Chapter 51: The Happy Couple

Everyone looked at my father who stood with a big smile on his face and I waited impatiently, tapping my foot to get this over with.

"I'd like to start off with thanking everyone for coming tonight to this party. I appreciate the time you have taken out of your busy schedules to come here, so thank you. Secondly, I'd like to encourage my son, Adam..." He looked at me and I walked over to stand beside him with my champagne glass in hand.

"You've done a great job planning this party all on your own. Your mother would be proud of you today. She loved a good masquerade. Said she loved how anyone could be just... anyone here. Good job son." He clapped me on the shoulder and a light applause was heard.

"And to the beautiful woman with my son, my dear Isabelle, come forward will you?" He looked at Isabelle expectantly and I saw her falter a bit before she regained her composure and walked towards us and stood beside me. I put my arm around her waist and saw the various looks being thrown our way.

"I don't know how you've done it, but you've changed my son for the better and I hope your future will be as bright as your dazzling smile as you move on to a new part of your lives and start a new life together, because I've never seen my son more in love." He gave us a mischievous smile and I froze, so did Isabelle.

Did he just imply that we were in... love? Was I in love?

And somewhere in that sappy speech of his he just announced that Rose and I may or may not be together... permanently... as in... engaged and soon to be married.

Marriage...

"Best wishes to the both of you!" My father spoke and raised his glass, so did everyone else and drank. I took a large sip while Rose stood there frozen. I could see the terror in her eyes as she searched for an escape. My arm tightened around her.

"Rose... I-..." But she cut me off by raising her hand.

"I need some space to uh... process... all of.. this...us..." She stressed on 'us' more that she should have and I felt a pang in my chest.

Was she second guessing our relationship? Did she not want to be with me anymore? What the fuck did she mean by process?

I watched her walk over to her brothers who put an arm around her shoulder and they left.. just like that..

My father came over to me with a few people behind him who shook hands with me and spoke about the most useless things, while my mind wandered off to Rose.

What could she be thinking right now?

The people with me took their leave and my father turned to me.

"Where's Isabelle son?" He asked and my eyes snapped to his.

"She left." I told him "Why the hell did you tell everyone we were together?" I hissed at him and he frowned.

"Everybody already knows, don't they?" He asked me.

"Yes, but you just implied that I was settling down." I said through clenched teeth and he held up one hand to silence me.

"I spoke of it indirectly, no need to fret over such small things now."

"Small things? Indirectly?" I chuckled at him. "Everyone fucking thinks I'm engaged to her"

"Language. And you need to settle down son.. It was about time you did."

"Yeah well thanks for nothing, dad." I hissed and walked away from him, yanking my mask off and throwing it somewhere before I left the mansion and went to the front, grabbing my car keys from the valet and drove off into the night.

I stopped at a gas station to fill my tank. God knows where I was. I went out, filling my tank and paying for it, then bought some alcohol downing it in one go as I sat in my car.

What now?

I hit the steering wheel hard. "Fuck!" I shouted, breathing deeply as my father's words rang in my head.

"I've never seen my son more in love."

I chuckled to myself. "Bastard thinks I'm in love." Then my grin disappeared as I stared off into the distance.

Love... Am I in love?

God knows what I feel.