Chapter 8 Meeting The Family

• Beatrice let out a deep long breath when she turned on the left hallway. She rested her back and head on the wall, then closed her eyes.
• ‘What just happened?!’
• Beatrice touched her chest. She could feel her heart throbbing as if someone was chasing her. She tried taking a deep breath again and slowly until she calmed down.
• “He is crazy,” she whispered. Then she touched her neck, still feeling the goosebump she felt earlier. Why did she have a weird feeling when Mateo blew on her neck? It was like something was crawling from her neck and going through her chest. To her tummy and her… “Urgh!” she groaned and started walking again. She shouldn’t let Mateo get into her system. Into her mind. She must not be scared of a psycho man. Yet what he said was true. She needed him as much as he wanted her. They liked using each other. Thinking about it, they were like partners, so Beatrice hadn’t been scared of the man.
• “What are you doing here?”
• Beatrice noticed her stepmother and sister were still in the room with her father. David was already sleeping and the two were sitting on the couch. They were looking at her in confusion, so she tried to be herself again.
• “A-Ahm. Someone wanted to see dad.”
• “Well, father is already sleeping. He cannot entertain whoever he is, so let him come tomorrow,” said Clementine. “And why is your face red? Did you do something embarrassing again?”
• “Huh?” Beatrice touched her cheeks. It was hot. She immediately shook her head. “N-No. It might be because of the weather. I will tell him to come back tomorrow–”
• Before she could even finish her line, the door opened and Mateo went in.
• Clementine gasped and stood up when she saw Mateo. Her mouth was opened wide as she was astonished by his appearance.
• Veronica was equally stunned as her daughter saw the man in front of them.
• “What are you doing here?” Beatrice whispered to Mateo. He just looked at her with a grin on his face. Beatrice looked hard at him.
• “Beatrice. Who is he?” Clementine asked and went to Beatrice's side. She was already smiling sweetly and even clung her arms to Beatrice. “Hi! I am Clementine. Beatrice’s sister.”
• Mateo hemmed. “Nice meeting you, Miss Lichter.” He took Clementine's hands and kissed the back of her palm.
• Clementine giggled shyly, thinking that Mateo was stunned by her beauty.
• “Well! Who is this young and gorgeous man, Beatrice?” Veronica went to their front.
• Mateo looked at Veronica. He also took her hand and kissed the back of her palm. Veronica giggled too.
• Beatrice then was feeling awkward as Clementine was still clinging to her arms as if they were really that close to each other. She was also amazed that Clementine called her sister in front of Mateo. But she didn’t move and let Clementine do what she wanted.
• “I think you already know me, Mrs. Lichter.”
• Beatrice looked at Veronica. “A-Ahm. Mother. He is Mister Bruce. H-He was… It was…” She couldn’t finish her words. She looked at her mother who was waiting for her words and her sister. Mateo noticed it so he butts in.
• “I am Mateo Bruce. I’ll be Beatrice’s soon-to-be husband.”
• Beatrice felt like a bomb had been thrown at their place. A complete silence went on and no one was talking. She couldn’t look at her stepmother and sister. So she looked down only and waited for their words.
• Clementine's jaw almost dropped to the floor. She removed herself from Beatrice and went to Veronica’s side. She kept shifting her look at Mateo and Beatrice. ‘This was the man who wanted Beatrice?!’ she thought in astonishment. She was already thinking of what humiliation she would say to Beatrice when they met Mister Bruce. She thought that he was an old bald man with a big tummy and a widow.
• “No! You are not him!” Clementine exclaimed.
• Veronica touched Clementine's arms. She was also surprised. “T-There might be a misunderstanding, sir. You can’t be Mister Bruce. Are you his son?” Veronica asked.
• Mateo looked at them in confusion. “But my father was already dead?”
• “N-No. No. No!” Clementine shook her head. She cannot accept that Beatrice was marrying a man like Mateo. It should’ve been her!
• “What is wrong, Clementine?” Beatrice asked. Clementine glared at her.
• “Shut up!” Clementine blurted out.
• Because of her voice, David was awakened. He looked at his family talking with a young man. “M-Mister Bruce?”
• All of them looked at David. Beatrice smiled and went to David’s side. While Clementine felt her world collapse. She couldn’t hide the jealousy she was feeling at Beatrice. She then sat down on the couch and wouldn’t stop glaring at Beatrice.
• “Dad! You’re awake!”
• David smiled at Beatrice. He touched her cheeks. “I’m okay now, my daughter.” He looked at Mateo. “Why is Mister Bruce here?”
• “Ahm.” Beatrice stood up straight and looked at Mateo. Mateo then went to their side.
• “Mister Lichter. I am delighted that you are okay now.”
• “Thank you. But I don’t have a good feeling that you are here.”
• “Wait!” Veronica went to the other side of David. “My love, are you saying that he was Mister Bruce? The one who wanted to marry Beatrice?”
• David nodded. “Yes. It was him. But I’m sorry, Mister Bruce. I don’t want to force my daughter. If you really like her, I can give you my blessing to court her.”
• Mateo smirked. “I think you should talk with your daughter about that.” He looked at Beatrice.
• “Why?” David asked and looked at Beatrice.
• Beatrice, who was already feeling that she was in a hot seat, looked away. She never got any chance to talk with her father when he woke up. It was only her stepmother and sister who were always talking with him.
• “Dad, I need to tell you something–”
• “No!” Veronica butted in. She knew that her daughter, Clementine, was affected now. She looked at Clementine, who was glaring at Beatrice. Also, she thought that a man like Mateo would marry her own daughter instead, which would be a great catch for both of them. She wouldn’t think of Beatrice anymore. “There must be a misunderstanding here.”
• “What, Mrs. Lichter? Everything is right. Right, Mr. Lichter?” Mateo asked. He had a feeling that Veronica was up to something.
• “Wait!” David tried to sit down but his body was still weak. He groaned and took a deep breath. Then he looked at Beatrice. “Beatrice, what is the meaning of this?”
• Beatrice looked at David. Her eyes were already wet. She didn’t want to tell him about it but she cannot break her deal with Mateo. “D-Dad. I accepted Mister Bruce’s proposal. So you can be treated.”
• David's eyes widened. At first, he was blinded by Mateo’s offer to him. Their business was on the brink of being bankrupt. He couldn’t let their house loose from the bank because it was already on the mortgage. But when he saw his daughter’s tears, his guilt ate him up. He was about to tell Beatrice that he would break his deal with Mateo but she already ran away from home. And then they got into an accident.
• “Beatrice… You don’t have to. I-I…” David shook his head and looked at Mateo. “Mister Bruce, please. I-I will do anything to pay you. I’m sorry. My daughter was just–”
• “I’m sorry, Mister Lichter. It is not you who will decide it,” Mateo stopped David and then looked at Beatrice.
• “Beatrice, my daughter.” David touched Beatrice's hand. “I’m s-sorry. I promise that I will–”
• “Dad. It’s okay.” Beatrice forced a smile. “I needed to do that for you. I can’t lose you too, Dad.”
• “Huh! As if?!” Clementine blurted out. “You’re a whore! I will not accept this madness! Mom!” She would never let Beatrice marry a man like Mateo. It should be her!