CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN:AKWARD MOMENTS PT2

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I wasn't looking forward to dinner. I wasn't ready to face the imbecile yet. I knew I had to try and control my temper or else things would go south and things would definitely not be good if Alex were to find out that Stephen had talked to me.

As I was walking through the house, I bumped into Stephen's friend whom I was yet to know his name.
"Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going..." He apologized and when I looked into his eyes I could tell he was  sincere about his apology, his sincerely knocking me off guard for a bit before I scowled at him, after all friends of the enemy are my enemy too.
"Its fine.." I said as I attempted to move past him.
"Can I talk to you before you leave?" He asked me in his soft raspy voice.
I turned and looked at him as if he was crazy. Weren't my icey look not scary enough to push him away? Maybe I need to work on that.
"What is with you and Stephen disturbing me..." I asked frustrated and my tone didnt hide the fact that I was annoyed.
"I promise it won't take longer than five minutes." He pleaded and something in his tone made me follow him into an empty room. I don't know whether it was my instincts or maybe my sixth sense was broken but I blindly walked into the room as if he had compelled me. Well, am either going to be killed or worse, either way goodbye my lovelies...

Once he was sure that I was not about to run away, he put his head outside the room as if checking if someone was in the corridor before closing the door and as I heard the door click, signaling that it was locked, I swallowed my saliva nervously.

"Stephen got to you, didnt he?" He started.
"You want to confirm if he did or something?" I asked sassily.
"Look, I don't have all day to chit chat on what your pal had to say to me. Say what you want so I can leave." I finished, my arms across my chest.
"I won't take long. Just wanted to warn you to watch your back. Things will get messy and I can tell you ain't one to run." he said cryptically and I just raised my eyebrows at him which made him chuckle.
"What does that even mean? And why are you even telling me this?" I hissed at him, hoping there was enough venom in my tone to push him away but instead got the total opposite reaction when he chuckled.
"Am telling you this because you are the only rational one in this house at the moment. If anything blows up I want you to be the sound of reason and I know you are smart enough to think outside the box incase shit goes haywire." He tells me confusing me even further.
"And why should I trust you, you are friends with the enemy and for all i know you might be tricking me." I told him.
"I don't expect you to trust me and you are smart not to because your assumptions might be true but all you need to know is that am not the enemy." he said then left, leaving me in an even more confuses state than I was before. This situation is even more twisted than I perceived it to be at first. And I had no idea what he meant but my gut told me that I could somehow trust him but for all I know, he might be using me in whatever revenge game he and Stephen might have in motion. This just got more complicated and whether I liked it or not I was a part of it. With a sigh, I decided to put all that at the back of my mind until later, for now, I had to get through that dinner and something told me it was going to be one hell of a dinner.

I was surprised to find everyone already seated for dinner. The kids were set up at another dinning room, under the supervision of the family nanny, Mrs Nunez, who had been with the family since Alex and the others had been kids. So this dinning hall was specifically designated for the adults only and I agreed with this arrangements because I foresee  things getting messy and we don't need the kids here to witness the blood bath.

There was only one seat left and thank God it was next to Alessa and Alex. I smiled gratefully at both of them while taking my seat and once I was comfortable, Alex took my left hand in his, placing the entwines hands on his lap, his touch making my heart start beating erratically like it usually did whenever he touched me. I tried hard not to blush but it was too late as Alex smirked my way, totally reading my reaction and I threw a playful scowl at him which made his eyes twinkle with mischief.
"Finally the princess is here, can we start eating?" I heard the annoying voice of Alex's ex say and my gaze went towards her, only then noticing her seating across Alessa, as she sat in between Stephen and the other guy who just smirked my way then winked and I hoped that Alex didnt see that or else this war would begin sooner than I thought.
"She a  princess after all she is not only a part of the family but also the mother of my unborn grandkids, so she can be late however she wants and we will wait for her always. You should do right by respecting her and knowing your place in this house." Ruby replied, saving me the trouble to retaliate and I smiled gratefully at her. She smiled back and winked at me, her eyes telling me not to worry because she got my back.
"And for the record, in case you forgot, you have no say here. You are a guest here and we are tolerating you because you are with Cara." Alessa added and Miranda glared at her, making Lessa smile smugly at her.
"Let me make that clear for you since I doubt you understand shit, you don't have the power to tell us when we can start eating nor making any demands in this house. You are only to be seen, not heard." Added Essie, adding gas to the fire already lit.
"Are we clear? And no we don't need you to reply, its a rhetorical question." Supplied Zoe, making the air tense in the room and Miranda turned red with fury as if ready to blow but she couldn't. I could barely keep my grin off my face. The war has already began and dinner hasn't started yet. In fact this was only the first day. I don't think we will survive this whole week much less a whole month to the wedding.

