Chapter 162: [Meeting the Family] [Conditions]
[Leanna’s POV]
[Meeting the Family]
"What do you want for your birthday?"
I stopped studying and glance over at the man who was sitting beside me on the bed.
It was almost two months since that incident, and my right leg was already healed.
"Hmmmm . . ." I rolled the letters in my tongue, pretending to think. "How about a one-week tour in Europe where we’ll sleep in one of those igloos as we watched the northern lights . . . just the two of us?" I shot him a smile and resumed studying.
My birthday was exactly a week after the fall exams. In Artem, there was a spring break, summer break, autumn break, and winter break. After the fall exam, there would be a two weeks break, and coupled with Halloween, it was a total of three weeks break from school.
So we discussed to celebrate my birthday in my home country. Then we could spend the rest of the break exploring Europe. Just the two of us.
That will be so romantic.
"Mmm . . . I’ve already asked my father to take over for me. I’m all yours for three weeks." He kissed my cheek, and my smile never left my face.
Can’t wait for my birthday!
----
"Don’t worry, Leanna. We will be there on your birthday," Zoe said while texting.
"What will you do with the rest of the break? Why don’t you come with us and spend your vacation at my home? My parents will be happy to see you again," I said, capturing her elusive eyes.
Finally, Zoe stopped texting and gave me a complicated look. "W-well, you see . . . I have many orders of paintings lately . . . Grandpa Luke and I have been busy with the gallery and all."
I knew she was just avoiding Lawrence. Ever since my brothers’ birthday (which I knew she secretly attended), she had been . . . well . . . moving on, I guess?
Which I was guilty about.
"Grandpa Luke?" I asked, instead.
"That’s what the old man wanted me to call him." Zoe shrugged her shoulders before she finished sipping her soda and grabbed her things.
"Where are you going?"
Zoe bit her lips and avoided my questioning eyes. "Sorry, guys. I promised Elliot that we’d watch a movie tonight."
I could only mutter an, "Oh."
"See you tomorrow," she said and bolted out of the restaurant.
I guess it was better for her to fall in love with someone else.
"Don’t worry, Elliot is a good guy." Estela finished her frape and packed her things.
"I know."
I finished my tea and cleared my scattered notes on the table.
"How about you, Estela? Do you want to come with us to my home?"
"Sorry, Zhander, and I have plans, but we’ll be there on the day of your birthday."
She threw a wink my way as we got out of the library.
"Oh."
My forehead crumpled. Usually, these two would come at the slight mention of vacation.
I guess everyone already has plans.
----
"Are you alright?" I squeezed Cain’s hand when the man hadn’t said a word from the whole ride to his parents’ home.
In these past few days, after Cain told me that he wanted to introduce me to his family officially, I was anxious and nervous. But he was more nervous than I was.
These past few days, I caught him taking constant peek at me with something akin to fear in his eyes. And now we were in his chopper, close to his parents’ home, he was adamant about keeping me under his watch that I couldn’t help but feel nervous as well.
"It’s nothing," he said after a while, yet he refused to tear his eyes on me.
"Young master, we’re here."
Even Russell’s voice had a nervous streak in it.
Am I not wanted in his family? Is it going to be alright?
"Let’s go," Cain said, and we got off the chopper.
I couldn’t even marble at the majestic mansion right before me as my feet shook with every step I took. But before I could walk further, Cain grabbed my hand, spanning me around to look at him.
His expression was unreadable, and the fear in his eyes intensified.
"Leanna . . ."
"Yes?" I said it with a laugh, but it came out choked.
He squeezed my hand and hugged me tightly.
"I love you."
. . .
. . .
My arms wrapped around his back, hugging him with the same intensity.
"I love you too."
----
[Leanna’s POV]
[Conditions]
I thought Cain’s parents didn’t want me, but I was proven wrong when they welcomed me with open arms.
I didn’t hide my surprise when I saw Lily Fay –– she was the same woman at that time when I bought little Pluffy’s collar at Bijoux!
I didn’t know why, but the whole family seemed tense. Their faces were tight as their smile was forced. Even Estela, who was bubbly, turned quiet.
And most importantly . . .
