Isabella.
As expected, Alex closed off again the next day, acting distant as usual and Rena kept noticing.
"Mommy is daddy mad at me?" Rena asked once I'd gotten her ready. I gave her a small smile as she furrowed her brows adorably, cuddling one of her many teddy bears.
"No Rena, he's just tired from all the work." I lied. My hands slid under her arms as I picked her up and propped her up on my hip, heading downstairs.
"Okay." She said. Thankfully, it was Saturday and I was so relieved that I didn't have to stress about Rena going to school. She hates her uniform.
"Mommy?" I blinked and smiled at her, earning a giggle from her as her dimples pricked her cheeks. We reached the kitchen our cook, Genevra had started to prepare breakfast and I sat Rena down on the counter while she pretty much tastes everything we were making.
"Rena." I scolded when her clothes finally got ruined from the pastry batter.
"Sorry Mommy." She pouted. Genevra and I smiled and I helped her down while Genevra finished up with the food.
"Your grandparents are coming over and you've made a mess on your dress." I complained. Rena's eyes lit up once she heard about Alex's parents and I watched her run around excitedly.
"Yay grandma and grandpa are coming over!" She all but screamed. I finally caught up with her but I was already out of breath by that time. I had Rena change her clothes and Genevra come up to take her downstairs while I want to find the girls. I hadn't seen them since last night.
I stopped when I bumped into the triplets three of them dressed in similar clothes and even the same color. Now I understood the essence of their different hair color. They looked strikingly alike.
I smiled
"I was coming to get you guys, thought you'd want breakfast with Rena and I." I said. Kia and Julia smiled but Sofia didn't seem to be listening to us, a distant look in her eyes as we headed to the dining room.
"What's with the matching outfits anywa?" I asked.
Kia shrugged. "It's something we do when our parents are coming over." She said.
"And brothers." Julia added. I couldn't hide my surprise, Alex never told me he had brothers but as soon as that thought crossed my mind, I scolded myself inwardly.
I sound like we're a normal couple.
The triplets, Rena and I helped Genevra once we we finished with breaklpllfast so we could prepare for the said lunch. Afternoon rolled in like a normal say would and thanks to a lot of helping hands minus Rena, we were able to wrap up. I left the girls to finish up while I went up to the room and changed into a low cut over-the-knee dark blue dress with sleeves that stopped after my elbows.
I brushed my hair up into a low ponytail with a few stubborn strands fanning my face but in a more fancy way than it'd look like usually. I smoothed down my skirt reaching for the door but it opened before I could touch the handle.
"Rena what -" I stopped once the door fully opened but it wasn't Rena and instead it was Alex.
I frowned. "What are you doing at home, shouldn't you be at work?" I asked. Alex said nothing, his eyes drinking me in.
"They're here." He simply said.
"Okay." I answered and stepped out and walked ahead while Alex followed behind me.
I tugged at my sleeve nervously as their foot steps came closer to the door before Grayson opened it and I came face to face with Hannah and Nicholas De Luca. "Grandma! Grandpa!" Rena squealed next to me, running into Hannah's waiting arms. Hannah picked Rena up and we turned back inside and settled in the living room while Alex and his father excused themselves
"Mom, where are the guys?" Julia asked. As if on cue, three men barged in loudly, chatting animatedly but stopped when their mother pinned them with a hard glare.
"Javier, Marco, Leo. What took you so long?" Their mother asked and it sounded like she was trying hard not to say something wrong in front of Rena.
Javier, the tallest seemed unfazed by his mother. "I had work." He said
Marco and Leo shared a glance. "We also had work." They said and I swear Hannah was so close to throwing a shoe at them.
"Your father and Alex are discussing inside, so we'll wait for them to return." She said.
The triplets acknowledged their brothers before turning to me.
"You're Isa right, Alex's wife?" Leo asked with a grin.
"Yes, it's nice to meet you." I said. From the corner of my eye, Marco frowned in confusion.
"Hey doesn't she look exactly like -" Javier smacked him over the head, cutting him off from completing his question.
"What the hell Javier?" Leo snapped.
Hannah glared at her sons. "Language, there's a child here." She scolded
Leo glared one more time at Javier before flashing me a smile.
"I apologize on his behalf, I'm Leo." He said. Javier rolled his eyes next to him
"She knows who you are." He said dryly.
Javier and Alex are the same.
Sofia kept staring ahead while her siblings interacted and soon everyone felt the tension rolling of her heavily.
I touched her arm and she jumped in response. "Come on, let's help Genevra" I murmured softly, thankful that she obliged willingly.
"I know but I'm sorry I can't help it" she said once we were alone.
I shook my head. "I didn't call you to scold you. Situations like this take time and I'll be here when you're ready to talk." I shrugged
"How do you manage to understand everything all the time?" She asked.
I laughed and shook my head. "I'm not perfect and there's no way I understand everything." I said.
Especially Alex
I could hear Rena chatting away with her grandmother as Sofia and I set the table just as Alex and his father came into view.
"Isabella." I stopped and turned around, Alex and Nicholas approaching the table.
"You look lovely Isabella" Nicholas said as he sat down.Sofia left to get everyone else while Genevra returned to the kitchen.
"So when are you both going for your honeymoon?" My father-in-law asked and I was grateful that I had nothing in my mouth else I'd choke.
I slanted a look towards Alex who seemed uninterested in the conversation. "We're not going." He said and I almost cried out in relief.
