chapter 5 ***FAMILY DINNER

His words had caught her off guard. Yes, she'd agreed to the deal to marry him for a year, but hearing him say that to her felt…well awkward, like a man who you'd dated for long finally telling you he was taking you to meet his relatives.

“There's a family dinner tonight, and it's the perfect chance for you to meet everyone”

She watched him reach for his pocket, pulling out his phone. He showed her his screen and the first picture was of an old man.

“ This is my father, don't have a long conversation with him, else he'll sniff you out, this is my mother” he said swiping across the screen

“ This is my uncle and his son, do not interact with them” He instructed, his brows creased a little.

“ Any other person you see there, without my permission, do not have any conversation with them, is that understood?”

Confused, Tiana wanted to ask, but she decided to keep her questions to herself. They weren't close enough for her to ask such questions.

 “ Also, when we get there, I want you act like we've been a thing, for long”

Tiana paused, her throat bobbed as she gulped.

“ A…thing?” 

“ A couple” He responded, slipping back his phone into his pocket.

Silence stretched for a moment as Tiana took in his words. A couple. She thinned out her lips, lowering her gaze

“ Well i…I've never been in a .. relationship before ” she admitted, feeling slightly awkward knowing fully well, girls of her age hopped in and out of relationships everyday.

She'd really not allowed herself the time for things like that since she considered them meaningless and a distraction.

Vince remained silent for a moment, staring at her like he'd just heard the most absurd thing ever.

“Drive” he instructed to the driver who immediately started the vehicle, blending into the road.

“ You won't need to do alot, simply smile,

hold my arm when i offer it, laugh when necessary, don't talk much, and don't ask any questions.”

Her fingers curled up against her lap

“What if they're the ones that ask the questions….and I don't know the answer “

Something dark crossed his eyes but as quickly as it came, it vanished 

“ I'll do most of the talking, you'll answer only when it is very necessary,are you clear?”

Tiana nodded.

Soon, the car came in front of an estate.The tall gate pulled open soundlessly.

The driver drove in until they arrived at a white mansion, bringing the car to a halt at the covered driveway

“ Wait here.” he said to her, he knew there were CCTV's around the house and somebody could come out of the house, he needed to create a first impression.

Stepping out of the car, he stepped around to her side and opened the door for her, he stretched out his hand to her to help her alight.

Tiana hesitated for a moment before  placing her fingers in his hand.

When she stepped out, her feet wobbled, almost causing her to fall if not for his hand which tightened on her.

He frowned, staring as she tried to stand straight 

“Do you not know how to walk in heels?” He asked with an expression that told he was utterly astonished.

 Just when Tiana was about to give a response, they heard someone speak

“Vince, you came!”

There was a warm smile on the woman's face as she approached. She was elegant, slender and beautiful. Her brown curly hair complimented her obsidian eyes well.

Mary Donovan.

 She looked in her forties. Tiana recognized her as his mother from the photo, but she looked younger in person.

“ We rarely get to see you these days”

The woman said as her gaze turned to the girl standing beside her son.

“ And who is this beautiful lady?”

“ Mother, this is Tiana” Vince introduced 

“ My girlfriend and wife to be”

An instant look of surprise crossed the woman's face as she stared at Tiana.

“Is it true?”

She asked with eyes wide open and a smile on her lips. Tiana's cheeks flush red, she immediately faked a beautiful smile and nodded.

“Oh dear, you look lovier than I imagined” 

“ Thank you ma'am” Tiana muttered out.

“ So this is why you've been rejecting all those women I've been matching you with”

She asked, turning her attention to her son.

“If you already had a fiance, you could've said so”

“I wanted to surprise you” he lied smoothly, watching a smile stretch over her face

“ What a lovely surprise it is”

“ Come, come on in, everyone is waiting inside” She said and Vince led Tiana into the mansion.

Vince carried an eerily quiet air around him, such that when he entered the room with his hands around Tiana, everywhere became quiet. The people inside watched them as though they were some alien.

He rarely came for family dinners and whenever he did, he was always quiet and alone, so quiet that no one even noticed him, but today was different, everyone suddenly couldn't keep their gazes off him, or more like off the woman that he came with.

 

Vince pulled Tiana close to him as they sat down on a couch in the living room. 

There were two other people inside, Felix and mia, his cousins, but they barely communicated with each other. Right from childhood, they'd never been in good terms with Vince, likewise Vince with them.

“ You're here, how surprising” a voice came from the man currently entering the living room.

Clement Donovan, Vince's father.

He entered the room with the aid of a walking stick and when Mia saw him, she hurried over to him and helped him unto a seat in front of the huge fireplace.

“ Nice to see you too dad” Vince said but his father's attention was fixed at the girl he didn't recognize.

“ I see you came with a guest?” he said with eyes sharp and intimidating, Tiana could feel herself tremble with hesitation. Vince's grip on her arm tightened.

“ This is Tiana, my wife to be”  he said, reciting same thing he'd said to his mother

“Hmm” was all Clement said as his eyes assessed her.

“A pleasure to meet you sir” Tiana greeted with a smile which Clement reciprocated.

“I trust my son has been…. accommodating 

Tiana noticed that the two people on the couch were keenly watching her.

“Yes he has” she replied

“ With how beautiful you are, I'm certain you both will make beautiful children”

Tiana nearly choked on her saliva.

Make what!! 

“  Let's all move to the dining hall, I'm sure everyone's famished “ Mary said walking towards her husband, she aided him up from the couch.

Just then, the door of the living room opened and Tiana could feel the atmosphere around Vince turn colder the moment he saw whom walked in.