Chapter Fourteen

Alina

I was suddenly nervous at the prospect of meeting his other family, I was even more confused on what exactly I was doing here.

“Do you want to shower and get changed first?” Sebastian went on, unperturbed by my worries,

My palms were sweaty. I indiscreetly rubbed them against my skirt while he stood there peering at me curiously like he could see through the brave mask I was trying to put on.

“Actually, I was hoping to talk to you first”

Sebastian only raised his brow for a second before turning around. “We’d go somewhere private”

I followed him around the curve of the staircase to the hallway beyond. There were a series of doors leading out of the hallway on both sides of us. Large windows flanked the exterior walls revealing the fields around the house. I decided that if I had time to do anything else, I would walk around the grounds.

Finally, Sebastian turned open a door and we descended three steps into a sunken den decorated with plush carpets and dark walls. He offered me a seat on one of the couches. When I sunk into it, I felt all the shades of comfort that it had been designed to offer. He went to the small bar nook behind the sitting area. His hands hovered above a bottle of wine for a second as though he was deciding whether drinks were needed.

“It’s fine, I will pass”

“What’s bothering you?” Sebastian asked, his voice laced with deep-seated concern I had not expected to hear.

I had not yet gotten used to the fact that he was not one to play around with his words. “I…uhm…When did you get to France?” I had forgotten what I wanted.

“This morning. Why?”

“You didn't tell me” it was not like I cared about his whereabouts. “And when I asked to speak to you, you somehow put me on a flight and shipped me down here? Without my notice or consent? And you didn't stop there, what of my company? What did you tell my grandfather? You don't get to make decisions on my behalf Sebastian, especially when it concerns my life”

He cocked his head at me wonderingly as though I had spoken the most absurd words.

I held his eyes, “We are married now and I do remember something about communication in your contract document from five years ago”

Something akin to realization shone in his eyes and he dropped his gaze “I should have told you I was coming to France, that was an oversight. And I should have spoken to you before reaching out to your grandfather, I told him it was our honeymoon”

I was waiting for the apology but when I realized that was it, I shook my head. “I don’t like impromptu trips. I don’t have anything on me.” He was about to say something but I put up my hands, halting his words. “I know you prepared for all that but I like to have my own things. My skincare, my books…”

“Your chambers have been fully stocked with all your preferred paraphernalia. I have noted your complaint about communication and planning. Going forward, things would be handled differently”

The formal approach to the conflict resolution seemed a little too…formal. But it was also efficient. I found that I had no reason to be angry at him whatsoever. When he asked me if there was anything else and I shook my head, he offered me his hand and surprisingly, I took it.

“You can join us anytime you feel ready. I’ll have a maid come check on you in case you need anything”

Later I discovered that true to his words, the chambers had been outfitted with all my preferences of personal care items. My cosmetics brand, clothes, shoes, even my books –and even more recent editions of some. I was stunned.

I found the shower settings quite complex and it took a while before I could understand what meant what. But it was the most relaxing shower I had taken in a really long time.

For the evening event, I chose a floral patterned suit. The top had a corset effect to the bodice and the skirt was pleated. I finished the look off with a pair of white ankle strap heels. While I was in the bedroom, I heard a car honk and I looked out of the window to see a convoy of cars driving up the hill to the house.

My bedroom offered a view of the front of the house and the vineyards around. I counted the cars, they were about five in number.

In front of the mirror once again, I reminded myself to remain calm and let Sebastian lead the conversations. There was no need to pretend I was someone I wasn’t.

There was a slight knock on the door. Thinking it was Sebastian who had come to call me, I opened the door. Behind it stood three of the tallest and striking women I had ever laid eyes on. They each wore long flowing dresses with fancy hair do and make up.

“Told you guys she was cute,” the one in the middle spoke first.

“She’s so tiny though,” the second one said.

“Cousin Sebastian pocket-sized wife,” the last one squealed and pulled me into her arms, breaking the frozen spell that had suddenly been cast on me at their presence.

“Um, hi, I am Alina”

“We know”

They trooped into the room uninvited, snooping through my things and scoping the room like we were suddenly best friends. They seemed to me the exact opposite of what I expected.

“So, Alina, what’s your deal with our cousin?” This one had a bob cut and broad shoulders. Of all three, she looked the scariest.

I raised the finger with my rings, “We are married”

“Ooh, shiny!” This was clearly the last born. She squealed again and pulled the finger close to her face to see it better. “Guys, come check these out. Cousin Seb really did good”

I doubled back. “Do you really call him Cousin Seb?

“Simply to annoy him”

“Oh,” I smiled.

“Girls”

At the sound of the voice, the three sisters stood as though in a military procession. Their smiles dropped, they stepped away from where they surrounded me and sat down on the bed, demurely crossed their legs and kept a simple smile on their faces.

There was a knock on the door. I watched the girls with narrowed eyes as I reversed back to the door. I didn’t turn around until I had gotten to the door which I pulled open to reveal a smallish woman behind the door. A maid stood beside her to the right and a bodyguard on her left.

Her eyes were significantly warmer as they settled on me but the face, it was the exact one as Nick’s mother.