Chapter 6

(Caleb's POV)

The sun rays that peeked through the window collided with my face causing me to bring the covers over my head. I rub my eyes and sit up before realizing that it's already morning.

Laying back down on the bed with a sigh as I place my arm over my forehead. I am exhausted from my paper works as I need to finish reviewing the important documents before my wedding this week.

The grumble of my stomach distracts me from my thoughts and I decided to go find something to eat. I walk out of the bed and come out at the main staircase. I let my nose guide the way. I could smell eggs, bacon, and best of all freshly made pancakes.

I enter the kitchen to find my chef and the back of a woman. The only thing I could see was her light brown blonde-tipped wavy long-length hair that seemed to shine in the light. She was wearing a red patterned flannel shirt dress and a pair of black boots.

The woman had turned around, and now I had a full view of her face. Her light blue eyes stared at me, it was Anastasia.

"Good morning, Mr. Carter." the chef, Fernando states as I try to shush him but I was too late.

"H-hey," she said as she glance at me.

I told Fernando to leave us first. "What are you doing here" I grab a piece of hotdog, then I look at her.

Why does she always look uncomfortable whenever she's with me? She looks stiff and careful.

"Uhmm... M-my mom, wants to m-meet you, sir." can't she drop the 'sir'?

"Just call me Caleb from now on. And I am planning to meet your family today too since I am done with my work. I can spend time today with you."

D-did I say that wrong? Spend time with her? Stupid Caleb.

"O-okay, C-Caleb. Uhmm... I made you breakfast, if... if you wouldn't mind." does she always stutter whenever talking to me?

"That's nice, join me then." I pulled the chair to the other side to make her sit.

"No! It's okay. I just came here to... to talk about you seeing m-my mom, if you only have time." she hurriedly picked up her bag at the counter but I grabbed her arm before passing me.

"I insist."

"O-okay." she sat in the opposite chair.

We ate silently. Only our spoons and plates are making a disturbed sound. I glance at her, she is focused on her food.

"Does..." I tried to break the silence. "Does your family knows about the contract?"

"N-no," she said in a low tone of voice.

"That's good, no one should know about the contract." she only nodded and continues eating the food on her plate.

"Also, what should I say to your mom? What story did you tell her about us? I must come prepared to make this successful."

"Just... just tell her y-you l-love me, and that you will t-take c-care of me. That's the only thing she wanted to hear from you."

I looked at her and felt bad. I suddenly felt pain in my chest. We have to come up with a lie to her mother for our grave sake.

"I'm sorry for making you lie to your Mother, Anastasia." she shakes her head and smiles.

"I'm sorry too Caleb for making you come up with a lie and seeing my mom."

Now I really felt bad.

"Let's... Let's just do this since we both agreed to do this, and we should go with the flow. After a year, we will be back to our old life as we wanted. Okay?" she agreed and continue to eat her food.

I sighed and back my focus on my food. After we finished our breakfast, we both decided to go straight to her condo unit to meet formally her mom and sister. I brought fruits and lunch because it was quarter to 11 am, it's Sunday and I decided to have lunch with her family.

As soon as she opens the door, I heard a loud voice coming from inside making me step back in confusion.

Anastasia lead me inside the unit and saw her sister laying sideways and her arms gives support on her head on the couch wearing a loose big-size shirt and sweatpants while putting junk food in her mouth and watching tv in front of her.

She glances in our direction and she immediately fixes herself including the snacks that are scattered on the couch and the carpet. I reluctantly smile, maybe that's the disadvantage if you have a younger sibling.

"Alice!" Anastasia's eyes bawl in anger.

"S-sorry! Hey, bro Caleb!" She jumps off the couch and runs over to us to give me a fist bump and I gladly accept it. She's kinda cool though.

"Alice! Watch your manners!" I gaze at Anastasia's mom coming out from the kitchen. She wears a black plain apron as she wipes her hand using the cloth on her shoulder.

