Stephanie's POV
Today was the day—the big day. Well, not the big day, but a big day nonetheless. It was the day she was meeting the man who started all this, Alejandro Corelli. Alexander told her his grandfather's name. Anyway, she's meeting Alexander's grandfather today. The man is the reason she'll be getting married in about two months. She also somehow needs to convince him that Alexander and her are so serious they're planning on getting married, without, of course, tipping him off that this relationship is as fake as fake can go. There is absolutely no problem there at all. Yup, she's doomed.
A quick Google search on the man she was meeting later in the day showed that he was one of the most influential people in their city. He was the leading man in almost every industry in his prime. Even in his old age, he is still feared and respected by many. That did absolutely nothing to calm her nerves.
What in the name of the Lord do you wear to dinner at the house of a man who is 'respected and feared by many'. Oh, and a man whose grandson you're planning on having a contractual marriage with, so said grandson doesn't lose his place in the company. Yeah, this is messed up.
She checked the time, and it was 4 p.m.; dinner was at 7 p.m., meaning she had just about two hours to get ready. She needed to find something to wear fast, but first food. She made herself a chicken sandwich and took orange juice.
She settled on a green wrap dress and paired it with her emerald heels. She wore some jewelry and allowed her hair to flow down in waves. She applied eyeliner and mascara and used a nude lipstick with gloss, and she was good to go.
It was 6 o'clock by the time she was done, and she picked out a movie to watch while waiting for Alexander. He had texted earlier and said he'd be at her apartment by 6:30. So she has 30 minutes to calm her nerves.
She was laughing at a scene on TV when her doorbell rang. She turned off her television and took her bag, already knowing who it was.
"Hey, love, you look beautiful," Alexander said, giving her a hug when she opened the door for him. He was in his usual well-tailored suit, which, as always, looked impeccable on him.
"Thank you; you looked rather dashing yourself." Alexander laughed at the compliment and thanked her.
"Shall we?" He asked, taking her hands in his. She nodded, and he led her to his car.
After driving for about 20 minutes, he stopped in front of a breathtaking mansion. Quite literally, because it felt like she could not breathe for a few seconds. The house—if she could call it that—did not look like something to be lived in. It looked like it was simply meant to be stared at and admired; it was that beautiful.
Alexander drove into the house and turned off his engine. He turned to face her and then asked, "Ready?" like he could sense her nerves.
"Nope, but let's go," she said. He squeezed her hands to provide comfort and then led her to the front door, where the magnificent doors opened up. They walked in, and just then an old but good-looking man stood at the top of the large stairs.
"Son, welcome," he said, coming down the stairs steadily.
"Hey pops," Alexander greeted his grandfather with a smile on his face.
"This must be Stephanie," he said, taking her hands in a handshake as he reached them. After taking a few strides, "please sit," he gestured to the leather couch.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Stephanie said to the old man as she sat down. Alexander sat beside her and once again took her hands. The gesture, like always, made her heart flutter. She wasn't sure if it was to calm her nerves, like earlier, or to put on a show for his grandfather, but quite frankly, she doesn't care.
"The pleasure is all mine, darling. The moment Alexander here told me about you, I immediately said I had to meet you," he said to her. "Also," he started turning to face his grandson, "dinner won't be just us today. I was going to tell you earlier, but it must have skipped my mind. Your cousin will be joining us, as will Daniel and his daughter. Stephanie didn't know who the last two people were, but judging by the look of confusion on Alexander's face, they weren't usual dinner guests.
"Mr. Rogers and Beatrice? What for?" He asked, still confused. His grandfather simply shrugged as if to say 'no reason'
"With that out of the way, dinner will be at eight. I asked the both of you to come early so I could get to know the beautiful Stephanie." Stephanie smiled at the comment, but she was truly a wreck inside. Not only does she have to face Alexander's grandfather, but she also has to deal with his cousins and two strangers. The day truly couldn't get any worse.
After a cup of water and an hour of grilling by Alexander's grandfather, he asked her everything without a sense of privacy. Her job, her parents, her goals, and her aspirations—which Alexander tried to get her out of but failed because his grandfather was very adamant. The doors opened to reveal the ever-beautiful Anabelle Corelli.
"Hey pops, well, hello there," she said after greeting her grandfather and seeing Stephanie sitting. She was about to speak when she was interrupted by the door opening again. She realized they simply had a butler who could see when people came in, and in came two people—an older man and an incredibly pretty younger lady—by his side.
They both came in, and the moment she sighted Alexander sitting, she ran straight to meet him.
"Oh my God, Alex, I've missed you so much!" She screamed in a high-pitched voice and hugged him so tight. Stephanie wasn't sure he could breathe because of the lady's tight hold, and she wasn't sure she could breathe because of their close proximity. The girl let him go, and Stephanie was about to let out a breath. The next thing she knew, the girl looked him in the eyes and kissed him square on the lips.
It looks like she was wrong. The day could get way worse.