Time stopped in the single moment that Aryanna heard Henifer say that she was Sebastian's home. Henifer spoke of the rest of their lives when Aryanna had yet to think that far.
It was a wake-up call that her marriage wasn't a ruse or a temporary joy in her life. It's something she'll need to navigate through for the rest of her life. Aryanna raised her gaze at her husband, for her lifetime, he was hers and hers alone. It felt like a dream.
She gave her hand to him in marriage and signed away half of her life to him. Sebastian was going to share in all her moments, the good and the bad times. Aryanna processed the thought, her heart thumped with elation.
Sebastian felt her stare and looked up from his phone. He raised his eyebrow at her, inquiring what the problem was. Aryanna shook her head, she assured him that all was well with a smile.
She rested her head on her arm and stared at him. Aryanna knew that she made the right choice in marrying Sebastian. She did it to get even with Carlos and Leah and pay them back for toying with her life. However, in a matter of a week, she found more peace than she felt forever. The marriage was medicine for her past traumas and she was grateful for it, for him.
"Will have the decency of not eating your husband with your eyes in front of your mother-in-law, " Henifer teased.
Sebastian giggled. Amused at how much fun his mother was having at Aryanna's expense. "If she's hungry, then let her eat, Mom," he aided his mother in teasing his wife.
Aryanna wished the ground would open and swallow her whole. To save her from the embarrassment of the moment. Having the mother and son team up to tease her didn't aid her embarrassment.
"I'm not saying she shouldn't. I'm simply suggesting she waits till I leave, " Henifer argued.
"What if she dies by then?" Sebastian asked. "I'll sue you for starving your daughter-in-law on her first week into the marriage, " he shamelessly let out.
Aryanna's jaw dropped. She failed to believe the argument Sebastian was having with his mother. She stared agape at her husband at his shamelessness.
"I give up, " Henifer waved a white flag, she failed to compete with her son's shameful behavior.
"Why should you give up, Mother? You should take him to task, " Aryanna played along.
Sebastian dramatically touched his chest and feigned a pained expression on his face. "You wound me, wife, " he expressed. Aryanna cracked up, her laughter resonated in the room.
Henifer smiled, the childish interaction they were having dispelled her worries for her son. Seeing him let down the hundreds of guards he'd spent years putting up assured her that he was going to be fine.
Sebastian paused. The melody of her laugh was one he could listen to for the rest of his life. The room became colorful with his wife and mother's laughter. Having the two most important women in his life get along and make jokes together warmed his heart. He knew instantly that he made the right choice by marrying Aryanna.
"Get used to it, son. Aryanna is on my side, " Henifer held her head high and boasted.
"She is my wife, " Sebastian argued.
"And my daughter, " Henifer countered his argument.
Aryanna's laughter halted, she stared at Henifer in disbelief. The term 'daughter' flowed from her lips so easily. It was in the heat of the moment and they were joking around, she didn't know whether Henifer meant it or not.
"You call me mother, dear. It's only right that I call you my daughter, right? " Henifer noticed her worries and confronted them.
"Sure, " Aryanna responded. Her tone was light and a notch above a whisper. She was confident enough to brace that title, out of fear that the moment she does, everything will go wrong.
"You win, " Sebastian accepted defeat. 'Are you alright? ' he mouthed the question to Aryanna.
'I'm good, ' Aryanna mouthed back.
The doors to the room flew open, Faber entered the room with the breakfast platter Henifer ordered. With him were Leah and Carlos and a few other people Aryanna didn't recognize. Leah carried the breakfast platter meant for Aryanna. Another lady, dressed in Devonte's staff uniform attended to Sebastian while Faber catered to Henifer's breakfast.
Leah walked up to Aryanna's side with the tray of food. She bent down and set the tea kettle and pancakes on the coffee table next to Aryanna's seat. Her teeth gritted in anger at how the tables turned. When she woke up that morning, she had no clue that she'd be serving Aryanna's needs with her head bowed down to show respect.
"Your breakfast, ma'am, " she alerted Aryanna. She bit her lip in anger, frustrated by the situation.
Aryanna was at a loss for words. Recalling how Leah walked all over her a week before, she never expected that her station could rise to such a level that Leah regarded her with respect. Aryanna saw the irritation in Leah's eyes at her helplessness in the situation they found themselves in. She felt no pity for Leah, the girl wasted to chance to insult her and her values by trying to defame her through Carlos.
"Pour the tea for her, " Henifer ordered, her kind and light ambiance fading away. Replaced by a cold and commanding aura, deserving of a boss of her station. "My daughter-in-law deserves all the princess treatment in the world, " her smile returned as she addressed Aryanna.
Leah clenched her fist. Angered to the core by the request from Henifer. Leah loathed Aryanna and in no way wished to serve at Aryanna's beck and call. She hesitated to serve Aryanna, her heart squeezing tightly at how undeserving Aryanna was of the standing she received by marrying Sebastian.
"Are you deaf, " Sebastian spoke out. His tone was ice cold, sending shivers down Leah's spine.
Aryanna shuddered at the sound of his voice. He let out a side of him she hadn't seen before. One that mirrored his mother's expression when she addressed Leah to perfection. Aryanna steadied herself and remained still.
"Didn't you hear my mother speak or do you wish to tempt my fury so early in the morning by acting defiant?"
Leah gulped. "I'm sorry, Sir, " She hurried up and offered an apology to Sebastian. Carlos and the other female stepped back, afraid to be caught in the crossfire of Sebastian's rage towards Leah. Leah rushed to serve Aryanna her tea, and in the process, she tipped over the teacup. It fell to the ground and shattered, spilling hot tea to Aryanna's right foot
"Arghh, " Aryanna screamed out in pain. She jumped out of her seat, bent down, and wiped her burnt foot.
Leah paled, blood drained from her face. Sebastian, Carlos, Henifer, Faber, and the other girl gasped. Stunned by the mistake Leah made against Aryanna.
Sebastian got up and rushed to his wife's side. Faber raced over to him with cold water and a damp towel. Sebastian bent down on one knee and placed the damp towel on Aryanna's feet to ease her pain.
"Have you lost your mind! " Henifer barked at Leah. "How dare you hurt my daughter?"
Leah stumbled back from fear and fell to the ground. Her heart was in her throat at the anger in Henifer's eyes.