"Good noon, Mrs. Hansley." She stops. Oh! Shit! I glance at Anastasia and she gives me a hard stare. "Uhmm... T-Tita, I brought lunch for us." She smiles and accepts the food and fruits covered in a plastic bag.

Why am I so nervous?

***

After I spent the day with Anastasia's family, I bid farewell to them. I like her sister, she acts manly, and that's maybe why we click as we both like basketball and video games.

So far, her mom has the same personality and attitude as Anastasia, they both look so vulnerable and hard to hate as they were always very considerate about everything. I didn't bother to ask about her father, even though I am curious as hell.

I was about to exit the building when my phone vibrates. A text message from Josh. Damn! It's the death anniversary of my grandfather. We are having dinner tonight together with my relatives and of course, with my stepmother, I am just hoping I won't see his son tonight or I might lose my temper again.

As I continue walking to my car, I stop and realize that maybe I should bring Anastasia to meet my family.

I texted her to come down and dress formally as we will have dinner tonight with my relatives. I waited outside the building as I lean in the passenger's doorway, crossing my arms, and keeps checking the time on my Rolex while waiting for her to come out.

Not so long after, I saw her running as she steps outside the building. I raised my arm for her to notice my presence.

As she keeps closing the distance between us, I stare at her. She's wearing a sleeveless fitted casual black dress that reveling her sculpted figure which was twine-thin as it suits her porcelain skin completion. It was a pleasure to see her flowing, coils of leaf-brown wavy hair. A set of dazzling, angel-white teeth gleamed as she smiled widely. Even though she is just wearing simple makeup yet she stands out from the crowd.

"H-hey..." I didn't notice that she is already standing in front of me. She is out of breath.

"Why did you have to run? I can wait longer here." I looked away when I saw her sweat dripping down from her neck to her chest. Why did I even look at her sweat?

"W-wait, what was that family dinner you were talking about?" It was pretty obvious that she is nervous.

"It's the death anniversary of my grandfather, so I am going take you with me so we can tell them about the engagement and maybe this is the best time that I will introduce you to my family."

"Your whole r-relatives?!" I nod and she let out a deep sigh.

"Don't worry, I will always be at your side the whole night and... y-you look stunning tonight, so don't be anxious."

Is opened the door for her and hopped in the car. She looks uncomfortable and nervous, or anxious.

I lean forward closer at her to help her buckle up her seatbelt since she is preoccupied. Once I am done, I raise my head and a beautiful sight comes to my face. My eyes were magnet at her enticing, constellation-blue eyes as she gazed back at me. My gaze looked down at her puffy and sultry heart-shaped lips. I am always adducted by her sweet vanilla scent. Why is everything about her so damn attractive?

"U-umm..." I was awoken by her awkward tone of voice. I didn’t notice that our faces are an inch apart. I could feel my heart stop, as realization dawned on me.

I pushes myself away from her and looked away, staring at my steering wheel. Damn, Caleb!!

"S-sorry." I start the engine and drove to our ancestral home.

As we drive past the busy streets that I have been dying to explore ever since I moved here but unfortunately, I never really had the time to do so. Maybe one day I will be able to, and hopefully it will. Can't wait until that day arrives.

(Anastasia's POV)

The car comes to a slow stop and I predict we are finally at our destination. My heart starts beating faster with every passing second. I am more nervous than I should be, probably because Caleb and my future depend on this very moment.

Caleb steps out first and opens the door for me. He helps me get off the car. Time to get the acting started. My eyes stared in awe at the humongous mansion standing in front of me.

"This is a mansion? It looks more like a castle to me."

The building was twice the size of Caleb's mansion. As we near the stairs, I notice two figures standing at the top of the stairs both dressed in pretty expensive-looking clothes. I then felt insecure about myself but my inner confidence told me to keep my head up and be as confident as I can.

The lady was tall maybe a little taller than me due to her heels, her light brown hair, which was the same color as Caleb's if not a bit lighter, was placed into a neat chignon making her look rich and powerful, she had on a beigish goldfish dress that fit her well. Next to her was a man taller than me, he had dark brown eyes like Caleb's and dirty blonde hair.

