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"THANKS, Hanako." I MUSTER A genuine smile as my eyes dart between Satoru and his mom.
I was prepared for the Gojos to give me the cold shoulder when I walked in, angry that Satoru and I recklessly got married and were rushing to get it dissolved. Instead, I'm being welcomed as if I were part of the family because satoru led them to believe that I am.
Letting him handle it alone was a huge mistake; now we're in an even bigger mess.
"This is the best news." Hanako pulls back, giving my hand an affectionate squeeze.
Her kindness tugs at my heartstrings, reminding me how much I used to love spending time here.
The Gojos are as close to a perfect family as they can get. They love each other unconditionally and have always stood together. As a kid, I envied Satoru's relationship with his parents; they were so caring and attentive. In contrast, my dad was cruel and vindictive, and my mom was more interested in escaping reality and indulging in a lavish lifestyle than taking care of Suguru and me.
"You weren't this excited when Mia and I announced our engagement or when Ari told us she and Rin are getting a summer home in Aspen Grove," Akira chimes in.
"He has a point, Mom," Ari adds. "We shouldn't be surprised, considering Satoru has always been your favorite."
"You're just jealous." Satoru sticks his tongue out.
"That's enough," Hanako scolds. "I love you all equally and won't have you argue otherwise. I'm just delighted to have Y/n as a daughter-in-law. It's a dream come true." Tears trickle down her cheeks, and she quickly wipes them away.
My chest tightens at her response. She had a soft spot for me when I was a kid, which meant a lot to me since I've never been close to my own mom.
Satoru gives me a warning look, silently urging me not to break the news that this isn't real. Nervously tapping my fingers against my thigh, I weigh my options. Based on her initial reaction, Hanako will be crushed if we come clean, but my guilty conscience tells me that deceiving her isn't right.
This is all Satoru's fault. How dare he make this situation more complicated? We wouldn't be in this situation if he had told his family the truth. I should have stood my ground back in Vegas, returned to London alone, and let our lawyers deal with the fallout.
Damn that tequila.
"Why is your mother crying?" Satoru's dad emerges from the hallway, his voice filled with concern.
He runs his fingers through his short white hair as his gaze sweeps over his kids, pausing when he notices me standing on the other side of Hanako. A puzzled expression crosses his face; I'm probably the last person he expected to see standing in his entryway.
"Don't worry, Levi, they're happy tears," Hanako assures him between hiccups. "Satoru and Y/n got married yesterday. Isn't that wonderful?"
Levi pushes his tortoiseshell glasses up on his nose, giving satoru and me cautionary glances. "Yeah, that's great news," he says, sounding unsure as he tries to appease his wife.
