Full Throttle of Fate

Chapter 27: Her Hometown

The sun dipped low in the sky as Severin and Serena pulled up to a modest, well-kept house in a quiet suburb of Melbourne. The neighborhood was peaceful, lined with tall eucalyptus trees, and the air carried the scent of freshly cut grass.

As Severin parked the car, Serena squeezed his hand, her nervousness showing despite her confident demeanor.

This visit was a big deal—her parents had been texting her nonstop, eager to celebrate her success and meet Severin, whom they had heard so much about.

"Are you ready for this?" Serena asked, trying to mask the mix of excitement and anxiety she felt.

It's the first time she'd brought anyone home to meet her parents, and now here she was, introducing them to Severin.

Severin smiled, his eyes warm as he looked at her.

"I'm ready. I want to meet the people who raised the beautiful woman sitting next to me."

Serena blushed, grateful for his reassurance. They both stepped out of the car, and as they approached the front door, it swung open to reveal her mother, a petite Filipina woman with a kind face and a welcoming smile.

"Serena! My unica hija! You're home!" her mother exclaimed, wrapping her in a tight hug.

Serena returned the hug, feeling a sense of comfort in the familiar embrace.

"Hi, Mama. It's good to be back."

Her mother then turned her attention to Severin, her eyes lighting up with approval.

"And this must be Severin. Oh my, you're even more handsome in person! So gwapo!"

Severin chuckled, shaking her hand with a polite smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Cordova. Thank you for having me."

As Mrs. Cordova smiled warmly at him, Severin couldn't help but think about the word "gwapo." He immediately recognized it, knowing that in Spanish, "guapo" had the same meaning—handsome.

Serena had briefly mentioned to him before how Filipino and Spanish shared similarities in their language. He hadn't expected to encounter it so soon, but it made him feel an unexpected connection to her world.

"Please, call me Tita. Come in, come in! We've prepared a special dinner just for you two." her mother insisted, waving away the formalities.

As they stepped inside, the scent of Filipino food filled the air—aromatic adobo, freshly cooked rice, and the unmistakable sweetness of leche flan for dessert. This was so different from the aristocratic, reserved dinners of Severin's own upbringing in Spain. There was a warmth here that he found comforting, though the contrast was stark.

Serena's father, a quiet and fair-skinned Filipino man with a stern expression, stood by the dining table, waiting to greet them. He shook Severin's hand firmly, his eyes scrutinizing the young man before him.

"Severin, welcome to our home." he said, his tone respectful but distant.

"Thank you, sir. It's an honor to be here." Severin replied, meeting his gaze with calm confidence.

As they sat down for dinner, Serena noticed the way Severin's presence seemed to shift the energy in the room.

Her mother couldn't stop complimenting him, clearly enamored with his good looks and charm. She asked him questions about his racing career, and Severin answered them all with the kind of humility and grace that had drawn Serena to him in the first place.

Her father, on the other hand, remained more reserved. He listened carefully to everything Severin said, offering the occasional nod or comment, but his demeanor was more guarded. Serena could tell he was still sizing Severin up, perhaps trying to determine if he was truly worthy of his daughter.