A Dinner To Remember

Gabriella managed to maintain a straight posture, despite the tension sitting in her chest. She forced herself to breathe evenly and beamed a smile as she stood before Alexander’s family. The air in the grand foyer felt thick with expectation.

“Good evening. It’s so nice to meet you.” Gabriella said, trying to sound confident.

“Welcome,” Mrs. Kingston said warmly, stepping forward with a graceful smile. Unlike her husband’s rigid posture, there was a softness in her eyes that put Gabriella slightly at ease.

“Alexander mentioned he was bringing someone over for dinner, and I just couldn’t wait to meet you. He never brings anyone home.”

“Thank you, ma’am. You have a lovely home,” Gabriella replied politely, hoping her nerves weren’t obvious in her voice.

Mr Kingston only gave a curt nod, his sharp eyes assessing her from head to toe. She could feel the disapproval in his gaze.

Dennis, on the other hand, remained silent, leaning slightly against the wall as if he were simply enjoying the scene unfolding before him.

“Shall we head to the dining room?” Stella asked, breaking the awkward silence.

Gabriella took cautious steps as they all moved deeper into the mansion. The interior was exquisite, with walls adorned with expensive artwork and crystal chandeliers that glowed magnificently. She tried not to gawk too much as they walked to the dining room.

The long table was already set with tall champagne glasses and expensive silverware. Gabriella took her seat beside Alexander, directly across from Dennis.

Dinner was served shortly after, and Mrs. Kingston carried most of the conversation, asking light questions to keep things cordial. However, it didn’t take long before Mr. Kingston spoke up.

“So,” he said, dabbing his mouth with a napkin, before fixing his gaze on Alexander, “I trust you’ve handled the situation at the company.”

The shift in the atmosphere was immediate.

“I have it under control,” Alexander replied without looking at him.

“Do you?” Mr Kingston pressed further, “Because from what I can see, this problem is costing us more than just money.”

Gabriella shifted uncomfortably in her seat. The room had become eerily silent.

Alexander slowly set his cutlery down and turned to face his father.

“A recall has been initiated,” Alexander said calmly.

“Engineering is already working on identifying the fault.”

Mr. Kingston scoffed, unimpressed.

“And in the meantime, the media continues tearing the company apart. Investors are nervous, and stocks are unstable.”

“Tell me, son…what exactly is your long-term solution?

Gabriella felt her chest tighten as she watched Alexander closely.

“We fix the problem at the source. That way, we can rebuild trust,” he replied firmly.

Mr Kingston’s gaze hardened.

“Hope is not a strategy, Alexander.”

“It’s not hope. It’s execution.”

The tension between them grew dangerously thicker with every minute that passed.

Meanwhile, Dennis seemed quietly entertained, his eyes darting between them like he was watching a well-rehearsed play.

Mr Kingston searched Alexander’s gaze for a moment as if trying to find some reassurance.

“For your sake, I hope you’re right.”

Then his eyes suddenly shifted to Gabriella, catching her off guard.

“And you,” he said, probing, “I understand you work closely with my son, correct?”

“Yes sir,” she replied hurriedly.

“Then you should know how demanding his position is. It is not a place for distractions.”

‘Distractions?’

The words landed hard, and Gabriella felt a pang in her chest. Her fingers tightened around her fork.

“Actually, there’s something I’d like to say,” Alexander announced.

All eyes turned to him, and Gabriella struggled to control her racing heart.

“Gabriella and I will be getting married.”

The words dropped into the room like a heavy rock.

Everyone’s faces mirrored confusion and disbelief. Mrs. Kingston was the first to recover.

“That's…unexpected,” she said, her tone laced with curiosity.

“You can’t be serious.” Mr. Kingston’s voice boomed. “On what grounds did you make this decision?”

“It’s my decision to make,” Alexander replied.

“That’s not an answer. Marriage is not a whim. What exactly does she even bring to this family?”

The question cut deep, and Gabriella felt her eyes begin to sting.

Alexander’s jaw tightened. “That’s enough, Dad.”

“I think I need a moment,” Gabriella said, pushing her chair back.

No one stopped her. She stood up, trying her best to keep her composure, and hurried out of the dining room.

Gabriella walked quickly down the hallway until she found the restroom, slipping inside and locking the door behind her.

She let her head rest on the door and tried to blink back her tears.

She walked to the sink and gripped its edge as she stared at her reflection.

