Chapter three

CHAPTER THREE

THE NEPHEW RETURNS

ELENA

I woke up the next morning, although refreshed but with the conversation from the previous night in my mind. Someone was coming, a family member I had never met before and apparently, I was going to meet him/ her today.

I stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before slowly sitting up.

I had been married to Victor Ashbourne for only five days, and somehow, it already felt as though I had been living in his world much longer.

Everything was still unfamiliar, the enormous bedroom, the quiet halls, the staff who seemed to know where I was supposed to be every minute and now there was another person I had to meet.

I sighed and pushed the covers aside. As I took my bath and dressed up, I found myself wondering who he could possibly be.

Victor had just stated the person was family. He didn't give a name or an explanation, he had just given me enough information to make me curious.

By the time I came downstairs, Clara and Vivienne were already sitting in the breakfast room.

Vivienne looked up first. “There she is,” she said with disgust in her eyes. “The maid in disguise.”

I smiled faintly. “Good morning.”

Clara didn’t bother to look at me. “Morning.”

Vivienne studied me for a moment and then grinned. “You look nervous.”

“I'm not,” I blinked.

“You are,” she insisted. “Your hands are shaking.”

“I am simply curious,” I defended myself.

“About the person arriving today?” Clara asked, finally glancing up. Her smile was thin. “Cute.”

I paused. “Yes.”

Vivienne exchanged a look with her sister and both of them smirked.

“What?” I asked.

“Nothing,” Vivienne replied, too innocently.

I narrowed my eyes. “You both know something.”

Clara laughed softly. “We know he’s family, I mean real family, not the kind Dad married for convenience.”

The words hit like a slap.

“Who is he?” I pressed, ignoring the sting.

Vivienne shook her head. “You’ll find out soon enough, try not to embarrass yourself.”

I stared at them and before I could respond, Victor entered the room. He looked as composed as ever, dressed in a dark suit despite the relatively early hour.

“Girls,” he said, his eyes sweeping over us. “Elena.”

Clara and Vivienne straightened immediately. 

“Good morning, Dad,” Clara said sweetly.

Vivienne smiled. “Morning.”

The switch was so fast it made me dizzy.

“Good morning,” he said.

I smiled at him. “Good morning.”

Victor took his usual seat. For a few moments, breakfast continued normally.

Then Victor looked at me. “He should arrive this afternoon.”

I immediately knew who he meant. “The family member?” I asked.

“Yes.” he replied calmly.

I nodded. “I see.”

“You'll meet him properly when he arrives,” Victor said.

There was something about the way he said it that made me even more curious.

“Is he staying here?” I asked.

“For a while.” Victor replied “He has been away for quite some time.”

“How long?” I asked curious.

“About six months,” Victor replied.

Six months. That explained why I had never heard about him during the short time I had known the family.

I looked at Victor. “Was he away for business?”

“Yes. Important business.” his reply was shallow. He didn't elaborate so I decided not to push.

After breakfast, I spent most of the morning trying to keep myself occupied.

I read for a while in the library, then I walked through the gardens but every now and then, my mind went back to the same question. Who was this man?

I had already met Clara and Vivienne and I knew Victor and now someone else was coming into the house.

Someone who had been away for six months and for reasons I couldn't explain, I felt quite uncomfortable. Maybe because I was still learning my place in this family, maybe because everything about me being married was still new, or maybe I just didn't like surprises.

By early afternoon, I returned to the mansion.

I found Clara and Vivienne near the entrance.

They were both dressed up. Hair done, both smiling like they were expecting royalty.

"You're waiting for him, aren't you?" I asked and gave them a knowing smile.

Clara didn't return it. She glanced at me, then back at the door. "We haven't seen him in months."

"He must be important," I said.

Vivienne let out a short laugh. "To us, he is but to you?" She shrugged. "You'll see."

I frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Clara finally looked at me. "It means he's actually family, Elena, not someone Dad hired."

The word HIRED hung in the air.

Vivienne stepped closer to her sister. "He's the only person in this house who matters, besides dad of course."

I forced a smile. "I see."

"You don't," Clara said bluntly. "But you will in about five minutes."

Before I could answer, we heard tires on the driveway. 

Vivienne immediately lit up. "He's here."

Both of them rushed to the door, leaving me standing alone in the hallway.

Before I could ask anything else, the sound of a car approaching came from outside and all three of us turned toward the driveway.

