|| VALENTINA's POV ||
The king mansion was huge, even bigger than Lorenzo's living house. A fountain in front of the building, colorful lights, this place looked nothing less than royalty. Two guards greeted us on the gateway when we both climbed off the car, heading for the entrance.
Lorenzo never left my hands as if he was afraid that I would fall. Honestly, I liked taking care of him. It was a warm feeling that I couldn't ignore.
I looked up at Lorenzo's face. His face was plastered with darkness. I got the fact that he hated coming here.
" There.. Lorenzo is here!", a big smiling woman waved at us, notifying others that we had arrived. Although I returned a small smile at her polite gesture, Lorenzo kept putting on a stiff face.
The woman was around forty years old with beauty. With the diamond necklace shining around her neck, I assumed that it was Mrs King who was Lorenzo's step-mother.
Lorenzo didn't bother her. He went straight to the man who was sitting at the center to bow slightly,
" Dad! This is Valentina Avery, my girlfriend."
The room fell in dead silence. Mr.King finally lifted his eyes to look at me. I greeted him politely, pressing my lips together tightly,
" Hello, Mr.King. Pleasure to meet you!"
He gave a long stare, nothing interesting but his look was telling me that he didn't appreciate my arrival. He spoke briefly, gesturing at the chairs with a straight face,
" Sit! We were waiting for you."
" Wow! My brother finally got a girlfriend. So unbelievable? Isn't it mother?", another voice snapped my attention at him. I looked up to see another man, coming our way. He did look familiar but I couldn't remember where I saw him actually.
Another beautiful woman was coming by his side. Their hands were intertwined. So I guessed that they were Lorenzo's step-brother and his wife. From my little information, I heard that Lorenzo lost his mother at a young age.
Lorenzo hit back quickly, his voice carrying sarcasm,
" Why? Did you wish me to turn Gay?"
Tension engulfed in the table. Their conversation sounded like a heated argument. But Mrs. King soon took the charge,
" Ay! Boys! Don't tease each other anymore! The food is getting cold. Let's start eating."
A few minutes later, we all took our places. Dinners were served by a group of servants. Although, Lorenzo never left my side, I felt like an outcast at the dinner table. This lifestyle wasn't for me. Anyways, it was for a few months only then I will go back to my old lifestyle.
" So, what do you do, Valentina?", Mrs.King suddenly threw a question, bringing everyone's eyes on me.
I pulled myself together to act calmly,
" Well, I haven't graduated yet, still reading."
" Where do you live? Sorry but you seem uncomfortable here!", Mrs. King replied with a short laugh but her words hinted at something else. She wanted to tell me that I didn't look better in their rich environment.
Lorenzo spoke between, his tone sounding cold,
" I think, it's you who is making her uncomfortable. Let her eat peacefully at least so that you can gossip better later on."
Mr.King scolded with a growl, shooting Lorenzo a glare,
" Lorenzo! Speak to your mother, properly.."
Lorenzo hissed in anger, opened his mouth to yell back,
" She is..not..how.."
" Um.. I am sorry, Mrs King but I am kinda shy. It takes time to open up myself.", I intervened between his words, placing a hand on his thigh. Thankfully, he held himself on time and didn't vent his anger anymore. I understood that Lorenzo had an issue with controlling temper.
Leonardo King laughed out loud, threw another sarcasm indirectly,
" Wow brother! Your girlfriend is so protective of you already. It seems like she is going to be Mrs.King soon. Jenny, you should learn from her dear."
He taunted before putting a fork inside his wife's mouth. Jenny was a beautiful woman but she seemed too quiet. She blushed at her husband's words but sent a glare at me as if we had some by-born hatred between us.
It was evident that Leonardo was trying to embarrass us in every possible way. No wonder, Lorenzo didn't like coming here. He just made it happen out of duties.
Mr.King finally cleared his throat to show who was the boss here,
" Don't pull your brother's leg always. Valentina, what do your parents do? How long have you been dating my son? "
I gulped down my saliva a little, replied to him like Lorenzo said to me the other day,
" My parents run a real estate business abroad. They will come at the end of this year. I live here for studies. As for Lorenzo, we have been dating each other for a few months."
They all were stunned by my answer especially Leonardo who was practically gritting his teeth. Probably, they wanted me to come from a low-class family. Thanks to Lorenzo's help, I actually wore an expensive gown to trick them. I was here to help him and I would do it anyway because he saved my life and career.
Mr.King nodded with satisfaction and murmured before shifting his attention to his other son,
" That's great! Do tell them to meet whenever they come. Leonardo, Jenny, when are you guys planning to have kids? You are already married for 6 months."
I felt Lorenzo, glaring at them hardly. Probably, this child was going to do something major in their family. I had to know about him today or tomorrow.
Leonardo gave his brother a big smile, held Jenny's hand in the air affectionately,
" Hopefully, we will soon give you the news, Dad. Jenny is already eager to become a mother."
Lorenzo let out a low grunt at his words. To my surprise, Jenny, the quiet woman continued with her husband, seeming all proud,
" Also, we have done tests already, father. The doctors have already told that it's okay to have a kid now. Besides, I am not a student now. I have done my graduation already. Although, it seems weird to have a baby before big brother has."
Wait, was she trying to look down on Lorenzo? How dare she?
Lorenzo had already parted his mouth to say something but I grabbed his hands under the table. It was practically a war between women. I smiled back at her, replied with all the innocence I had in my tone,
" Well, that's quite right, Jenny but what can I do? Your big brother isn't idle like others. He works hard to build a career for himself alone without depending on his father's rights."
Jenny's lips sealed up immediately. Her expression turned sour as Leonardo had never had any successful career like Lorenzo. I could feel Lorenzo looking at me with a slight shocked expression.
I tilted my head aside to smile at Lorenzo who was staring at me, something so emotional flickering from his eyes.
Did I do something strange?
Mrs.King quickly intervened between the topics to bring the atmosphere back,
" Let's...eat now.. Enough of talking.."
Thankfully, the rest of our dinner had passed well. Jenny after facing backlash didn't dare to open her mouth again. They were awfully quiet.
Lorenzo took me outside, holding hands together like a real couple,
" Valentina...Stay here for a while.. My father wanted to see me... Don't go anywhere near those women.."
Well, I wouldn't because they were toxic in certain ways. I was pretty sure that they would try to block me in the future. Even that girl Jenny..How could she act so disrespectfully to Lorenzo?
Lorenzo headed back into the house to bid farewell to his father. It was only me who was standing there alone, enjoying the beauty of this house. A sudden voice stunned me, arising goosebumps over my skin uncomfortably,
" Did you work for any bar, Miss Avery? Why do you look so familiar to me?"