Nina finally broke the ice and said grace before food was passed around silently as people served. Alex took the initiative to serve for me despite my resistance but I could only fight him so much.
We ate in silence and the only sounds that could be heard where the scrapping of forks and knives as people ate. I was forced to eat with one hand as Alex insisted to hold my hand under the table.
"You look beautiful by the way." He whispered to my ear, his breath sending delicious shivers down my spine and I blushed, making him chuckle and I felt my already occupied tummy fill with butterflies.
"The glow looks amazing on you, makes me miss being pregnant." Sighed Lessa with a nostalgic smile.
"We could always arrange that, after all Antonio does need a sibling." Said Dante throwing a smug smile her way and she scowled at him in return.
"Maybe in your dreams. In fact even if you were the last man on earth I would rather mate with a penguin." Replied Lessa making us laugh. Well all of us except the four enemies at the table.
I watched in amusement as the two seemed to be having a silent war with each other.
Nina decided to break the awkward moment by asking Cara when her wedding would be.
"I was thinking maybe in a week's time." She replied earning a scowl of disapproval from Alex and shocked gazes from everyone else, even her maid of honor but Stephan had a smug look telling me it was his idea.
"What's the rush sweetie?" Ruby asked.
"Stephen and I just think there's no need to prolong it any further." She replied with a shrug.
"You mean he wants to rush so he can take your shares." Said Alex lowly but everyone heard him. He was seething with anger that I was surprised he hadn't burst from how red he was.
I took his hand that was in my laps and held it, squeezing it reassuringly and I saw him calm down a bit.
"You always think everything is about money don't you? Can't you just for once be happy for me for finding love? I mean if we are throwing shade then what makes you so sure that she.." She paused and pointed at me with her head beforw continuing,"isn't tricking you that her baby is yours and only wants your money?" She asked and I felt angry for her accusation though thinking about it, she did have a point. Alex had just assumed that I was carrying his kids without a sliver of doubt.
"The difference is that we know Stephen and he's tricked us before. Dee,  on the other hand has done nothing to raise suspicion and she's entitled to a benefit of the doubt. "Replied Alessa.
"And I trust her. Thats more than I can say about your fiancée." Replied Alex smiling at me and I returned one in reply. The fact that he trusted me made my heart swell with emotions I didnt know I had in me. It felt good.
"Why? Because she took care of your kids for a few months?" Asked Miranda.
"Yes. And she has shown me in different circumstances that I can trust her. Besides, she is not only the mother of my children but she's also become one of my best friends, so yeah, I have no doubt that she is genuine.." Replied Alex sincerely as he smiled at me, his eyes showing me just how much he cares about me. Not that I had a doubt because he's done nothing to show me otherwise these past few weeks. But it felt great to hear him say it out loud.
I decided to cut off this argument before it got out of hand.
"Look guys, its Cara and Stephen's wedding. Its their decision what they want to do with it. We have no say in it whatsoever but to just support them. " I said though I knew my comment didnt sit well with Alex and his family but its true. Its Cara's life and she's an adult. There's little they can do about it. If she makes mistakes then they need to let her learn from them because again its her life.
Looking around I saw the scowls but I didnt miss the smug look on Stephen's face as if he was enjoying destroying this family and the surprised look on Cara's face as if she didn't think I'd back her up. Miranda was glaring at me but that wasn't new. I doubt anything I do will ever get her approval. Well unless I decided to leave Alex for her. Which wasn't going to happen even if I wanted to.
"I have to say although I don't agree with what Dee has said, it is true." Said Ruby who smiled my way though her eyes still had the distaste of this whole situation. And I don't blame her. She's actually strong to sit on the same table much less share a meal with someoje she suspected of killing her husband and practically nearly destroyed the legacy him and his brothers made in the business world.
My comment seemed to finalize the discussion as everyone turned to their meal, the awkward silence making things even tenser, making everyone want to finish their meals faster so they could leave the dining table. I don't think in all my time in that house there was ever a meal we shared with such an intense atmosphere but I had no doubt that the days to come would be no different. I just hoped that I had the strength and patience to survive the next couple of days.

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