It was either a trick or Avery had made a massive shot this time around. Either way, this was significant. As Aria entered the five-star restaurant where she was going to have supper with her family and her new brother-in-law, she pondered the circumstances surrounding her arrival.
Without Zoey's constraint, Aria would not have participated in the event. Neither she nor her older sister had a healthy relationship with one another.
Aria's sister Avery, who is 35 years old, said that Aria considered herself superior to everyone else and that she was overly critical of others. For her, everything was a competition; if she wasn't competing with Aria, she was competing with the other two people, Stacey and Amy. Amy and Stacey were her competitors. There were moments when Aria wished she was their elder brother because Avery did not care what he did with his life. Aria did not get why Avery felt intimidated by her, as she was the last child to be born in the family.
It was not because her sister was a competitive person that Aria feared going to this dinner; rather, it was because of her sister. Aria's fear stemmed from the same reason they were here, which was to meet her sister's new husband. Given that Avery's first husband passed away from cancer, this would have to be her fifth marriage overall.
Avery was married for the second time a year after he passed away, and then she divorced a year later because she was unable to have children. At the same time, she began to struggle with alcohol use. She started getting married as time went on to demonstrate that she was not the issue in her relationships. Since he abandoned her at the altar, her third husband did not quite meet the criteria for a spouse.
The worst of her marriages was her fourth one. Avery came home covered in blood because she and her husband fought so frequently. Her husband was just as much of an alcoholic as she was, and they fought all the time. She elected to divorce her husband, and she did not press any charges against him. She moved back home with their parents after her divorce and made a solemn vow that she would never drink or marry again. Then, suddenly, she called them to tell them that she was married and invited them to eat dinner with her new husband.
The restaurant was packed, but her family was easy to find. They had reserved a large table in a private, cozy area. Her parents, her two sisters, her brother, and his family accompanied her. Her entire family was present. Those individuals who were scheduled to be married were the only ones who were absent from the table. Aria was her mother's first person to notice her, and she motioned for her to come over.
With a grin on her face, Aria made her way towards the table. Following the conclusion of their most recent get-together, which was a disagreement between her and Avery, she had not eaten with her family in a very long time. Knowing that this was where all her secrets would be revealed, she didn't know how to handle herself in their presence. It would be taken care of by her cherished sister.
It's me, Mom. She began by giving her mother a hug and kissing her on the cheek, and then she moved on to her father. "Hey there, Dad." Her father gave her a long, crushing hug and then kissed her on the cheek. "Hey there, my lady." His voice was warm and husky as he greeted me.
Aria came closer to her siblings and gave a hug to her sisters, Stacey and Amy. After that, she met her brother and his wife. She finished by greeting her niece, Cassie, who was six years old, and her nephew, Taylor, who was three years old. "It's been a very long time since we last saw you, Rose." As Aria took her seat, her mother voiced her opinion.
"Mom, could you please?" Aria let out a sigh and looked at her father in a plaintive manner.
"Please, honey, permit the child to be alone." At the same time, her father gave his wife a firm squeeze on the hand. She had always been Daddy's girl since she was the only one who looked like him; they both had the same blue eyes and blond hair. Aria smiled broadly at her father, expressing her gratitude for the fact that she was his daughter. The appearance of her siblings was more like that of their mother. Avery had the jet-black hair that her mother had, while the twins, Amy and Stacey, had ginger hair and their mother's grey eyes. In addition to having gray eyes, their brother Adam had blonde hair.
"My point, Patrick, is that Rose wouldn't have come if Avery hadn't invited us." Aria mumbled under her breath, rolling her eyes in response to her mother's objection. After hearing her, her brother gave her a stern look and walked away.
"It is true that you, the twins, traveled all the way from New Zealand to be present at this dinner, right?" Aria inquired, and Stacey responded with a wistful look.
"We have been at home for quite some time now, so it is not really a problem." In response to her words, Aria's mouth curled into the letter 'O.'
It's true. Amy offered a shrug.
"They have been at home for several weeks now, and you would have known about it if you had ever paid them a visit." I heard her mother say.
"Mom, I have a life of my own." Aria let out a cry.
"You would have been married by now if you had a life, but you don't have one." Aria became anxious when her mother responded with a retort.
