Sitting beside the sassy looking one, is another member of the family, giving her a deceitful look. Angela recognized her as the one who came and introduced herself as Riley Antonio's sister, then threatened her to leave the Montero's mansion days ago. "You're finally here, please have a seat, you two." Grandma Elizabeth cuts into her thoughts and gestured at the empty seats preserved for them. Angela sat at the dinner table, surrounded by Antonio's family. Her heart was racing more than ever. Courtney and Antonio's sisters were seated on the opposite side of the table. Angela could feel those two sisters were devouring her with their eyes, as they got them fixed on her every damn move she made. Damon and his other brother Alex were seated opposite her too but they don't seem too concerned about her presence. While mama Elizabeth, Antonio's grandmother, was seated at the head of the table, a benevolent smile on her face. Antonio sat at the other end of the table, his eyes constantly darting between his older brother Damon and Angela. He could sense the awkwardness between them, even though he had no interest in whatever they do yet he felt a strange tightness in his chest after he had noticed Angela stealing glances at Damon. Grandma cleared her throat, and the room went silent. "Antonio?" Grandma called him, interrupting his thoughts with a look that speaks volumes. “Go on.” She added. “Family.. meet my fiance, Angela." Antonio introduced dryly, sitting in a carefree position. Angela smiled broadly in a very awkward way that her upper lip gum dried up. "My sisters…Riley and Judy, cousin Courtney and two others.” He concluded and helped himself with the food on his plate. “Did he just call us the two others?” Alex chuckled in disbelief but Damon simply ignored Antonio's remark. The room was suddenly hot and tensed up after that statement. "It's…it's really nice to meet you all” Angela stood up and stretched her hands towards the Montero sisters, smiling broadly. None of them accepted her offer or even a friendly smile in return. Shamefully she put her head down and cursed quietly. “You are welcome, Angela.” Courtney replied. Angela smiled in relief, she sat down a bit embarrassed. Raising her head, she stole a glance at Damon again. He was talking to his brother Alex, his eyes never straying in her direction. She felt a pang of longing, of desire. Although she was ashamed of facing him, she wished he could at least look her way for once. He was completely ignoring her presence. “I am a huge fan of your tv show, Bryan is a wolf, sir Damon.” She announced. He ignored her again. "First of all, who is this Antonio? How did you end up with this...I mean this...this? Are you kidding..she isn't even blue blood, she wanted to shake my hands…" "Quiet Judy!" Grandma cuts in, she turns to Antonio. “Are you going to watch them talk to her in such a manner?" "Of Course not, I was going to react but you did first. so" he replied effortlessly with a mischievous grin. Grandma sighed. "You will always disgrace me." "Come on now Grandma, I have always made you proud" he replied innocently. "So she is the one?" Judy asked again. “Of course she is the one Judy, do you have any problem with that?!” Courtney replied. “Everything about her is a problem." Riley cuts in with a tight frown. She speaks like a slow talker but not too slow, just reserved. “Well it's his choice, not yours Riley.” Courtney replied again. Angela couldn't help but imagine how it would have been if Courtney wasn't there to save her from the Montero wo sister's attacks. "What about Tina, Halle, Jennifer, Mirabel, Zendaya? And guess what they are blondes" Judy snapped abruptly. “What about the blondes?” Antonio spoke, his eyes stabbed Judy, who looked like she regretted mentioning the blondes. “What is so special about blondes?” Antonio asked his sister, who avoided his eye contact like a plague. “Answer me!” That tone scared Angela. The room went silent, she could tell she wasn't the only one scared, how much they fear him to remain completely silence. “Antonio…”. Grandma Elizabeth please a hand on her forehead.
Angela's eyes switched from one person's face to another, completely unaware of what this commotion is all about. “So Angela, tell us more about yourself”. Judy spoke again, trying to divert the discussion. Angela was grateful for that question. The room was a bit uncomfortable and tense for her mental health. Angela took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She was about to open her mouth when Antonio started. "She is from a small town…a teacher…. she loves children that's why she choose that path, her favourite colours are purple..sky blue and white, she loves eating tacos and sushi, pizza not really, her most important thing in the world is family.. she is allergic to bees and has little alcohol tolerance, she once had a pet, a dog named Arthur, do you need more?" Antonio replied smoothly, eating from his plate. Everyone in the room was shocked but not as shocked as Angela. For the first time, she glanced at him, stunned and speechless. “What the heck is that? That's a lot about me. How did he..?” She paused abruptly, having a flashback of Antonio with the twins. Could it be he asked them to tell him about me? “How interesting, never heard you describe someone in a detail like that Antonio”. His cousin's sister Courtney announced. “Shut up”. Antonio snapped with a frown, hands folded. Judy leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "So, she is a local teacher in a small town, huh?" she said, her tone mocking. "How very… interesting" Angela felt her face flush in embarrassment but she held her ground. “I should have worn a mask, who knows what local town disease she's carrying.” Riley added. Angela's heart sank. "Do you two ever shut up?" Courtney snapped back at her. She seemed older than her two cousin sisters. "So you are just an average girl from nowhere?" Judy asked as she put the fork into her mouth flawlessly like a well-trained queen, ignoring Courtney's scolding. "Of course she is, something must be done, this is a disgrace Antonio." Riley snapped angrily. "There's no need for anything to be done.” Antonio corrected tightly, enjoying his meal. “The Monteros have never married a non-blue blood Aguero, it is so ... everything disgusting, ridiculous and bad and not Kim!" Riley was furious. She hated Angela so much giving her a sense that they must've been arch enemies in their last lives because they never met ever before yet she hated her this much! "Easy Riley, let the pretty boy be, he must have thought about tasting the average titties this time around” Judy said to her sister. "Now that's where I will correct you Judy, well you see, you are wrong about them darling, your brother is very much in love with Angela, love doesn't care about class nor looks". Grandma lectured. Judy scuffed out a chuckle. "Love indeed, what is love, does anyone here know what love is?" "I love Antonio, and I know that he loves me” Angela replied. Antonio swallowed hard, unexpectedly. Courtney noticed but the rest of the family had their attention towards Angela. Well of course except Damon. Angela hated that she had to say it, but this is all she is here for, right, to convince his family. Antonio had done his part by telling them about her, she needed to do her own part. Damon… She looked at him. Well it's obvious he will never return her feelings at this point, so why even dream about it? A life in the Monteros is nothing but a curse. She clenched her fists under the table in frustration. “I love Antonio, we do love each other”. She announced again. Judy leaned back in her chair, her eyes sweeping over Angela. "I'm not convinced, you are just one of those local rats, who are eager to get into a billionaire family," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. Angela looked up at her. “You are not from a noble background, she is not even a blonde, you are obviously a fake, how much did he pay you?” Angela's eyes widened, her heart raced. “I am sorry, I … I don't understand... pay?” “Don't try to act smart, you know you are paid to do this, you are nothing close to Antonio's taste in women, he paid you to pretend as his lover, what do you gain by deceiving this poor old woman, how could you!” Angela's heart raced nervously. She looked at Mama Elizabeth, she had a pathetic expression on her face waiting for the answer. “I..I..” This is bad, I am bad at lying, am I going to be exposed and why is Antonio suddenly quiet?!