Emily's pov
The night that I had been dreading came in the blink of an eye, before I knew it I was in front of my father's house with Mr Williams next to me and my heart sinking into a pit.
I haven't been here ever since the accusation my step sister had thrown at me, of course it went just beyond that accusation and the fact that this place was no longer my home anymore, it had now been infested by parasites.
A few knocks later and the door cracked open, I held my breath when I saw who was standing there. My stepmother, Sandra, I thought that she was going to yell profanities at me as usual or maybe just begin with a slap on the face like she had done last time but instead she stretched her hands forward and wrapped it around my neck like a python smiling from ear to ear.
"My lovely daughter you've finally arrived!" She said and when she on tangled her hands from my neck she turned over to Mr Williams completely waking him with her eyes.
"Your boyfriend is far more handsome than I expected," She gasped.
A cold smile rolled on my lips, we had not even made it through the door and she was already making backgrounded comments. I wonder how long it will take her into the evening before she finally removes her mask.
Well, I wasn't planning to stay long. I would call the conversation shot when it had prolonged for more than I was comfortable for by pretending to have a stomach ache so that Mr Williams and I could leave.
"Actually, you're close Ma'am but not quite there, I'm her fiance, My name is Mr Theodore Williams" Mr Williams corrected her with his usual charm but even I could sense the subtle sharpness hidden just beneath those words.
Sandra's face paled, then aged about 10 years right in front of our eyes. She would have had a better time digesting a rock than what she just heard.
Maybe it was because of years of practice, but she bounced back from that shock after about 5 seconds or so.
"Let me not keep you at the door, please call me!"
She was all smiles again. I was leading Mr Williams over to the living room today but she called out saying that we should go to the dining room where she made supper for all of us.
"That was really thoughtful of you but I don't know if we'll be able to stay–"
"Nonsense!" She cut me off before I could finish with my excuse, "of course you'll be able to, besides we can't let the food go to waste. I made your favorite…"
If I refuse now it would undo everything I had been trying to masquerade for all this time.
"Oh thank you, you didn't have to go to all that trouble," I said as Mr Williams and I went into the dining room.
Already seated there was my father and Olivia, I could see Olivia wearing the same snake grin as her mother and I grew even more uncomfortable. Why were they faking being nice so much? There had to be something I was missing.
I looked down at the food and there was nothing out of place just roasted chicken macaroni cheese and peas, not exactly my favorite but Olivia's.
However I don't think that little joke was enough to make both of them smile till the corners of their lips touched their ears.
I decided to be vigilant but not too tense so things didn't get awkward.
My plan was still the same, after they had introduced themselves and a little back and forth conversation I would pretend that I had a stomach ache and it would all be over.
Father tried to be friendly but there were some reservations about Mr Williams.
"So, Theodore, was it? How long have you known my daughter?" He finally hit the nail on the head after dancing around it.
I allowed myself to take a generous sip of wine.
"For quite some time now, I've always been charmed by her from the moment I saw her,"
I took another sip, trying to calm my drumming heart.
He was just saying this to impress my Father. There was no big–
"What did you find charming about her?" Again there was a crack on my stepmother's mask, her words probably came up with more passive aggressiveness than she was planning to release.
When she took notes of the awkward glances that were coming her way. She had a rethink of her choice of words, forced a smile that didn't go all the way up to her eyes.
"What I mean is…which one of my daughter's lovely qualities caught your eye?"
I had it to give her credit, the way she was able to adjust and mentally rewrite her script the moment the mood wasn't what she wanted was almost impressive.
It was sad if she just chose to be a genuine person then she wouldn't have to go through so many mental gymnastics.
"There are so many things that I like about her," Mr William said, that answer was so vague I guess I should have expected it since he wasn't actually in love with me so he wouldn't notice the little– "I like the way she's scrunches her nose when she's smile sometimes, how she tends to Hope when she walks, I don't think she even notices that herself, her attention to detail, the way her eyes sparkle and–"
"Wow, when am I going to find love like this?" Olivia interrupted him, Mr Williams seemed to have woken from a dream and like most people jolted out of their sleep there was a mild look of displeasure written all over his face.
"I'm sure you'll find someone soon," Father rushed to encourage Olivia.
This dinner–even if it was just a facade –was supposed to be about my engagement to Mr Williams.
But as always all eyes were on Olivia.
Nothing had changed.