Chapter 7
Rafael was nothing like Lenard. The way Lenard used to look at me always felt detached, like I was either an afterthought or entirely invisible.
“I hope I’m not late,” I said then looked
to the floor. I was a so nervous that didn’t
dare to meet his gaze. But then Rafael reached out his hand, his warm eyes steady and reassuring. “Everything‘ s going to be okay. I’ve got everything under control.”
When we left the registry office with our marriage certificates in hand, I couldn’t quite believe it. The thin booklets seemed unreal, almost mocking me with their simplicity.
I’d just married Rafael Donovan.
No romantic proposal, no friends gathered to celebrate, no elaborate ceremony- nothing. Just the cold formalities of
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paperwork. To say I wasn’t a little disappointed would be a lie. Rafael seemed to pick up on my mood and nudged my cheek gently with his finger. “I’m taking you home for dinner later. I want you to meet my parents.”
“Wait, meeting your parents like… tonight?” I blinked at him, unsure.
He
gave me a sly smile. “Of course. A wife has to meet her in–laws, doesn’t she? And don’t worry–they’ll love you.”
He added with a teasing grin, “But first, we need to fix this living arrangement. I can’t handle being apart from my new wife.
His playful tone made me blush. Newlywed or not, his eagerness was undeniable. The way he said it made it sound like he had far more planned than just moving my luggage. And I wasn‘ t wrong–he was prepared.
Rafael drove me to his private residence, a
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paperwork. To say I wasn’t a little disappointed would be a lie. Rafael seemed to pick up on my mood and nudged my cheek gently with his finger. “I’m taking you home for dinner later. I want you to meet my parents.”
“Wait, meeting your parents like… tonight?” I blinked at him, unsure.
He gave me a sly smile. “Of course. A wife has to meet her in–laws, doesn’t she? And don’t worry–they’ll love you.”
He added with a teasing grin, “But first, we need to fix this living arrangement. I can’t handle being apart from my new wife.”
His playful tone made me blush. Newlywed or not, his eagerness was undeniable. The way he said it made it sound like he had far more planned than just moving my luggage. And I wasn‘ t wrong–he was prepared.
Rafael drove me to his private residence, a
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sleek, modern apartment with a touch of understated elegance. When he opened the door to my room, I was stunned. From the smallest details to the largest, everything was perfectly tailored to my tastes.
Everything from the color scheme to the decorations was exactly what I would have chosen myself.
It was almost unnerving.
“You like it?” he asked casually.
I nodded mutely, unsure how to respond. He didn’t say more, just gave me a small, knowing smile before leaving me to settle
- in.
That evening, we went to the Donovan Family estate. I hadn’t set foot in the grand mansion for many years. Not since my family went bankrupt, my parents got divorced and they both disowned me. They only paid my living expenses regularly and ignored me the rest of the time. The only reason I was able to enter the place was because I was still a child.
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I thought it would be a simple dinner to meet Rafael’s parents, with only both of his parents on the table, but the scene. awaiting us told a different story. Lenard was also there. And standing beside him, clinging to his arm, was Arlene. The moment his eyes landed on me, his expression froze, disbelief clouding his face.
Rafael’s parents, however, greeted me warmly, with his mother, Mrs. Donovan pulling me into a gentle hug. “Faye Townsend! It’s so great to see you again. That son of mine is always stubborn as ever. He didn’t even bother coming up with a plan. Let alone the proper one. I can’t believe he just take you straight to the registry office. No ring, no nothing.”
She smiled, her gaze warm. “But don’t worry, dear. I’m not one to cut corners. You’ll have an engagement party, a wedding banquet and all the gifts a bride should receive. I’ll make sure nothing is
missing.“.
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I opened my mouth to protest, but before I could, Rafael’s mother turned and gave him a sharp look. “And you–why didn’t you bring her home sooner? Hiding her away like some secret treasure!”
Rafael scratched the back of his neck, looking sheepish. “Thought I‘ d secure her first before taking her back to see you. Didn’t want to jinx it.”
Meanwhile, across the table, the
atmosphere shifted dramatically.
Lenard’s mother shot Arlene a disdainful look, her voice sharp as she spoke,
“Don’t think you can just waltz into the Donovan family. Lenard might have helped you stage a fake wedding to please your mom, but don‘ t mistake that for an invitation to join us. You‘ re not worthy!”
Arlene’s face turned bright red and she clung to Lenard‘ s arm, hoping him to defend her. But Lenard didn’t even spare her a glace.
Rafael’s mom took my hand and slipped a
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fancy bracelet onto my wrist. “It suits you,” she said, smiling. As we chatted, she asked about my family and I gave her a short version of my story–how my parents. had long since remarried and moved on
with their lives.
“Do you want them at the wedding?” she asked gently.
I shook my head. “They‘ ve moved on. Since the day they left me to fend for myself, I decided I didn’t need them involved in any of my business anymore.
“Of course, it’s your wedding, you call the shots,” she said with a nod.
After dinner, I excused myself to use the restroom. But as soon as I stepped into the hallway, I ran right into Lenard. His eyes. were bloodshot and his gaze was intense.
“What are you doing, Faye?” he rasped, his voice low and full of tension.
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