A Family Affair

The truth

- Ella?

The girl lowers her gaze.

- Go inside, Mary.

She runs off looking embarrassed, but my attention is focused solely on my fiancé.

- Care to explain?

Tristan slides his hands in his pants pockets, looking much calmer that I'm feeling.

- What's there to explain?

- Is that your girlfriend? Were you together before our engagement?

- Girlfriend?

His head drops back in laughter.

- I warned you when we first met I'll never be tamed. I'm a playboy, Ella.

- Tristan, you disgust me. one minute you tell me you love me, and the next you take your dick out in my mother's gardens?

- Easy with that colorful language, unless you want to turn me on.

- Don't be a pig.

- Call me whatever you want, just uphold your end of the bargain and marry me.

- Why is this wedding so important to you?

One corner of his mouth kicks up in a sly smile.

- I suppose I could tell you, since we're in it together. But should I?

- I'll remind you that I just caught you giving an orgasm to a girl named Mary. Unless you want your parents to hear about this infidelity, you'll answer my question right now.

- Playing dirty, are we? I like it.

- Start talking, Tristan. Why is it so important for you to marry me?

- You know I like the ladies quite a lot.

- Is this your way of saying you have reputation for going through girls faster than underwear?

- Yes, well, my father has a problem with that.

- I wonder why.

He rolls his eyes at my sarcasm.

- He threatened to leave the company to my little brother if I don't, quote – unquote, get my shit together.

- So you want to use me to show your father you've grown up.

- What better way to present myself as a changed man than to marry a Presley girl and become a family man?

- And your father's going to buy this, just like that?

- It's all about optics, sweetheart.

- Don't call me sweetheart.

- The point is, if you break the engagement, my father will blame me for it and take the company away from me as punishment.

- You should've thought about that before cheating on me at our engagement party.

He rolls his eyes dramatically.

- Why are you so pissed anyway?

- I'm angry because I hate liars.

- I'm telling you the truth now, aren't I? isn't it better late than never?

- Speaking of never, I wish I never met you, Tristan.

- You're overreacting, Ella. Isn't this a win – win situation? We get married, you get your big – ass inheritance, and once we both get what we want out of this marriage we get divorced.