Meet with his family

I was inside the bathroom, and I was about to go out when, suddenly, "Yes, have you heard about it? She didn't even meet her husband's parents. How pitiful of her," I heard from the staff member around the bathroom. I leaned my back on the door while listening to what they were talking about me.

One thing is for sure... I need to be brave. I need to be strong and brave to fight for myself. I don't want to be belittled and hurt by others. I nodded my head and went out of the bathroom when they went out. How can I fight them? What they were saying was all the truth about me and Noah's relationship.

I sadly walked back to my desk. I was at my desk when I suddenly saw Noah with a woman in the office. They were talking but I didn't know what they were talking about.

"They look so good together, right?" I heard from someone and when I looked back at them, I could see the smiling face of Noah that he could not even give me. I hate this feeling. I really hate seeing him with someone else, smiling. As he always frowned while looking at talking to me.

Time flies so it's late at night when I finish typing a document on my computer. I stood and was about to walk when I remembered the stare and laughter of Noah and that woman earlier. I let out a deep sigh as I thought about those things. I really wanted to do that with him but he couldn't even do it.

I was walking in the hallway towards the exit, but I stopped when I saw him, opening a car door for her and that woman went inside the car while smiling at him. I felt the wet hot tears fill up my eyes as I was looking and watching them from afar. Streams of tears flowed faster than my heartbeat and there were tears of pain running down my cheeks.

Noah turned in my direction but I immediately hid in a wall so he could not see me. I was holding onto my chest while tears continued to drip. I just kept quiet while I was inside Noah's car. He was also driving quietly and when I looked at him I immediately saw the poker and his cold face.

When we got home, I immediately got out of his car and I did not wait for him to open the door for me. I walked straight inside the house silently until I could enter our room.

I heard the door open and I was about to walk towards the bathroom when he stopped me, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

I was about to walk, but he tightened his grip on me. "I know there is something you should tell me about," he said to me. When I looked at him, I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"Who is she?" I asked.

"Who?"

"That woman?"

"Oh... She's Alexa from the States. One of my classmates in high school," he replied, and I nodded my head and looked away from him.

I walked towards the bathroom when he spoke again, "I'm sorry..." I stopped right in front of the door, "I'm sorry for hurting you," he added, but I never responded and went inside the bathroom.

I don't think this is going to work. I don't think we're really meant for each other. There are a lot of people who didn't want us to be together, and I need to accept the fact that they will not like me forever for Noah. When I looked at myself in the mirror, a single drop of grief welled up from the corner of my eye.

I don't know if this is going to be good. Our relationship seems... nothing to him.

I went out and saw him fixing his necktie. I looked away and went downstairs. I stopped talking another step when I suddenly saw his mom and dad inside the living room. I was stiffened where I was standing while they were looking at me, as if they were disgusted to see me.

When Noah went out, he was about to speak when he saw his parents there. "Mom? Dad?" we went downstairs to greet them. I was smiling while looking at them.

"Mom... Dad..." I greeted them with a smile, but his mother didn't even look at me. His Dad took my hand with a smile, "You look pretty," he uttered to me, and I nodded my head while looking at him. I guess he liked me now.

Noah then looked at me, and locked his hands on me. I looked at him and he then smiled at me, "It's okay, I am here," he whispered to me, and I nodded my head. I could feel my heartbeat racing while looking at his parents.

"Why are you here, Mom?"

"There will be a family dinner tonight. So, we are inviting you to come. Come with your wife," she uttered, but she was just looking at Noah, and didn't even bother to look at me.

"Alright. We will go there," he said.

"So, we're going now," she said, and I bowed my head as they went out of the house. I started to let my hands go from his grip and the smile on my lips faded away.

"I don't want to go," I said to him.

"What? Why?"

"I don't like the feeling of being an outcast to your family, Noah. I... I tried everything to please them, but... I don't like it anymore," those words were the things that I wanted to say to him, but I can't even say that to him, personally. It was on my head, but... I can't let it out.

"Nothing. I am going," I said to him, and he just nodded his head.

Later that night, I am really nervous right now. It was my first time meeting with his family, and I was excited, but the nervousness dominated me.

We were at the long table inside their house, and I saw Charlotte glaring at me already. I stared down, but Noah patted my hands and I looked at him, "I'm here," he mouthed at me, causing me to smile and nod my head at the same time.

We were about to start eating when suddenly a man spoke. "Wait... Are you going to start without me?" All our heads turned around and my eyes widened when I saw Ethan.

I am so confused right now. Why is he here?

"Ethan! You came," Noah's dad said, and Ethan smiled when he walked closer to the table.

"Did you all miss me guys?" he asked them, and when I looked at them, they looked so disgusted to see him. Why?

"Hi, sister," he said to Charlotte, but she just rolled her eyes at him and started to eat. I was surprised. They're siblings?

I looked at Noah, but he was just staring at his food and we started to eat. "Oh... Abi! You're here too," he said, and sat down beside me. I was so glad to finally see him again. He helped me with those damn reporters and I am so thankful to him. I never thought that he and Noah were brothers.

We started to eat while Ethan was talking to me about the other day. I was about to speak when Noah said, "Stop talking to her, and don't disturb her while she is eating," he said, and he stopped and glared at Noah.

"You still haven't changed, Noah. The cold Noah is still there. Are you treating your wife just like that too?" he asked, and we were too stunned to speak while tension built between them. I looked at Noah, but he was looking at Ethan, and when I turned my head on Ethan, I saw him looking so bad at Noah.

"Noah..." I uttered his name in a low tone of voice, and then he looked at me with a sigh. "Continue your meal." I nodded my head and we continued to eat.

After the meal, Ethan was still giving tension to them. I don't know what the reason was, but... I feel like an outcast here. Ethan suddenly spoke, "How are you stepmother?" my eyes widened when I heard that, and I looked at Noah's mom. I get it. Ethan and Noah were step-brothers. I get it now.

"Don't call me like that, Ethan... Have you forgotten your place?" she asked him.

He chuckled, "My place? No, I didn't forget about that. Have you forgotten yours?" he asked her, confidently.

"That's enough, Ethan," his dad said to him.

"Dad... No, they should know that I am your first son, right? So? Why? Why would I stop? I... was your first son before you met her," he said, and I could sense the pain in all of his words.

"Ethan, you need to stop," his dad said to him again.

"No... This is all wrong. Why? I feel like an outcast here."

He then looked at Charlotte, "You... I never heard you call me 'brother'. I... am your older brother, Charlotte. No matter what, I will be your older brother."

After what he said, Ethan then started to walk away from them, but no one even stopped him. I looked at Noah, but he was still wearing his cold and poker face as he always had.

I feel bad for Ethan. Why do they have to be like that to him?

To be continued...