Zach walked into the scene of the mother and son, and his eyes met Eliana, who was looking at him; he noticed the white dress she was wearing, and his bad mood suddenly improved.
"Ryan, let's sit," Zach said.
Ryan immediately pulled away from his mother, but not without kissing her on her cheek, before sitting down beside his brother.
"Inform Diana to serve the food," Charlotte said to a maid who usually assisted Diana with the cooking. One could hear the happiness in her tone.
A few seconds later, the doorbell rang, causing Charlotte to look at her children and ask, "Are you expecting someone else?"
Both Zach and Ryan shook their head, and Jules came and said, "Mrs Davis is here. Should I let her in or send her out?"
"What would people say if I sent out my sister-in-law? Let her in and ask Diana to prepare one more plate." Charlotte said coldly.
Jules nodded and left to carry on his task, and in less than a minute, a woman who was overdressed walked into the dining room with a smile and said, "I cannot believe that I have such good timing. How could you be having dinner with Zach's future in-laws and not invite the rest of the family?"
"It's a dinner, not a wedding. Don't exaggerate." Charlotte spoke with a warning.
The woman named Florence sulks at Charlotte scolding her, and looks at the young woman before her. She saw Amber's diamond ring and knew she must be Zach's bride.
"You know you are lucky. So many women want to be our Zach's wife, but only you became the chosen one, and that ring of yours looks like it cost a fortune, but since it is for a beautiful girl, I'm sure it's worth it." Florence said with a smile.
"Thank you," Amber said as her cheek became red.
"Come to think of it, I heard you didn't attend your son's engagement. I understand why Ryan couldn't go but I'm curious what your excuse is for missing it." Florence asked.
"Haven't you heard curiosity kills the cat?" Charlotte replied nonchalantly causing Ryan to snicker.
"Just then, Diana, along with her two assistants, walked in with the plates of food.
After serving everybody, Diana poured a glass of wine into everyone's glass and left.
Charlotte held her glass of wine and said "Cheers to the union between the Moore and the Sanders."
Everyone raised their glass and shouted "Cheers." Before taking a sip of their wine.
"I hope you enjoy the food," Charlotte said.
"I'm sure we will," Sloane replied.
As everyone ate, Eliana on the other hand felt sick. Why does the meal smell so bad?
"Is the food not to your liking?" Florence asked as she noticed that the young girl hadn't even taken a bite.
Everyone looked at her after Florence spoke, and she could feel her dad's eyes saying she shouldn't embarrass him.
Eliana ignored the discomfort she was feeling and let out a soft smile, saying, "Of course it's to my liking."
She took her fork and knife to cut the meat, but as she was about to put it in her mouth, the urge to vomit suddenly overcame her, and she immediately dropped the food and covered her mouth.
"Are you all right?" Ryan asked, looking at the girl's pale expression.
Florence laughed and said "My dear Ryan, I think you are asking her the wrong question. It should be, are you pregnant?"
After the urge to vomit went away, Eliana replied "I'm not pregnant, I just don't feel well."
"Listen to me, young girl. I am a doctor, so I know when a woman is pregnant and you are pregnant," Florence stated.
"Then you must be a quack if you think me wanting to throw up means I'm pregnant," Eliana replied. At this point, she had to remove every thought of them thinking she was pregnant. She already saw the fury in her dad's eyes, the disappointment in her mother's eyes, and the gloat in Amber's eyes. Come to think, she hadn't seen her period for two months now, and she just thought it must have been because of stress, but what if she was pregnant?
"You dare call me a quack? Is this how the Moore family raise their daughters, to be disrespectful and loose?" Florence asked in anger.
"I assure you that our Amber is not like that and I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding. Eliana, apologize to Mrs Davis." Sloane said.
"Our Amber is not like that? So are saying that I am loose?" Eliana asked.
"Aren't you? This is why I hardly recommend adoption to my patients, who know the kind of filthy blood that may run in the child's veins. Look at her; you helped this child out of the kindness of your heart; who would have thought that a few years later, she would be the reason for your disgrace? Young girl, tell me, do you even know the father of your child?"
"That is enough! If you have nothing better to say then do all of us a favor and shut your mouth. It's not as if you are even welcome here." Zach said angrily.
Amber looked at Zach and frowned; this was the first time she had seen him angry and for Eliana? Why?
Ryan looked at his brother, who spoke angrily, and was surprised because Zach hardly gets angry. His gaze shifted to Eliana, whose eyes were becoming teary, and he felt pity for the girl.
"Is it Jason?" Amber asked mockingly.
"What?" Eliana asked confusedly.
"Is Jason the father? I mean, you always denied having a relationship with him but now I wonder if you were fooling us all these while." Amber asked with a polite smile.
Charlotte kept drinking her wine, unbothered by the situation in front of her without saying anything.
"You want to know who the father of my child is? Are you really that curious?"
"That's enough Eliana, do not disgrace us more than you already have. If I knew a day like this would come then I never would have taken you in, I would have just left you with her." Henry said coldly and stood up. He looked at Charlotte apologetically and said, "It seems we have a family issue to settle; why don't we reschedule this dinner for another time."
Those words made something inside Eliana break; she clenched her fist tightly and said, "You say it as if you did me a favor."
"The child is mine." Zach finally said leaving the dining room in total silence.