POV: Aileene
We soon arrived at the restaurant, the place was brightly lit by yellowy-orange hues, soft to the eyes. Matthew stepped out of the car first, before passing his hand to help me out. I stood next to him, breathing in quickly. Okay, calm down Aila. Soothe your anxiety, you're fine!
"Do you think it was on purpose? That they made us match and come together ?" I ask, biting my lips nervously a little as we begin our walk down to the private room reserved for the family.
"Knowing our family and wealth, it's either a second marriage in our family, or my brother and your sister's engagement broke, and you'll have to marry me," he says with a chuckle, looking over at me. "it'll mostly skip your brother as he is touring, and my sisters want to go studying abroad. I'll be taking over the company.." he sighs, half happy about it. I felt intrigued about that, why is it not going to Connor since he is marrying Leia?
"I'm still 17 thought," I Say, unaffected "I can still find someone, if, and I say IF we are to be betrothed, I can keep it a secret and you know, go find someone to date" I smirk, speaking only out of a joke. He pouted and I laughed a little, "I'm only joking, I'm a loyal person, you have not to worry. If I marry you, I will be only yours"
Matt and I smiled at each other, he quickly kissed my hand before the door to the private room opened, all heads turned towards them. 16 chairs, 14 taken, the two left were right next to the other.
"You look very beautiful Aily!" Rosa says. I blush a little "thank you" I say softly and again once Matthew helps with my chair. I gaze at my mother and look away straight away. Her eyes always tell me the same thing, behave or beware of the consequences.
"Finally, we are all here!" Gregory spoke up, and my father jumps and says "I would like to thank Rosa for proposing that our children attend your school. I'm sure they are enjoying it so far " He says.
She merely brushes it off with a chuckle, drinking her glass in little sips. My gaze goes back to my father as he adds "before we eat and celebrate, I have - I mean we have an announcement, Gregory want to do the honors or let the mothers tell?" he asks, I look to my mother but she was merely confused while Rosa wore a little sneaky smile, hyper and wanting to say it at the same time. "You know what Scott, I think I should let my wife do the honors" he chuckled, looking at her face. " I don't want to be on the receiving end of her anger" he joked. And every one that understood laughed.
With further inspection, Connor sat next to Leia and Naomi in front of Adrien. Alicie in front of Alex, Stig in front of Anna, and Archie in front of Sinead. Gregory and Rosa sat next to each other just as well and my parents too on either end of the table, showing they were the head of the family.
"First a congratulation to my son Connor on his engagement again, I know it has been more than 6 months and we used the fact we were celebrating as a mask, but that is not why we had this dinner" Rosa began, I took a small sip from my water as I listened, while they ha been deciding who was telling the waiters had brought down the food and orders, it was just a bunch on food that you could pick on. While everyone served themselves, I did too. Picking the vegetables only and very small. Spreading them a little apart to make it look bigger in a way. My mother was staring at me and my plate, I could feel her gaze and when I looked up it had gone, maybe she was pleased with the decision on my plate. I sigh a little. "Gregory decided that Matthew is to take over the company on his reaches the age and finishes his education." She continued, everyone looked up to him, though Anna and Connor were unsurprised, Stig was unbothered by it. Leia looked to be secretly fuming and so was mother? "With this new responsibility comes another, so it brings in the conclusion that Matthew must marry a woman from the Shea Family per our handsome chairmen" she chuckles, gesturing to her husband and his best friend. "Because it will be a marriage of convenience. Connor has verbally asked of us not to use his marriage to Leia as a means to bring business together -"
"mother..!" he cut in "I'd like to say something" Rosa looks at the eldest and nodded, after all, Connor also held a soft spot in her heart too, to be fair I think all her children did. Leia looked a little worried. "before this girl that my dear Lil bro is to marry, I'd like to say I am renouncing the engagement. Leia, we are over. You have money, but you're greedy for more. Was your love this fake over the years? Greed doesn't make you beautiful" Everyone gasped. Including Leia before she stuttered and tries to redeem herself, looking at our mother for help. But... she was staring at me... why? what did I do again? I shiver a little, that stare. it didn't look compromising. I took a sip to help the tiny piece of food, I couldn't swallow under her stare.