I glance at the man beside me.
Cain’s been avoiding my eyes the moment we ate dinner. He didn’t even as so much touch his food. Droplets of sweat were visible on his nose and forehead even though the room temperature was cold.
"What’s the matter, dear? Don’t you like the food?"
My smile was a tad bit forced when I looked at the elder woman.
"N-no . . . it’s quite good."
I forced the food down my throat. The food was indeed delicious, but my appetite was lost with all my nerves acting up.
It was a quiet dinner, and the family was apparently nervous for whatever reason, making me nervous as well except for the two elder people in front of me, studying my face.
"Now then. Let’s not prolong this agony and get straight to the point." The elder man thumped his cane, and the maids emptied the table and served us tea.
Cain tensed up. His hand grabbed mine under the table. His fingers were cold and rigid.
I squeezed his hand, hoping it would give him warmth.
"F-father, why don’t we eat dessert first?" Hynes Fay said. I think he was trying to salvage the tense situation.
"Don’t have to waste any more time on a morsel of food which no one will eat." The elder man didn’t even look at Hynes as he spoke. His eyes never left me even for a split second.
"Now . . . Leanna." The silence was brutal when the elder woman spoke. Her singsong voice was eerie as the smile on her face. "The purpose of this dinner is not just because we wanted to meet you. It’s also because we wanted you to know . . . certain conditions if you wanted to marry into this family."
That was news to me.
There are conditions?
I briefly glanced at Cain, but the man was adamant in avoiding my eyes. Even Estela and his parents averted their gazes.
It seemed like the two elder people sitting opposite me were the real head of the Fay’s family.
"What conditions?" I faced the elders gaze, not backing down.
If they thought a few conditions could break me away from Cain, they were mistaken.
Nothing can stand between us.
The elder woman smiled and nodded her approval of my attitude. "There are just four conditions, my dear."
I noticed, even though the elder woman had a smile on her face all the time –– her gaze, however, was sharp and cruel. Not an ounce of tenderness in them.
"One," she started, licking her blood-red lips, "you’ll be loyal and will love Cain unconditionally –– forever."
. . .
That’s not hard to do.
It was never my philosophy to butt in when people were talking, so I just nodded at the elder woman, and she continued.
"Two, you have to keep the families’ secrets –– secret."
I think there was more meaning to it than that –– but whatever.
"Three . . ."
The elder woman shot Cain a look, and he froze beneath my hold. His grip on my hand tightened. I threw a glanced at his direction and found he was already staring at me, and I never saw so much fear in his eyes like I did now. Like any moment, he would grab me and run away from this place.
My thumb rubbed his knuckles as my attention zeroed on the elder woman who had now a serious face when she spoke.
"Your children will undergo . . . life-threatening trainings to equip them for the future. But don’t worry, they won’t die. We assure you that."
The way she said it like it was no big deal. Like we were just talking about taking a cooking or piano lessons.
"What kind of trainings?" I asked, appearing brave though my voice quivered.
"Don’t worry about it. All you have to know at this point –– no matter how hard the training is; the child will not die," the elder man said without a shred of emotion on his scary face.
When my expression wavered, the elder woman shot me her sweetest smile, like she was consoling me.
"Don’t worry. All the Fay’s undergo such trainings. Even Cain and Estela."
Is that why Cain has many scars?
I closed my eyes tight. I didn’t want to imagine what kind of trainings it was. But if it would help my children in the future –– then . . .
I opened my eyes and met the gazes of the two elder people. "And the fourth?"
The elder woman’s smile grew more extensive while the elder man’s mouth twitched.
"The fourth . . . is very important, my dear."
The elder woman tilted her head, and her dark obsidian eyes, with no light whatsoever, frightened the daylights out of me.
Hynes Fay drunk his water from his shaking glass, and Lily Fay and Estela had this pleading expression when our eyes met.
My hand was numb from Cain’s tight grip, but I resisted the urge to spare him a glance. I was angry at him for not telling me these ’conditions.’ But my anger soon disappeared when the elder woman continued.
"The fourth is . . . you will only give birth to a boy and a girl. . . and nothing more."
. . .
. . .
"What?"
