FOR MONEY, I'LL MARRY YOU.......

14

👉🏻👈🏻

Grandma managed to keep her cool until dinner that night.

They had all had lunch, and after, Jace had dragged Jade outside to play soccer. Her mom had sat on the back step and watched them, and Althea had sat next to her. Jade hadn't caught what Althea spoke to her about, but whenever Jade looked over, Althea's lips had been moving. Jade mom had calmly listened.

At one point, as Jade had pretended to fall over while trying to stop Jace from carrying the soccer ball to his 'goal' (a tree), her mom had stood up, her hands wrenching in front of her. Jade had paused, ready to go to her if needed, but Althea had hesitantly put a hand on her mother's forearm.

"It's done." Jade had heard Althea say the words as Jace took a breath between cheering his own success.

She didn't hear anything else but watched as her mother sat down, still looking stressed until, eventually, her shoulders relaxed.

At seven, they went out to dinner, a tradition on the first night when Jade was home.

All day, Jade hadn't been able to get rid of the ball of anxiety in her stomach- Althea knowing about her mother, lying to her family.

It all felt rotten.

The restaurant was the same one they visited whenever Jade came home, a small Vietnamese place with amazing service and delicious food. It had been her mom's favorite place years and years ago.

It was a pity, but Jade's mom couldn't tolerate restaurants anymore. The noise and new people left her confused and agitated for days. So she had stayed at home with the assistant, and with Jace.

"Althea Guevara."

Jade looked up from her plate. Althea had been 'Althea Guevara' all day, and not once had Althea corrected grandma, which in itself was enough for Jade to smirk into her food.

"Where did you meet Yoyon?"

Jade could feel Althea looking at her and kept her eyes firmly on the chopsticks she was using to grab some noodles. Althea had wanted Jade's family to know they were married? Well, welcome to the reality of that.

Across from Jade, Alice fixed her gaze on Althea, her shoulder brushing grandma's. Their eyes were twins of each other as they gave Althea all their attention.

"I met her at work," Althea said finally.

Jade winced internally for her but happily chewed on another mouthful of noodles. Did she really think that would suffice?

Sure enough, grandma's eyes narrowed and Alice pursed her lips, her entertainment completely unhidden as she reached for one of the rolls on her plate.

"At work. That is the story?"

"Well, yes."

Jade had never heard Althea sound as unsure as she had all day today.

Grandma looked at Jade, who tried to look innocent, then back to Althea, whose shoulder brushed Jade's.

"That is not romantic. Where is the story?"

Her eyes narrowed even more, the creases in her brow deepening.

"Where is the love? Yoyon."

The smirk on Jade's face finally fell when those sharp eyes flicked to her. Alice buried her amusement in her glass.

"Why you marry this girl? This is not love."

Jade took a deep breath.

"Maybe we're shy with the story, grandma?"