"And I'm sure that he's too drunk to drink." With those words, Aria's mother became pale. "I have no doubt that you are absolutely ecstatic about the fact that your daughter is currently in her fifth marriage, right?" Aria inquired with a sour tone, and her mother remained silent.
A "Rose..." When her father began speaking softly, Aria shook her head in response.
"I'm going to leave if my mother continues to make comparisons between me and Avery at every single available moment." Aria said the words in a hushed tone. When the mother compared child four to child one, daughter four became enraged, and daughter one further fueled the flames. This was the routine that occurred every time the family sat down to eat together.
"Guys, please, just act nice for a few hours, okay?" Adam murmured, breaking the awkward stillness that had been around them from the beginning. They are present here." Everyone turned their heads to look at the person he was referring to when he made a gesture toward the entryway.
Alongside Avery, who was dressed in a magnificent black gown that was as dark as her hair, was a man who was dressed in a black tuxedo. Both were standing right at the entrance. Avery couldn't help but giggle at something that her husband had said as they were having a conversation with the waiter. Aria was unable to bear the sight, so she turned around to face the front window once more. This time, she noticed that her mother was smiling at her.
Avery arrived at the table by herself a few seconds later, while her husband was still engaged in conversation with the manager of the nearby eatery. "Hey there, guys." She greeted and hugged everyone else, except for Aria. It is Rose. Having given a curt nod, she stated.
Mia uttered the name "Avery."
"You look absolutely stunning, Avery." Avery flushed and looked over her shoulder for her husband just as he emerged behind her. Her mother was gushing, and Avery was looking for him all along.
Avery grinned at him as she pulled him closer to her at the same time. "I'd want to introduce you all to Xander Gomez, my spouse." At the sound of the name, Aria paused, trying to convince herself that her ears were deceiving her. However, when she looked up, all her uncertainties vanished as her eyes fell upon the renowned Xander Gomez in all of his grandeur. "I would like to introduce you to my family, Xander. Here is a picture of my parents, Aria Wilson-Johnson and Patrick Johnson. They stood up to greet him after she made the statement. All the individuals, except for Aria, stood up to meet Xander once Avery had introduced them all. In conclusion, I would like to introduce you to Rose Wilson-Johnson, my younger sister." On hearing what Avery had to say, Aria rolled her eyes.
"My name is Rose Johnson, and it is a pleasure to meet you." She spoke in a tone that suggested she was bored, and she did not even try to stand up and shake Xander's hand. Even though everyone at the table was staring at her for her poor manners, she chose to ignore them.
An expression of regret appeared on Xander's face as Avery stared at him, but all he did was grin. In any case, she states that her name is Aria Wilson; thus, it is irrelevant to pay attention to her. Avery spoke before they took a seat. Even though their family was overly pleased to meet Xander, Aria's initial reaction to him was to despise him. After he had rejected his own sister, it seemed inconceivable that he would go about pretending to be a member of her family.
"Sweetie, are you completely fine?" From the other side of the table, her father inquired with a curious grin on his face. While smiling at him, Aria nodded her head.
Her family, particularly the women, had developed a high level of affection for their new brother-in-law, as seen by the conversation that was taking place around the table. The twins were on cloud nine, imagining the things they could do with Xander if he were their husband instead of Avery's. Her mother was overjoyed when they found out that Xander was their husband. Her father and brother were both doing well; however, her father was quite wary of other people and was closely monitoring Xander's behavior.
Adam's children, on the other hand, were busy asking him questions about airplanes. His wife watched with a smile on her face as they drove him crazy; it was as if they were on their own little haven. Brianna, her sister-in-law, noticed that she was staring at her, and she smiled and winked while she was doing so. You are the next one. When she mouthed, Aria laughed and rolled her eyes before mouthing back. She then mouthed it again. Oh, no, thank you. With a grin on her face, Brianna shook her head.
"So, Xander, what are you going to do?" On the other hand, Avery responded to Mr. Johnson's question.
"Do you have any familiarity with Gomez International Co.?"
"He is the proprietor of his own business." She inquired, but she did not wait for a response to show up. "That pertains to Xander's business."
Xander cleared his throat before speaking. It is true that I am the proprietor of that firm, but "I also operate a few hotels and restaurants." He turned his head to gaze at Avery and smiled at her.
"In case you were wondering, this is one of them." The statement was made while she smiled proudly at her father.
