Page 73 of The Art of Deception

I’m glad someone is.

She makes her way straight for Xander as she looks him up and down, pulling him in for an embrace. “Sweetheart, it’s good to see you.” She kisses both cheeks, making me smile as she pushes him back to look him over again. “This is a new look for you, Alex.”

I internally cringe again. I’m going to have to get used to themcalling him that, I suppose.

He grabs hold of my hand. “It’s not. I simply have never dressed like this in front of you. I do when I’m not around you or the office. This is the real me, Mom.”

She smiles. It’s genuine, as she grabs the hem of his leather jacket and straightens it. She winks at him. “I always was a sucker for a leather jacket.”

His father scoffs, turning around and making his way to the small bar area as his mother turns to face me. “And who’s this gorgeous young thing?”

Xander grabs my hand. “Mom, this is Tomi, my girlfriend.”

I reach down, grab the flowers, and hand them to her. She takes them, smiling. “Oh, honey, they’re my favorites… thank you, and welcome to the family.”

His father grunts under his breath, and then he throws back a tumbler of something amber as I tense a little more. His mother is a breeze. His father, however, is going to be a tough nut to crack.

“I’m so happy to meet both of you. Though Xander didn’t tell me how beautiful your home is.”

His mother raises her brow as his father faces us. “Xander? That’s what you call him?” he sneers. “Is that so you don’t have to face the fact of who he truly is to you, sweetheart?”

“Dad!”

“Aldwin!”

Xander and his mother both scold at the same time.

He scoffs. “What? It’s true, isn’t it? You cringe every time one of us calls him Alex. The thing is, Tomi, a girl like you won’t let go of the past when it’s right on her doorstep.Xanderis not his name.Alexanderis. And if you can’t accept that, accept who he really is, then this relationship is doomed.” His father turns, storming out of the sitting room, leaving me tenser than when I arrived.

His mother walks over and wraps her arm around me for comfort. “The thing about Aldwin, dear… he’s threatened by you. He doesn’t like it when women have power. You, right now, holdallthe cards over Alex… sorry, Xander.” She regards him with a kind smile. “He believes you’re taking Xander away from him. He’s our only son… ouronlychild. Aldwin may not show love in a typical way… he’s merely a scared little man who is afraid of losing his son to a powerful woman.”

Xander moves in, kissing his mother on the cheek. “Thanks, Mom.”

She smiles. “Why do you think he wants you with someone weak like Sasha?”

My eyes open wide. “Who’s Sasha?”

Xander laughs while shaking his head. “My receptionist. Long story for another time.”

Mom rolls her shoulders. “I believe dinner’s ready. Shall we go?”

“Please, I’m starved. And thank you for your hospitality, Mrs. Scott. I do appreciate it,” I reply.

“Oh, shush now, and please, call me Ophelia. None of this Mrs. Scott nonsense.” She links her arm with mine as we head out of the sitting room and back into the foyer toward the dining room. Aldwin is already sitting at the head of the table, his face sour as he drinks what I’m assuming to be whisky.Where the hell can I sit?There are only four of us, and the table seats about four hundred. Okay, so that’s an exaggeration, but there’s going to be a hell of a lot of space between us unless we’re all down one end.

With Aldwin perched at the head, I’m guessing we all have to sit near him. As we stride up to the table, he doesn’t even look at us in recognition when we approach. The tension is electric while everyone remains silent.

Xander moves to the chair to Aldwin’s left and pulls it out forme, so I casually sit, slightly anxious that I’m right next to him, thinking Xander will sit beside me, but he walks off. My eyes widen as he rounds the table and pulls out the seat opposite me on Aldwin’s right. Xander might be directly opposite me, but it feels like we’re an ocean apart. I’m left swimming these waters all on my own right next to a great big fucking white shark with his teeth primed and ready to attack.

Ophelia doesn’t help the situation as she strides to the other end of the table, sitting at the opposite head like this is how they normally have their family dinners. I’m so confused as to why his parents sit so far away from each other. As far away as possible with all the chairs in between.

Sure, they might be the heads of this family, but shouldn’t she be by his side, not me?

That’s how I see it, anyway.

Xander is the first to speak. “Dad, we have a lot to discuss tonight. So try to focus and be civil.”

“Fine, let’s just eat. Rena, dinner please,” he yells as three more maids appear out of thin air and scurry around, light on their feet, two carrying food plates and one moving around the table at lightning pace, pouring glasses of red vino.

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