The last thing I want is to spend alone time with Alex.
Soon everyone else arrived at the table and sat down.
"You need a break from all of this, spend time with your wife and make her happy." Nicholas said. I groaned inwardly when Alex gave me a curious look.
He mustn't agree with his father no matter what.
"I can't leave my men and work" Alex said.
"Alexander." Nicole said, a warning underlying his tone.
Hannah glanced at both men. "What happened?" She asked.
"Nothing." Alex said before his father could explain the situation. Silence enveloped the room as everyone ate quietly. I busied myself with feeding Rena and then my phone buzzed against my thigh.
I glanced downwards quickly, trying to avoid getting unnecessary attention.
"Excuse me." I murmured, getting to my feet and walked out of the dining room.I slipped into the garden quietly, bile rising up in my throat as I unlocked my phone.
A sob threatened to break through my lips as a photos of Rena and I appeared on my screen. Especially Rena.
You have a very beautiful daughter, Isabella
I gripped my phone hard.
How did he find me again? And Rena,God Rena shouldn't be involved in all of this.I turned off my phone and tried to mask my fear and anxiety as I returned to the dining room." Sofia-"I started as she stormed out of the room but Alex cut in. "Is everything okay? You seem off."He said
I nodded, unsure if I could use my words at that point.
I took my seat again and managed to eat, my mind racing dangerously.Lunch ended abruptly when Alex and Nicholas exited the room.
"You did a wonderful job with this lunch Isa." Hannah said with a smile.
"Thank you." I managed to say.
My phone buzzed again and I couldn't help but return to panic mode.
"I should check on Sofia." I said once we left the dining room. I left Rena with her uncles while I rushed upstairs. I stopped at Sofia's door and knocked but got no answer.
"Sofia." I said. Something hit the ground and a muffled voice came next.
"Go away Isa." She said
"I'm not asking you to open the door so I can comfort you Sofia." I said.
"I seriously don't want to talk to anyone right now." She threw back at me. I sighed and leaned against the door.
"Could you at least tell me what happened?" I asked.
"Mom wanted to know what happened and I didn't handle it well. Obviously" she said
Silence followed as none of us spoke.
"Is she mad at me?" Sofia asked.
"I don't think so." I said, absentmindedly.
A silent huff reached my ears. "She should be mad. I prefer her anger than receiving pity." She said.
I sighed. "Maybe she doesn't want you to have pity, did you ever think of that?" I asked
I smiled as I heard the door unlock behind me and Sofia appeared behind the door with something like a smile.
"You seriously have to teach me how you it." She said.
I let myself in. "It's not as easy as it sounds Sofia." I said.
"Do you think I'm broken?" She suddenly asked, her eyes glassy with tears.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her close.
"No, no, I think your mind is still processing everything that has happened and no one has really given you the time to do that."
"I feel broken." Sofia sniffed. A knock came through the door and Grayson poked his head inside.
Sofia stiffened in my arms.
"Alex wants you downstairs, his parents are leaving." He said.
I gave him a nod. "We'll be down in a minute." I said and Sofia relaxed again once Grayson disappeared.
"Are you scared of Grayson?" I asked her.
"It just happens when I'm around guys. I can't help it." She admitted
I gave her hand a squeeze and helped her up.
"We should go downstairs" I said.
We reached the others just as Alex and his father returned from his office.
"Isabella, I have good news for you." Nicholas said, his voice void of any emotions.
I stole a glance at Alex and the flex in his jaw told me i wasn't going to like this 'very good news'
Nicholas held my shoulders in a firm grip. "
"You're going on your honeymoon." He said.
My head snapped towards Alex so fast I nearly had a whiplash.
"What!"
Hannah gave me a calm smile. "You sound surprised." She said. I faked a smile even when I felt like screaming.
"Yeah, it's kind of unexpected since Alex and I agreed that we won't go for a honeymoon."
"Oh come on, I know Alex forced you into refusing." Hannah said."Oh come on, I know Alex forced you into refusing." Hannah said.
I shook my head furiously. "No he didn't, I suggested that we shouldn't go on a honeymoon. He's got the entire Mafia to deal with and I have to take care of Rena." I explainedNicholas made a disapproving noise at the back of his throat. "Nonsense, you're going for your honeymoon and that's final." He said
I gave them a smile. "Okay." I said and hugged them goodbye.
I scowled at Alex. "You could have said no, you know that right?"
Alex scowled back at me. "It's not my fault he's relentless and you could have also said no too." He said.
I faked a shocked look. "Don't put this on me. Lord knows what you might have done to make him suggest such a crazy idea." I said, rolling my eyes as I headed for the stairs
Alex grabbed my wrist, stopping me from leaving and I raised a curious brow at him.
"What now?" I asked, a sliver of irritating seeping into my voice.
"Did you say anything to him?" He asked with a narrow gaze
I pulled my wrist out of his grip. "Are you seriously accusing me of convincing your father?" I asked.
"Answer the question little one." He said. I stabbed my finger into his chest with a glare.
"You were with him the entire time and he's your father." I said.
"He's my step father, my real father wouldn't even care less about us." He said in a casual tone.
"Why didn't you tell me about your real dad?" I asked.
Alex sidestepped me, heading for the stairs. "Because it's not important." He said in a dismissive tone.
"This is isn't over!" I shouted after him, grumbling as I went the other way