Chapter 24
I stood by Alexander. My hand rested on Sophia's shoulder. Her small body pressed close. As if for safety. The little girl was quiet. Her usual chatter stopped. By the room's heavy feel. Her hazel eyes darted nervously.
Around the rich dining hall. The air was thick with waiting. A faint crystal clink. The rustle of silk. The only sounds. Breaking the quiet.
My navy dress felt too tight. The fabric clung to my skin. A bead of sweat traced my spine. My nerves buzzed. Like live wires.
The heavy wooden doors opened. With a groan. Irina swept in. A tall, strong figure. She radiated cold power. Her silver-blonde hair. Was in an elegant bun. Her sharp face. Carved from marble. Her emerald gown. Trailed behind her. Like a queen's robe.
Her gaze was sharp, unyielding. It locked onto me. The moment she entered. A predator sizing up prey. She did not look away. As she glided toward us. Her heels clicked sharply. Against the polished marble floor.
"Good evening," she said. Her voice cold and sharp. Each sound a shard of ice. It seemed to slice through the room.
Alexander's jaw tightened beside me. A muscle ticked. Beneath the stubble. As he met her stare. With his own intense gray eyes. "Mother," he said. His tone low. Edged with danger. A warning hidden. Beneath the surface.
Irina's lips thinned. Into a faint, hateful line.
Her eyes looked me over. Lingering on my dress.
My clasped hands. The nervous tilt of my chin.
"So," she said. Her voice dripping with scorn.
"This is the nanny. She looks like a child.
Barely out of school, I would guess. Are you sure she can care for Sophia, Alexander? Or is this another of your wild ideas?"
His hand clenched at his side. His knuckles whitened. His voice dropped to a growl. That vibrated through me. "Careful, Mother," he warned. His tone a drawn sword. "You are speaking of someone I trust. Someone who has shown her worth. Watch your tongue."
If Irina was bothered, she hid it well. Her face was calm.
Her sharp gaze stayed on me. Dissecting me.
Like a pinned bug. "Trust is earned, Alexander," she said coldly.
Her voice cutting deeper. "Not given to strangers.
Who just show up. What skills does she even have?
A babysitting job? A few summers playing with kids?
Sophia deserves better. Than some... weak girl. You picked from nowhere."
I opened my mouth to reply. My cheeks burning. As I straightened.
But Sophia stepped forward. Her small voice cut through. The rising tension. "Elena is not a stranger, Grandma," she said. Her tone quivering but firm. As she clutched my hand tighter. "She is my friend. She is the best."
Irina's gaze flicked to Sophia. Softening for a moment. A grandmother's kindness. Before snapping back to me. With new anger.
"Children do not know what is best for them," she said. Her tone dismissive.
Her lips curled. Into a faint sneer. "They are easily fooled. By nice words and simple tricks. Adults must see through. Such fake acts."
Alexander's hand slammed down. On the table beside him. The sharp crack of crystal. Against wood echoed. Through the room.
His glass trembled. Amber liquid spilled. Over the rim. "Enough," he growled. His voice a low, dangerous roar. That silenced the murmurs. Around us. "Elena is here. Because I trust her. Because she has earned it greatly. That is all you need to know. And you will respect it."
Irina's lips pursed. Into a thin, defiant line. But she did not push further. Her gaze shifted. To the dining table. Where the rest of the family sat. In uneasy silence.
Rachel was there. Her hair gleamed. Under the chandelier. Her eyes shone. With quiet amusement. As she watched the talk.
Marcus, the big bodyguard. Who had been kind to me. Sat near some cousins. I did not know.
While Victor. A thin man. With a sharp tongue. And a sly smirk. Sat across from them. His presence a small problem. In the room.
The seating caused another tension spike. Irina moved to her usual spot.
At Alexander's right. Her hand touched the chair.
With a sense of ownership. But he stopped her cold.
His grip clamped onto her arm. With a force that made her freeze.
"Elena sits there," he said. His voice a steel-edged command.
Allowing no argument. As he guided me forward.
With a hand at my back. His touch firm and protective.
Irina's eyes narrowed. To slits. A flicker of anger. Sparked in their depths. But she gave in. With a stiff nod. Taking the seat across from me instead.
Her gaze pierced me. Like a spotlight. Unrelenting and cold. I shifted in my chair. The soft velvet cushion. Suddenly uncomfortable.
Sophia slid into the seat beside me. Her small hand slipping into mine. Under the table. Her grip tight. With a child's desperate trust.
Dinner began in a tense quiet. The clink of silverware. Against plates. A brittle sound. To the unease.
