CHAPTER TWO

Reina

It was day six of staying home but nothing remained the same. Mom was constantly receiving calls that she would receive away from me. On days she didn't receive these calls, she would rush out in the evening, leaving me with a note that read "Be back soon." It was unlike her.

Then, she called me into her room. She was dressed in a red silk dress, looking stunning and nervous. "Reina, sweetie, I need you to put on something nice. We're going out for dinner tonight."

"Okay, sure. Where to?" I asked, playing along with her sudden burst of energy.

"To this fancy place downtown. It's called 'Le Coeur'. You'll love it." Her eyes twinkled as she spoke, and for a second, she looked so young and happy.

Le Coeur was indeed fancy. The chandeliers were so bright, they could outshine the sun. The walls were adorned with gold and velvet. The smell of gourmet food wafted through the air, making my stomach grumble. We were led to a private section of the restaurant, and I noticed a man sitting there, his back to us, looking over the wine list. He had broad shoulders and his suit was tailored to perfection, making him look powerful even from behind.

"Brock, darling!" My mom squealed, rushing to the man and throwing her arms around his neck. He turned around and smiled, revealing a face that looked like it had been chiseled by angels themselves.

"Hey, baby," my mom turned to me. "Meet Brock Reed, my fiancée. And Brock, meet my daughter, Reina."

This was Brock Reed, the man who had my mom giggling like a teenager. He was everything I didn't expect: polished, charming, and seemingly genuine.

He looked at me with a warm smile and held out his hand. "Your mum talks a lot about you, Reina. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

I took his hand, feeling like I was in a daze. This wasn't what I had pictured. I had expected someone cold, someone who would look at me like I was nothing but a burden. But as I sat down, my mother and Brock couldn't stop looking at each other, their eyes filled with a love I hadn't seen in years.

"So, tell me about your day, Reina," Brock said, his eyes flickering up from the menu to meet mine. His smile was warm, but there was something in his gaze that made me feel like he was assessing me, measuring my worth.

I took a deep breath, trying to ignore the way my heart was racing. "It was just another day at school," I replied, trying to keep my voice even. "You know, books, classes, the usual."

"Ah, school," Brock nodded, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Austin tells me it's quite the experience."

The mention of Austin's name made my stomach drop. This was Austin’s dad! I should have picked that up from the name.

Is my mom crazy?

"Yeah, it's...interesting," I mumbled, my cheeks heating up.

My mom looked at me with a knowing smile. "Reina is quite the brainiac," she said, patting my arm. "Always had her nose in a book."

Brock chuckled. "Sounds like she'll fit right in with the family, then. Austin's quite the scholar himself."

The conversation flowed smoothly after that, with Brock asking questions about my studies and my plans for the future. My mom talked about her work, and I found myself relaxing slightly. Maybe this wasn't going to be as awkward as I thought.

But as the night went on, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. My mom's laugh was higher pitched than usual, and she kept touching Brock's arm or playing with her hair. It was like watching someone I knew, but didn't know at all.

When the dessert came out, Brock raised his glass of wine. "To new beginnings," he said, his eyes locking on mine. "To a future filled with love and happiness for all of us."

My mom giggled and clinked her glass with his. "To a beautiful blended family," she added, her eyes shining with excitement.

The words hung in the air, and I felt like I was choking on them. I managed a forced smile, raising my glass to toast as well. But inside, I felt like I was being torn apart. How could she marry a man she barely knew? And what would this mean for me and Austin?

Brock's phone rang, and he excused himself to take the call. As he stepped away, my eyes followed him, my mind racing. My mom leaned over and whispered, "Isn't he just perfect?" I nodded, unable to find the words to express my true feelings.

"You didn't discuss this with me, mom? It all feels so rushed."

Her smile lines began to fade as she slightly rolled her eyes and sat up straight.

"Here we go again."

"What do you mean? You know how life has been so hard for both of us. The least you could have done was carry me along."

She turned to face me sharply, her eyes glaring as she spoke. "Enough of this, Reina. I have my own life to live besides being a single mother. And this is my choice. You'll have to learn to live with it!"

For a while, I just stared at my mom, wondering what came over her all of a sudden.

"Hey, guys," Brock's voice cut through the tension as he returned to his seat. "My son will be here anytime soon."

He turned to me, a smile lighting up his face. "The both of you will get along so well. I can already tell."

I almost scoffed. If only. As if on cue, Brock raised his arm and waved someone over behind me. I didn't want to turn just yet, so I held my breath and closed my eyes.

However, when he turned and pulled back a chair, I was forced to raise my head. And there he was. He still looked the same, except he wore a tux that clung to his frame like it was customised for him alone. His towering figure overshadowed me and made me feel even more threatened.

His grey eyes looked like they could slit my throat if I moved an inch, so I stuck my ass on the chair, looking everywhere else except him.

"Why am I here again?" Austin asked as he slowly sat down.

"Hi, Austin," my mom stretched her hand too excitedly. But he simply looked at her hand like it was poison. "Your dad told me a lot about..."

"Why are we here again, dad?"

Brock cleared his throat as he sat up and grabbed my mother's still hanging hand, squeezing it lightly. My mom flashed him a humorless giggle.

"We are getting married." Brock announced, the words sounding like stone in water.