"Can you tell me about your family?" Aria sat up in anticipation of what her father was going to say about his family, and Avery responded once again on his behalf. Her father questioned, and Aria sat up in interested anticipation.
"When he was still a young child, we lost both of his parents," said the father. While she was speaking, Avery took his hand in hers.
"Are there any siblings that you have?" Brianna posed the question this time.
"No," Xander responded to you. "I am the only child in my family." He announced with a wistful expression.
After giving him a look that suggested he had just committed a murder, Aria said the word "No" before she had the chance to stop herself.
"Rose, no one even bothered to ask you anything." The tone of Avery's voice was one of boredom.
"It goes without saying that I am aware of that, Drunk Avery; however, your husband is deceiving my father." The loud statement made by Aria caused Xander to tighten up close to Avery.
"Rose, I beg you: please refrain from starting another argument." Despite what her mother had said, Aria laughed cruelly and paid no attention to her.
In response to Xander's chilly gaze, Aria tilted her head to look at him. Xander was staring at her. "Dad, Mr. Gomez over here has a sister, and her name is Zoey Brown; we work together." While Aria continued to stare at Xander, she did not take her gaze off him and watched as his jaw tightened.
While her father was looking from one person to another, the tension that was there on the table was thick and impenetrable. While Avery was trying to subdue the situation by gripping her husband's hand, she glared at her youngest sister and said, "Don't mind her, honey; she's a therapist, and she thinks she knows everyone." "She most likely read it from the medical records of one of her patients or something similar." Aria gave Avery a frown after she made such a foolish statement.
Something in her eyes must have communicated something to Xander because he had a chilly smile that arrived and vanished as soon as it occurred, but she had seen it, and it caused shivers to run up and down her spine.
Possibly. " After jabbing Avery's palm and saying it in a smooth manner, Xander stood up and walked away. "I would ask that you please excuse me; I wish to inquire with the chef as to whether or not the food is ready." After giving a brief nod and adjusting his bowtie, he walked away, but not before taking one final look at Aria. He would not go without looking at her. It was just one look, but it sent a great deal of information: this was not yet over.
As everyone glanced at Aria, there was a profound quiet that permeated the table. There was no question that she had destroyed their dinner; therefore, there was no use in staying. After grabbing her clutch and pushing her chair back, she rose up and walked away from the chair.
"What have you decided to do?" Her father posed the question.
"Because I have an early day tomorrow, I am going to head home." "Bye, big daddy!" Both she and he hugged each other. Aria's father was the only member of the family who was aware of what Aria did for a job; the rest of the family believed that she was a therapist, and Aria wanted to maintain that perception.
"After the mess that you caused, you can't just leave immediately." When her mother yelled in a furious manner, Aria chose to ignore her.
"Mom, you must not let her go. In the first place, I should not have invited her to any of my events." Aria snorted in response to Avery's acerbic statement.
"To be honest, I was also hesitant to attend, but my father, Brianna, and a friend strongly encouraged me to accept their invitation." Yes, Aria did admit it. Despite this, I am grateful that you invited me because it was a lot of fun." As she spoke, she wore a phony smile. "Everyone, good night, and I hope you all enjoy your dinner." While she was leaving the restaurant, she caught a glimpse of Xander Gomez watching her from the kitchen entrance. She then said her goodbyes and left the establishment.
Indeed, it was a remarkably intimate community. To think that her sister would marry Xander Gomez, a man about whom she has only ever read about in the headlines, is beyond the comprehension of these individuals. Who could have possibly imagined that she and Zoey would find themselves married? It was the first time in Aria's life that she had ever seen what Zoey had seen in Xander. When a guy harbors hatred, it manifests in his entire being. There was a terrifying expression in his eyes, and the mere thought of it caused her hair to stand on end. Her actions had just resulted in Xander Gomez, a man whose name was as common as mud in the streets, becoming her adversary.
, her sister-in-law, noticed that she was staring at her, and she smiled and winked while she was doing so. You are the next one. When she mouthed, Aria laughed and rolled her eyes before mouthing back. She then mouthed it again. Oh, no, thank you. With a grin on her face, Brianna shook her head.
"So, Xander, what are you going to do?" On the other hand, Avery responded to Mr. Johnson's question.
