The ceremony happened without any trouble and then it was time for dinner. So, people were relieved. I was the same but because of a different reason.
After seeing Alina sitting on the opposite column, my hands became sweaty, and I only sighed in relief after seeing her leave. The office was a different thing, so I started to feel a little relaxed whenever I was with her but now....
"So, Miss Kingsley's other family is a relative of the groom... a very distant one, but….yes they are."
Though the groom appeared rich, it wasn't for such lofty personnel like Alina to come. So, Zoey went out and after asking some people, she said that but there was still some confusion on her face.
I agreed with her also. There was definitely something fishy. For someone who couldn't even hold their own welcoming party, now attending a wedding that wasn't to their status was absolutely suspicious.
"Come on, I am starving here—let's eat."
I looked at Shaun. What about meeting with Sabrina? But I didn't have to ask as he continued.
"Besides, the couple is also eating with those guests."
By those guests, he meant those lofty people, including Alina. I shrugged and agreed with Shaun and after some thought, Zoey too.
The dinner was delightful with people coming to us and introducing themselves. They were mostly men, as they were attractive to—I wasn't going to lie—my looks and Zoey's. Zoey, after telling them she was married, quickly diverted their attention to me. Though I too told them I have a girlfriend but I guess being married was really drawing a line.
"Maybe I should have said I am married too."
I mumbled to myself out loud after exhausting myself talking to another one but Zoey heard me.
"No... You shouldn't take marriage so lightly."
Zoey's voice was serious but there was something she didn't know.
I wasn't taking it so lightly—well, not anymore—and was actually married but I just chuckled as I nodded my head.
"Where did Shaun go?"
I looked around to find him but just then, a waiter approached us and after politely greeting us, he turned towards me.
"Ma'am, someone from the executive suite is asking of you."
Zoey looked at me in surprise but I didn't need to think too long about who would be asking for me to meet. There was only one person there, of course.
"Can I say no?"
Startled by my question, both the waiter and Zoey looked at me with widened eyes. I guess that answered my question.
"I mean, please lead the way."
I didn't know what was really happening here, but I knew it wasn't wise to decline. Given my position and how I was, it wasn't like me to decline meeting with people of higher status, after all.
And I had already fallen in the eyes of Alina, so I might as well protect my image in other people's eyes. Thinking that, I started following the waiter.
The distance to the executive suite wasn't much but since I was so immersed in my thoughts, it felt like I only took a step and then I entered and heard Alina's sweet, happy voice.
"Darling!"
She was smiling brightly as her gaze was filled with love and after seeing her, I flinched as my body froze on the spot.
It wasn't because she called me honey this time or looking at me with those warm eyes—no, it was because unlike last time,...she wasn't alone.
My mouth was left open as I looked at the people beside her. There was a middle-aged man who shared the same blonde hair as her and a boy who appeared as a teenager.
I didn't even think about masking my—no, I wasn't thinking about my expression at all. So, after noticing it, Alina replied.
"Don't worry, they are family."
That wasn't the point.
My mom was asking me to bring my wife home to meet her but I didn't,....even though she knew her—by her face at least. So, why was she introducing me to hers, who didn't even know me? Of course, I also knew I was wrong, but I couldn't help but complain.
"I..."
She wouldn't have asked me to act like her wife if she wasn't planning on introducing me to them. So I cleared my thoughts and looked at the man who was smiling at me.
Well, this was actually what I signed for.
"P—pleasure to meet you, I am Andrea Patson."
As I tugged that lock of hair at my ear, my voice broke but I quickly composed myself.
"No need to be nervous. You can act freely....you are family after all."
Except for his hair, the man looked nothing like Alina. For starters, when he smiled, it actually looked sweet unlike Alina's.
Argh!
"I—am just embarrassed."
Now here was a thing. I was good at things as long as they were professional, but now I really didn't know how to act and forgot to smile for a moment.
"I didn't know I was...meeting anyone."
At last, I glared at Alina. I hope she knew what I was talking about and next time maybe gave me a heads-up.
How? Shit, I didn't have her number yet. I planned on doing that as Alina looked at the man and introduced him to me.
"I am sorry, honey. He is my uncle. You can call him Uncle Charles, and this is his son, Jackson."
Uncle? Not Father? Suddenly I gritted my teeth hard while still maintaining a smile. Why did she ask me to meet her uncle?
"I heard a lot about you from Alina but you are certainly prettier than she told me about."
"Yes, she is pretty."
It wasn't just the uncle, but the boy also said in a low voice to Alina,...who, smirking at him with an arrogant expression, looked back at me before she pulled a chair close to her.
"Come sit here, babe."
No thank you,…. I wish I could say that but I had no choice but to do as she said.
Of course, there was a possibility for me to refuse but I would have done that long ago and besides, I did use her with a promise to pay her back and I wasn't someone who went back on their promise...like someone I know.
Thinking that, my feet, which felt tied to a massive boulder, suddenly felt light and I arrived at the seat Alina asked me to but it soon became even worse when my hand was held by Alina—interwined my fingers with hers.
I felt the urge to pull it back for several reasons but most importantly, her hand was actually cool against my—
Fuck, my hand was sweaty.
I looked at her in bewilderment. What the fuck was she doing? She was resting her head on her other hand, and her head was a little tilted to the side such that her long blonde hair, which wasn't curly but straight like when I first met her, fell to the side while the other was tugged behind her ear.
Suddenly I felt embarrassed receiving those praises on my looks.
Anyway, because of the shock, I didn't close my fingers as it lay on the table in Alina's cool hand with my fingers stretched to everyone's eyes.
I swear I wasn't doing it on purpose—it was my natural reaction to her touch. Now that I think about it, how did I manage to kiss her?
Alina, instead of getting flustered or even frustrated, smiled with her white teeth showing, looking at me in amusement.
"Sheesh, look at her hogging her all to herself."
I was really freaking out there because it was just the start and I also knew this woman. The scene of my wedding started to come into my mind. How she hadn't let go of my hand until the end of our vows, how she—
I would be stupid if I was thinking that was all she was going to do and I silently consoled myself while stupidly smiling and slowly relaxed my fingers.
"We are still newlyweds, after all."
It took me a lot of courage to do that. I wasn't used to these kinds of situations, where I have to show to be shown by this intimacy with people watching me. Yes, their smiles were actually more troublesome, especially about her uncle, who felt like cheering for me to go on.
Did he want us to make out? I wasn't going to do that but I forgot that I wasn't the only one involved.
My heart screamed in terror as after I saw her hand move along with mine as she said that until she brought it to her lips and touched the back of my hand.
I stopped breathing and maybe unconsciously or consciously tried to pull my hand back.
But why couldn't she budge?
As she was kissing my hand for a little more than—no, a lot more than it used to be, she opened her eyes after I tried to pull back. Her sharp eyes suddenly shine with a golden tint as it sent a shiver down my spine.
And when she parted her lips from her hand, she—
She looked absolutely stunning, so much so that for a second I felt strange in my stomach.
"And you are looking very sexy tonight."