05. Really?

Elena's POV

"Rylan." All our eyes followed Ruby's and landed on the one and only Rylan Parker.

What I didn't expect was the way he was looking at me but then I remembered it was all about our little drama. Trying my best to ignore him, I looked at Ava who was smiling widely at me.

"Ella!" Leaving his father's side, she started running in my direction. On reaching me, she put both of her hands on my lap and smiled goofily . Her smile was so irresistible that even I was smiling like an idiot.

"Hey sweetheart!" I picked her up and placed her on my lap.

"It seems that Ava already knows Elena." She looked at Mom who was smiling at her with adoration.

"Yes. Ella is my friend. Right Ella?" She looked at my face for a response.

"Right, sweetie." I tapped her nose causing her to giggle.

"It seems you like her." Leah smilingly said.

"I do." She bobbed her head up and down emphasizing on the statement. I had to control my urge to squish her cheeks.

"Do you know why she's here?" I pressed my lips against each other, slightly skeptical of her reaction. She shook her head from side to side.

"Yes, sweetheart. Your father is getting married to Elena." My gaze was solely trained on Ava. Liking someone is something and having a person married to your father is a completely different thing.

"Really?" She looked at me, her eyes filled with hope and excitement.

"Really." She grinned and turned around to hug me.

Looking up, I saw Rylan looking at me with a cold calculating gaze, like he was trying to study me. I wouldn't lie that I didn't feel intimidated by his stare.

"Can I take you to my room here?"  Ava tugged at my hand, bringing my attention successfully back.

"Sure, let's go!" She clapped in excitement and pulled me up . Excusing ourselves from everyone, we went up or more like she dragged me to her room.

Rylan's POV

Elena's mother, Talia had a tall frame but a much softer gaze unlike her husband. Roger's calculating stare directed towards me however did very little to hide his sickness which was visible through the dark patches under his eyes. I pushed away the slightest guilt that was knocking at my door at the fact that I had used his sickness as a threat. I convinced myself that I was doing Elena a favour for she couldn't have afforded the best treatment for Roger had I not made her sign this contract.

I shook hands with them before returning my gaze to Elena. She passed me a fake smile and I smiled back. My eyes did a quick take on her outfit. Undoubtedly she looked gorgeous in the plum dress. I forced my eyes away before the stare would become too obvious.

As soon as Ava noticed Elena, she squealed and sprinted from my side towards her.

Elena flashed a big smile, picked her up and placed her on her lap. She kept talking animatedly with her while she giggled at her antics.

"Yes, you're right. " she agreed to something Ava had said as they descended down the stairs before letting out a small giggle. Her giggle sounded so pure and sweet-

I rolled my eyes at my chain of thoughts before standing up and making my way towards them. I put my hand around Elena's waist and kissed her cheek.

"Hey, can we go outside and talk?" She looked startled for a second before composing herself.

"Sure." The fake smile was back on her face. She followed me outside to the garden.

"What did you have to say?" My eyes followed the movement of her hand as it went to push her hair behind her shoulder.

"You were not supposed to speak of this agreement to anyone." I kept my voice low, careful enough that we didn't have ears on us.

"And I didn't." She folded her arms across her chest.

"Stop lying." I gritted.

"What's your problem? I didn't say anything to anyone." She semi-yelled.

"Then why was your father looking at me like that?" Her forehead creased in confusion.

"Like what?"

"He was giving me that hard look. He doesn't look impressed." Her eyebrows rose on their accord before the corner of her lips curved up in a smile.

"Oh! That's because my Dad is smart." She ended with a small shrug. I raised a brow at her questionably.

"What? Why are you so conceited?Not everyone has to like you. Chill." She unfolded her arms and mockingly smiled at me.

"Come inside once you get over yourself." Saying this she gracefully carried herself inside the house. I rubbed my chin in annoyance before thrusting my hands back in the pocket and following her inside.

The dinner went with the parents talking of a lot of things and us stealing occasional measuring glances of each other.

By the end of the dinner, our wedding  was fixed at the end of the next month. This sudden need to marry meant that I had to let someone in in my life and this was making me feel more irritated than ever.

"I am so happy right now, I will have another daughter soon." Mom looked so taken by her.

"Thank you, Mrs. Parker." That smile never left her face.

"Mrs. Parker sounds old. Call me Mom or Leah." I was unable to understand how easily Mom had accepted her within such a short span of time. Not that it mattered. In a year, she would be out of our lives for good.

"Okay. " She softly smiled back.

"We will take your leave now. " The hard look on Roger's face was now replaced by a warm smile.

"It was lovely meeting you, Leah." Talia gave Mom's hand a gentle squeeze.

"Oh the pleasure was all mine ."  Mom smiled back.

"Bye Ava!" Elena bent down and kissed her on her cheek.

"Bye Ella!"  Ava briefly hugged her.

She stood up and looked at me for a second and turned to leave. My hand unconsciously grazed on the ring settled in my finger.

………..

Elena's POV

"Say something." I poked Liv's leg. She glared hard at me.

Liv and Tyler used to date back in mid school but then they broke up. They got over it pretty soon and since then we three have been best friends. So my house mostly has been the spot for hanging out and my parents loved both of them like their own. Tyler had lost his mother when he was very young. So he had grown very close to Mom.

"I'm sorry." I pouted.

"Doesn't matter anymore." She looked away. I turned my gaze at Tyler.

"Tyler?" I gave him my best puppy dog eyes, causing him to sigh.

"What do you want me to say? You got engaged and we didn't even know that you had a boyfriend in the first place!" He stared at me, mirroring the expression of an upset father.

"That's ridiculous and a breach of best friend's policy!" Liv narrowed her eyes on me.

"I know and I'm really sorry, please." They both looked at my face and then at each other's.

"Fine. Now tell me how you even met this Rylan Parker. I mean you don't even work in his company." To see how she can go from being mad to sporting an excited grin was borderline scary. I grinned back, glad that she wasn't upset any more.

"We met at the Treats." Tyler came and sat  in front of me as I braced myself to fill her in on my so-called love story.