"Do you have any familiarity with Gomez International Co.?"
"He is the proprietor of his own business." She inquired, but she did not wait for a response to show up. "That pertains to Xander's business."
Xander cleared his throat before speaking. It is true that I am the proprietor of that firm, but "I also operate a few hotels and restaurants." He turned his head to gaze at Avery and smiled at her.
"In case you were wondering, this is one of them." The statement was made while she smiled proudly at her father.
"Can you tell me about your family?" Aria sat up in anticipation of what her father was going to say about his family, and Avery responded once again on his behalf. Her father questioned, and Aria sat up in interested anticipation.
"When he was still a young child, we lost both of his parents," said the father. While she was speaking, Avery took his hand in hers.
"Are there any siblings that you have?" Brianna posed the question this time.
"No," Xander responded to you. "I am the only child in my family." He announced with a wistful expression.
After giving him a look that suggested he had just committed a murder, Aria said the word "No" before she had the chance to stop herself.
"Rose, no one even bothered to ask you anything." The tone of Avery's voice was one of boredom.
"It goes without saying that I am aware of that, Drunk Avery; however, your husband is deceiving my father." The loud statement made by Aria caused Xander to tighten up close to Avery.
"Rose, I beg you: please refrain from starting another argument." Despite what her mother had said, Aria laughed cruelly and paid no attention to her.
In response to Xander's chilly gaze, Aria tilted her head to look at him. Xander was staring at her. "Dad, Mr. Gomez over here has a sister, and her name is Zoey Brown; we work together." While Aria continued to stare at Xander, she did not take her gaze off him and watched as his jaw tightened.
While her father was looking from one person to another, the tension that was there on the table was thick and impenetrable. While Avery was trying to subdue the situation by gripping her husband's hand, she glared at her youngest sister and said, "Don't mind her, honey; she's a therapist, and she thinks she knows everyone." "She most likely read it from the medical records of one of her patients or something similar." Aria gave Avery a frown after she made such a foolish statement.
Something in her eyes must have communicated something to Xander because he had a chilly smile that arrived and vanished as soon as it occurred, but she had seen it, and it caused shivers to run up and down her spine.
Possibly. " After jabbing Avery's palm and saying it in a smooth manner, Xander stood up and walked away. "I would ask that you please excuse me; I wish to inquire with the chef as to whether or not the food is ready." After giving a brief nod and adjusting his bowtie, he walked away, but not before taking one final look at Aria. He would not go without looking at her. It was just one look, but it sent a great deal of information: this was not yet over.
As everyone glanced at Aria, there was a profound quiet that permeated the table. There was no question that she had destroyed their dinner; therefore, there was no use in staying. After grabbing her clutch and pushing her chair back, she rose up and walked away from the chair.
"What have you decided to do?" Her father posed the question.
"Because I have an early day tomorrow, I am going to head home." "Bye, big daddy!" Both she and he hugged each other. Aria's father was the only member of the family who was aware of what Aria did for a job; the rest of the family believed that she was a therapist, and Aria wanted to maintain that perception.
"After the mess that you caused, you can't just leave immediately." When her mother yelled in a furious manner, Aria chose to ignore her.
"Mom, you must not let her go. In the first place, I should not have invited her to any of my events." Aria snorted in response to Avery's acerbic statement.
"To be honest, I was also hesitant to attend, but my father, Brianna, and a friend strongly encouraged me to accept their invitation." Yes, Aria did admit it. Despite this, I am grateful that you invited me because it was a lot of fun." As she spoke, she wore a phony smile. "Everyone, good night, and I hope you all enjoy your dinner." While she was leaving the restaurant, she caught a glimpse of Xander Gomez watching her from the kitchen entrance. She then said her goodbyes and left the establishment.
Indeed, it was a remarkably intimate community. To think that her sister would marry Xander Gomez, a man about whom she has only ever read about in the headlines, is beyond the comprehension of these individuals. Who could have possibly imagined that she and Zoey would find themselves married? It was the first time in Aria's life that she had ever seen what Zoey had seen in Xander. When a guy harbors hatred, it manifests in his entire being. There was a terrifying expression in his eyes, and the mere thought of it caused her hair to stand on end. Her actions had just resulted in Xander Gomez, a man whose name was as common as mud in the streets, becoming her adversary.