Welcome to the family

VICTORIA’S POV

Every tick of the clock pounded in rhythm with my heart as I stared into my reflection in the mirror of one of my father's penthouse suites. Brushing through each strand of hair, ignoring the loud cheers that came from the guests downstairs.

I managed a small smile at my reflection, staring plainly at the lady in the mirror. Her makeup was fair and soft, bringing out the light in her cheeks. Her blonde curls were braided at the side and tied neatly into a loose bun.

With a smile creased on my face, I backed away for a bit with my eyes glued to my dress. Knowing my father had spent a fortune getting me the best outfit for my eighteenth birthday.

It was beautiful, I must admit. It had several layers of tulle before a layer of satin that covered it. And staring into the mirror, I slowly realized that I was no longer the Seven-year-old girl who’d cry herself to sleep. Now, I was forced to grow up and become the woman everyone had expected me to be.

In a couple of hours, I’d joined the other guests in the party charade as they danced and cheered on.

“Tory! Tory!” I jumped at the sound of Grace’s yelling as she ran, quite well in heels, towards where I sat.

“Come on, this is our song!”

I laughed when I heard Expresso by Sabrina Carpenter through the DJ’s speaker.

“Come on!” Grace shouted at me, making me scream and yell as well for the first time in weeks.

I was barely off my chair when she took hold of my arm and dragged me to the dance floor. I moved and swayed my hips to the sound of the music in the background, not caring whether or not the guests around were staring. I mean? It’s my eighteenth birthday celebration.

She grabbed my hips excitedly and dropped to the floor making a belly laugh escape my lips. Unlike me, her silver strapless dress that stopped at her mid-thighs gave her some sort of freedom to sway harder.

When she came back up, our friends around and other family members cheered over her triumph to perk up to her feet without falling. And I couldn’t help but giggle at all that.

It felt so good celebrating with friends and family that I didn’t want the day to end. Like everyone, Grace was more excited about this day than I was. Obviously, because we had planned out a bucket list of crazy stuff to try out at 18, and like she’d been yelling for weeks, we were finally getting a chance to do adult stuff. Like she would say.

“Thanks for making this more fun!” I called out to her silently, and then winked at her but was cut off by the clang of metal at the table.

“Boys, girls, or should I say…ladies and gentlemen,” My father’s voice drifted from his end at the large mahogany table, causing all heads to turn in his direction.

“I’m glad we could all make it here for my daughter’s eighteenth birthday celebration,” He began, with a smile creased on his face.

“First, a toast to Victoria for finally becoming a woman,” My father, Senator Lindsey said. And just when he did, laughter from guests erupted in the air, as they all smiled back at me.

“A toast,” they chorused and then took a sip of their wines murmuring to themselves.

I couldn’t help but smile, seeing how happy they all were and most importantly remembering Grace and I had a lot to do on our bucket list and——

“May I have your attention please?” My father cut in.

“To conclude the day’s event, I have one more surprise Victoria,” My father said.

I leaned closer to the end of the table with a smile creased on my face, wondering what it was he had for me this time. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear suddenly feeling tense and curious as to what he had planned for the day.

“Well, I figured if there’s ever a good time for such an introduction, I believe now is the right time. I mean you’re an adult now my dear,” He continued.

“Please make welcome, Stefan Zoric. Your husband to be, Victoria,” My father added.

Hot sparks of awareness blazed down my spine with such force I almost lurched off my seat. A headache throbbing behind my temple trying to figure out what the hell had gone wrong. I blinked back, a telltale sign in my eyes as I stared at my father.

Just then, the door swung open revealing whomever it was my father had just talked about. When I looked up, I slowly regretted ever taking a look at him.

Dark, annoyingly handsome. Strong jawed, sculpted shoulders, and damn those eyes! I could swear that I had for some reason gone lost in them until the murmurs from the other guests around snapped me back to reality.

We stared at each other for a moment, his icy eyes sweeping over my flushed face and doing nothing to cool it. Other than making the other girls around me drool, including Grace.

“Senator,” His deep baritone echoed through the walls of the hall.

“Victoria,” Stefan said shortly and then looked away instantly. Slowly hated myself for ever having to pay attention to the fact that his deep voice made my name sound so rich, so regal, almost as if I’m one with royal blood pumping through my veins.

“I’m glad we are all here as a family and we can finally make it known that Stefan and Victoria will be married in a month,” My father said. The words were so sudden, so absurd, so unexpected, it robbed me of a timely response.

In a voice softer than I could have ever imagined coming from him, my father spoke the words I just realized I never wanted to hear.

“Welcome to the Family Stefan, I believe you’d both make a great couple,”

“Couple?”

“I’m really getting married?”