"Caleb darling welcome back." The lady states. Caleb already told me about his evil not so pretty stepmother, so maybe this is not his stepmom. "And who might you be?"

"I am-" Caleb cut off my words.

"Ana, this is my father's sister, Aunt Susan, and his son Michael. Aunt this is Anastasia, my fiancé."

"Fiancé?" His aunt asks surprised. "I didn't even know you had a girlfriend in the first place." he glance at me. "Hello my darling, you can call me Tita from now on." Tita Susan states as she hugs me. "It's really nice to meet you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too. Both of you." I reply as we null way.

"Well let's go inside, everyone is here."

"How about Cecille and Byron, I hope they're not present here," Caleb replies as he places his hand on my lower back and leads us inside the mansion.

"Well... She is here but her son, Byron, we don't know if he will come, we always invite him but he never shows up."

We walk into the dining room which was huge, bigger than Caleb's dining room!

"Caleb, it's nice to see you again."

A lady in a sexy red backless dress exclaims as she walks over to Caleb and hugs him.

"It's nice to see you too, couz Angelica," he replies with a smile. "By the way, this is Anastasia, my fiancé."

"You're what?! Fiancé? Oh my God!! Hiiiii Anastasia! It's so good to finally meet you!" she hugs me tightly, she seems excited though.

"Well, let's all take a seat, dinner will be served shortly." Aunt Susan states before disappearing into the kitchen.

"So, Anastasia, tell me, what do your parents do for a living?" someone asks after we take a seat.

A lump stuck in my throat as I try to remain my composure. "Uhmm..."

"Her father is out of reach, and her mother is a housewife, she has a little sister who acts like a brother and she is in senior high school this year," Caleb answers instead of me.

I faintly smiled as I felt blood rushes to my face, why did he have to tell them the truth? My life is embarrassing to tell.

The silence grew in the dining room as they all stare at us. While Caleb is just calm beside me helping me to prepare the plates and the table napkin.

Look what he has done. We should have come up with a lie or a story instead of telling them the truth. Does he not care about their reaction to tattling my life?

"Dinner is here." they all looked away when Aunt Susan enters the dining area before the maids start serving us our food.

Suddenly we hear something drop on the floor.

"I'm sorry. It slips from my hand." she picks up the spoon from the floor and smiles at me after she puts down the spoon on the table. I smiled back at her.

She looks sophisticated and elegant wearing a violet bodycon dress with heavy makeup with expensive jewelry reflecting from the lights. I can say, she looks like an evil stepmother... or not.

"So... When did you two meet?" she asked as if she is curious... or suspecting about our relationship.

"Why do you have to know? That's our private matter, none of your business." Caleb scoffs as he chugs the remaining wine on his glass. Maybe he's right, she's the not-so-pretty stepmother, according to Caleb.

"Well, why... not? Maybe... you're just making up or what."

I felt my heart pounded with tension.

"Making up? Do I need to prove that I love her? Really? To you? Don't be absurd, Cecille." Caleb looks annoyed base on his tone.

"If you wouldn't mind, then prove it." she raised one eyebrow, cornering us up.

Why do I have this feeling that I hate her guts?

As I stare back at Cecille, someone touches my chin and drew me toward him with his eyes, he inclined his face toward mine and lay his lips on mine. For the first time, he kissed me. He moves his lips, savoring every moment together with my lips, and here I am swayed by his sweetness makes me feel butterflies down there.

Everyone was filled with deep astonishment as they taught him how wise he was. Breathing deeply, he remained closer, and at this moment as I was like a child astonished by the abundance of knowledge and things worth learning opening up before my eyes. He froze as we just realized what we did, in front of his family.

I heard a clapping sound and I don't freaking know who that is. I tried to hide my face as blood flushes over my face.

My God! Caleb, everyone is watching!