‘A distraction?’ 

‘What does she bring to this family?’

She recalled Mr. Kingston’s sharp words. She had expected resistance, but hadn’t expected it to be this bad.

“I never asked for any of this,” she said to her reflection, and the tears she had been trying to hold back finally rolled down her cheeks.

A soft knock came at the door, making her gasp.

“Just a second,” she said, and hurriedly splashed water on her face and dabbed it dry with a hand towel.

“It’s me.”

She froze.

‘Dennis?’

She reached for the door and opened it.

“Sorry,” she said politely, and was about to leave when Dennis stepped in quietly, urging her back inside the restroom and closing the door behind him.

Gabriella looked at him in shock.

“I was wondering if I’d ever see you again,” the corners of his lips curving up into a smile.

Gabriella’s heartbeat quickened.

“You recognize me?” she asked.

“It’s hard to forget a face like that,” he replied.

‘So he remembered,’ Gabriella felt her face grow hot.

“I definitely didn’t expect to see you here, of all places.”

“Neither did I,” She responded.

Silence lingered between them, and his eyes studied her, making her feel nervous.

“So you’re Alexander’s brother?” She asked, trying to ease the awkward silence.

“Hmm… Adopted brother,” He replied.

“Oh, I see.” She mulled over the thought.

“But why do you have different last names?” she asked. 

“Story for another day.” He said with a smirk.

Her eyes drew together in confusion.

“And you’re engaged to my brother?”

Gabriella nodded, trying to avoid his gaze. “Yes,” she said flatly.

“That’s…interesting.” 

“And I’m guessing…” his tone changed slightly, “he doesn’t know.”

Gabriella looked up at him.

“Know what?”

“That we’ve met before,” he said, studying her.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said.

Dennis searched her eyes and nodded.

“Alright then. Let’s keep it that way.”

Gabriella stared at him for a moment. She thought she saw a hint of hurt in his eyes, or maybe she was mistaken.

“Why should we keep it a secret?”

“Alexander is my brother, but sometimes he can be a bit…intense. Paranoid even. He’ll probably twist it in his head. Trust me, it’ll cause more trouble than it’s worth.”

Gabriella considered his words, and the logic made sense to her. Alexander had warned her about having affiliations with anyone else, and though she barely knew Dennis and had only met him once, she wanted to save herself the drama.

“Okay, you’re probably right,” she said finally.

“Good,” Dennis gave a small nod.

“And I’m sorry about my Dad, by the way. He can be insensitive.”

“It’s alright,” she replied, waving it off.

“Hey, we can be friends, right?”

“Of course,” she said with a smile.

Dennis reached into his pocket and handed Gabriella his phone. She took it in understanding and started typing in her number.

“You can save your number with 'sister-in-law,” he said with a cheeky smile.

Gabriella looked at him and couldn’t help the laughter that erupted from her belly. Her mood had been sour all evening, and his jokes made her smile again, forgetting her predicament.

“Glad I could put a smile on your face, Gabby,” he said, satisfied.

“Thank you,” Gabriella shot him a genuine smile.

“We should probably head back,” he said, looking at the door.

“I’ll go first. See you on the outside, Gabby.” He said and left her alone in the restroom once again.

Gabriella looked at her reflection one more time, trying to prepare herself for the storm that was waiting outside. Her spirits were lifted, and she felt ready to step back outside. Taking a deep breath, she walked out of the restroom with her head held high.

As she neared the dining room, Gabriella heard voices that grew louder as she got closer. Her pulse quickened as she realized they were in a full-blown argument.

“I will not allow you to marry her while the company is facing a crisis. You don’t have your priorities straight,” Mr. Kingston’s voice thundered.

When she arrived at the dining room, Alexander’s father was standing, his face contorted in anger, gesturing furiously at Alexander.

Every eye was fixed on father and son. Alexander stared back at his father daringly.

“The wedding is happening,” he gritted.

Mr. Kingston slammed his hands on the dining table in frustration.

“A crisis is threatening everything we’ve built, and your focus is on marrying some lowly gold digger?”

Gabriella gasped, and all eyes turned to her. The words echoed painfully in her ears, and her heart sank to her stomach.

Slowly, her eyes turned to Alexander, waiting, praying he would defend her. Her heart pounded violently in her chest.

Alexander’s grip tightened on the table, but he didn’t say a word, and somehow that silence felt louder than the insult itself.