great Grandmother Wright turned her cool gaze to Emmaline, her expression hard and unforgiving.
"Do you think some muffins will win you a place in our inheritance?"