In the car:
Xavier drove while Reina sat beside him, lost in thought. "Why did he hold my hand? He seems to hate me so much, yet acted possessive like a jealous husband," she mused to herself. Questions swirled in her mind, leaving her puzzled.
Upon reaching home, they both stepped out of the car. Xavier moved towards the mansion, but Reina called out to him, halting his steps.
She stood in front of him and spoke, looking directly into his eyes
Reina: What you did today is beyond my imagination. I understand you don't like me. Maybe it's because I'm a stranger here, living in your house without your consent. But that doesn't give you the right to act on your whims. Believe me or not, I'm not here by choice. I'm forced to be here. I hope what happened today won't happen again. I'm not a child; I can go wherever I want. And don't dare to hold my hand again.
With her eyes cold and emotionless face, Reina finished her words and walked inside.
As she spoke, he continued to gaze into her eyes, searching for something he couldn't quite identify. He couldn't understand why it unsettled him so much to see the emptiness reflected in her eyes.
"Reina Romano, what has caused this emptiness in you? You're unlike any other woman your age. I've never felt this intimidated around anyone, not even my parents, yet you manage to make my old heart nervous. You are so much younger than me, nearly a decade between us, and yet, you've left a profound impression on me," Xavier pondered after Reina's departure.
*
In the evening, they all sat in the lounge, enjoying their tea, when an unexpected visitor arrived - Xavier's fiancée, Julia.
With confident strides, she greeted everyone with a warm smile.
Lara couldn't hide her disapproval, grimacing at Julia's entrance. Laura, noticing her sister's reaction, playfully nudged her and whispered, "Here comes the drama queen," prompting giggles from both of them.'
"Julia! What a surprise!" Mia Knight's genuine warmth instantly dispels the awkwardness. "We weren't expecting you, dear. Please, join us!"
Mia Knight was equally surprised by Julia's sudden visit but welcomed her warmly, inviting her to join them.
Julia, eager for Xavier's attention, explained, "I wanted to surprise my Xav," her eyes fluttering towards him, searching for approval.
Xavier replied in his usual blunt manner, "I don't like surprises," his eyes darting briefly to Reina, who was observing Julia with keen interest.
Sensing a shift in attention, Reina leaned towards Laura. "Who's the makeup-laden lady?" she whispered.
Laura, seized the opportunity to gossip, and replied, "That's Julia, the famous model, and oh, our brother's fiancée"
Hearing that, Reina couldn't suppress a smirk. "Oh, the devil is engaged, interesting," she murmured to herself, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
Suddenly, Julia's gaze found Reina. "And you are?" she asked, her voice laced with a tinge of suspicion. "Foreigner, are you?"
Reina extended a hand, a warm smile gracing her features. "Hi, I'm Reina Romano. From Germany, indeed."
They shook hands, a brief flicker of awkwardness passing between them. "I'm Julia," announced the model, a hint of pride in her tone. "Famous model. And you are her for?"
Reina raised an eyebrow, fighting back a retort. "Lovely to meet you. Business brings me to Italy," Reina replied, hating the unannounced interview
"Business, huh?" Julia echoed, her voice dripping with skepticism. "And what business might that be?"
"Architecture," Reina stated simply, observing a flicker of disappointment cross Julia's face.
Just then, Mia Knight intervened, her voice cutting through the tension. "Where will you be staying, Julia, dear?"
"Oh, here, of course," Julia declared, a triumphant glint in her eyes.
Lara: Wait, what? I thought you didn't like crowded houses? Lara spilled the water and asked with a composed voice
"Yes, but for Xav, I can tolerate it for a while." Her fake innocence made Lara puke.
"You come here alone?", Knowing her daughter very well, Sophia Knight intervened before Lara or Laura could say something that made Julia angry
Julia: No, my parents are at a hotel. We're here for the wedding.
Julia smiled at Sophia Knight who looked at her big sister-in-law
Mia Knight: But we agreed to wait until you graduate.
Mia Knight started to get worried, she looked at Xavier's face and said.
Julia's mood turned sour.
"Aunt, I am still young, 17 this year but Xav is 34! He'll be 40 by the time I graduate. So it's a good time for us to get married" She finished
Mia Knight knew, arguing with her was pointless, "Invite your parents for dinner tonight. " She said and instructed the maid to clean the guest quarters
"Why guest quarters, aunt? I can stay in the guest room in this mansion" Julia felt irritated, she was here too close to Xavier, not to live outside the mansion
"Yes, but it's currently occupied. Reina is residing there," Mia Knight calmly conveyed to Julia.
"Move her to the guest quarters" Julia arched her eyebrow, glancing at Reina, who felt overwhelmed by the sarcastic exchange of words.
"No. I ca--" Mia Knight started to talk when Reina interrupted her, "Sorry for interrupting you aunt but I will move to the guest quarters, no problem. Give me 20 minutes I'll pack my things" Reina didn't want to be the subject of a little girl's tantrums, so she decided quickly and went to her room with Lara and Laura to pack her belongings
Mia Knight smiled at Reina's calm demeanor and thought "This child is so understanding and peaceful. Her future husband will be lucky to have her. It would have been great if she and my Xavier ---"
She suddenly stopped, what was she thinking?
Mia Knight stood and went to the kitchen with Sophia Knight, leaving Julia and Xavier alone.
Julia smiled and sat beside Xavier, she was just about to grab his arm when he moved
"Don't touch me, I hate physical contact," Xavier snapped, his tone harsh.
"We're destined to be husband and wife, no need to shy. And if you're not accustomed to physical contact, I'll help you get used to me," Julia retorted, dismissing his words
Xavier's gaze darkened, "Never be so sure of yourself"
"What did you mean by that? Are you trying to cancel the wedding? Listen to me Xavier, you cannot get rid of me because this marriage is decided by Uncle Aaron" Julia tried to give him a reality check
"Exactly. This marriage was arranged by my father, not by me. You were never my choice, and you never will be. I despise spoiled brats like you who have no respect for others." He said and left towards the guest quarters