A dark vehicle stopped in front of the house. My heart leaped a beat, I immediately told myself it meant nothing.

A car door opened and a man stepped out.

He was tall, very tall, broad shouldered without looking overly muscular, with dark hair that had been slightly tousled by the wind. He wore a simple dark jacket over a white shirt, and from a distance, there was something confident about the way he carried himself. He looked like someone who knew exactly who he was, he shut the car door and glanced toward the house.

For one brief second, our eyes met through the window, then he looked away. I swallowed.

Why did that feel so uncomfortable?.

“Finally,” Clara whispered beside me.

The front door opened before I could respond and Victor stepped outside.

The man's face immediately changed. A smile appeared. “Uncle.” He called out.

Victor smiled as well. “It is good to have you back.”

They shook hands before Victor pulled him into a brief warm embrace.

Vivienne hurried outside next. “You finally came!”

The man laughed. “I told you I would.”

“You said that three months ago,” Vivienne teased.

“And yet, here I am.” He smiled.

Clara hugged him next. “You look different.”

“I hope that's a compliment.” He blinked.

“It wasn't,” she replied, making him laugh.

I remained a few steps behind them. There was an ease between them that made it obvious they had known one another for long. I watched quietly as Victor spoke with him.

The man seemed comfortable around the family, he looked so relaxed, confident and strangely familiar, even though I had never seen him before.

Eventually, Victor glanced in my direction. The man's eyes followed his and our eyes met again. This time, neither of us looked away immediately.

There was something unreadable in his expression, it wasn't hostility and not exactly surprise, it was something else.

Victor walked toward us and that made me straighten instinctively.

The man followed. As they approached, I noticed the small details I hadn't been able to see from the window.

His eyes were a deep gray, his features were sharp but relaxed and there was a faint smile resting on his lips.

“You've grown,” Victor said to him.

“I'd hope so after six months,” he replied.

Victor laughed. “Still the same.”

“I was hoping you'd say I've become more responsible.” The man blinked.

“I'm not going to lie to you.” Victor smiled.

The man laughed again, I couldn't help smiling. He seemed different from what I had thought he'd be, maybe I had imagined someone cold or overly serious, instead, he seemed easygoing.

Victor looked between us, I felt a sudden awareness of my surroundings.

This was the first time I had met him and somehow, I suddenly became conscious of the fact that I was standing in front of a man I knew absolutely nothing about.

He looked at me again, this time, his smile faded slightly, not completely though.

Just enough for me to notice, I wondered if he was trying to figure out who I was, which was fair, I was trying to figure out who he was too.

Clara stepped closer. “You two haven't met before, have you?” She asked.

I shook my head. “No.”

The man looked at me. “Not before today.” His voice was calm.

There was something about it that made me look at him a little longer than I intended. I quickly looked away.

Vivienne smirked. “Well, this is going to be interesting.”

“Why?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She shrugged. “No reason.”

I gave her a suspicious look but she only laughed.

Victor cleared his throat. “Come inside. You must be tired from the journey.”

“I've survived worse,” the man replied.

“That's exactly what worries me.” Victor laughed.

They began walking toward the house and I followed beside Clara and Vivienne.

The man walked ahead with Victor, I could hear them talking about his trip, the business he had been handling, and everything he had missed while he was away.

I listened quietly. There was something unusually attractive about him. I couldn't explain it.

Maybe it was simply because he was new to me, maybe it was because everyone else seemed so comfortable around him, or maybe I was simply curious.

Either way, I reminded myself of something important, I was here because of a marriage contract, I wasn't here to become emotionally involved with anyone, especially not someone I had just met.

By the time we reached the sitting room, everyone settled into their usual places.

Victor continued talking with the man while Clara and Vivienne caught him up on everything that had happened during his absence. I sat quietly, listening.

Then the man looked at me again. “You're very quiet.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Am I?”

“Yes.” He said.

“Perhaps I don't have anything to say.” I said.

He smiled. “Or perhaps you're still trying to figure out who I am.”

I hesitated because he wasn't wrong. “Maybe.” I replied.

His smile widened slightly. “Fair enough.”

Before I could respond, Victor stood. “There's something you should know.” He said.

The room became quiet, Victor looked at the man first, then at me.

I waited, he gestured toward the man standing beside him and said, “Elena, meet Adrian, my nephew.” I looked at him.

Victor continued. “Adrian, meet Elena, my wife.”

Adrian froze.