I whispered to Sophia. Urging her to eat. Her mashed potatoes. My voice low. As I tried to shield her. From the weight pressing on us.
Marcus offered a quiet smile. From nearby. A flicker of support. But Irina's presence loomed. Like a storm cloud.
Her sharp eyes followed my every move. Every sip of wine. Every glance at Alexander. Every word I dared to speak.
"So, Elena," she said suddenly. Her voice cut through the silence. Like a knife. Her tone dripping. With fake curiosity. "Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? What is your background? Surely you do not come from... nothing?"
I paused. My fork in mid-air. I glanced at Alexander. His jaw tight. His eyes flashing. A silent push. Or a warning. "I am from the city," I said carefully. Setting my fork down. My voice steady. Despite the heat creeping up my neck. "Just a regular neighborhood. Not much to tell."
Irina's lips curled into a sneer. Her gaze raked over me.
With scorn. "A regular neighborhood," she echoed.
Her tone mocking. As she leaned forward.
Her perfect nails tapping the table. "How charming.
And what makes you think. You are good enough.
To care for my granddaughter? A girl from nowhere.
Pretending to be responsible. Do you even have a degree?
Or are you just. Another pretty face. Relying on charm? "
My cheeks burned. Shame and defiance. Fought in my chest. But before I could answer.
Alexander's voice cut through. Sharp and deadly. "That is enough, Mother," he snapped. His tone a whip crack. That silenced the room. "Elena is more than qualified. She has been a great help to Sophia. And I will not have you. Question her worth."
Irina's gaze flicked to him. Her face hardening.
A predator sizing up a challenge. "You have always been too trusting, Alexander," she said.
Her voice low and hateful. Her eyes gleaming with disgust. "A weakness that will ruin you.
And her. She is nobody. A distraction. You have made into a hero.
She does not belong here. And you are a fool. To think otherwise."
Alexander's hand crashed. Onto the table. The glass shattered. Under his fist. With a loud crack. Shards flew across the wood. Wine splashed like blood. "Enough!" he roared.
His voice a thunderous shout. That shook the chandelier.
His anger was strong. It made the air tremble.
He surged to his feet. His chair scraped back.
With a harsh sound. His gray eyes blazed.
With such fierce rage. It took my breath.
"You will not speak of her like that. Not when I am here.
Not ever. She is mine. Mine to protect. Mine to choose. And I will not let you. Tear her down!"
The room froze. Every eye wide with shock. The silence echoed. After his outburst. Irina flinched. A tiny crack. In her cold face.
Her sharp eyes widened. As she stared at her son. Caught off guard. By his fierce defense. Victor smirked slightly.
A flicker of amusement. In his cold gaze. While Rachel's lips parted. In a silent gasp. Her hand stopped reaching for her wine.
My heart pounded. A frantic beat. As I stood. My hand shot to Alexander's arm. My touch gentle but firm. Against the tight muscle. Beneath his sleeve. "Alexander," I said softly. My voice a lifeline. Through his storm. My fingers tightened. To calm him. "It is okay. Please, let us just... breathe."
His gaze snapped to me. Wild and fierce. His chest heaved. With barely controlled anger. But the fire in his eyes. Softened at my touch. A flicker of calm. Broke through.
He took a ragged breath. His hand covered mine. His fingers rough and warm. As they pressed against my skin. "You are right," he growled. His voice low and strained. A giving in. Taken from his anger. "I am sorry. She does not get to do this to you."
Irina's lips thinned. Into a sharp line.
Her calm snapped back. As she rose. Her chair scraped the floor.
With a harsh sound. "I have had enough. Of this show," she said.
Her voice cold and cutting. Her emerald gown swirling.
As she turned quickly. And swept from the room.
The doors slammed shut behind her. With a loud bang.
The tension slowly left. A group sigh rippled. Through the table. Hushed talks began again.
I sank back into my seat. My heart still racing. My hand trembling. As I brushed Sophia's hair. Her small face pale and drawn. With fear. As she clung to me. Her fingers digging into my arm.
Alexander dropped into his chair. His broad body slumped slightly. As he ran a hand through his hair. Messing the dark strands more. "I am sorry," he muttered. His voice rough and quiet. His eyes flicked to mine. With regret and resolve. "I did not mean for it to go that far. She had no right."
I nodded. My hand resting on his arm. The heat of his skin. Seeping through his sleeve. A silent tie between us. "It is okay," I said. My voice steady. Despite the storm. Still churning inside me. "We are alright. She did not break us."
His gaze held mine. A spark of something fierce and tender. Flared in its depths. And under the table. His hand found mine. His fingers intertwined. With a strong hold. That anchored me.