The restaurant Mrs. Laurent had chosen was, predictably, excessive.
Crystal chandeliers hung from vaulted ceilings. White–gloved servers moved between tables efficiently that showed years of training.
The prices on the menu had no numbers…just descriptions of the food that suggested if you had to ask, you couldn’t afford it.
Adrian and Sophia arrived fifteen minutes late…deliberately so, at Sophia’s insistence. She’d needed the extra time to steel herself for what was coming.
The moment they stepped through the doors, Sophia’s stomach dropped.
The private dining room Mrs. Laurent had reserved. What was supposed to be an intimate family dinner had transformed into something else entirely.
Mrs. Laurent sat at the head of the long table. Derek lounged in the chair beside her, that insufferable smirk already plastered across his face. Aunt Marie was there too, her sharp eyes tracking Sophia and Adrian’s entrance like a hawk spotting prey.
But it was the other occupants that made Sophia’s blood run cold.
Three young men in expensive suits sat interspersed along the table, their postures relaxed, their expressions confident. She recognized one of them immediately…Richard Zhang, whose family owned the Zhang Pharmaceutical empire. The other two were strangers, but they had that same air of old money and entitled confidence.
“Sophia!” Mrs. Laurent’s voice rang out, warm and welcoming in a way that set Sophia on edge. “There you are! We were beginning to worry you’d gotten lost.”
Every eye in the room turned toward them.
Sophia felt Adrian’s hand settle on the small of her back. She drew strength from it and forced herself to walk forward with her head high.
“Mother,” Sophia said, her voice carefully controlled. “You said this was a family dinner.”
“It is, darling!” Mrs. Laurent gestured expansively at the table. “These young men are practically family. Their parents have been friends with our family for years.”
“That’s not what family means,” Sophia said tightly.
Derek let out a bark of laughter. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic, cousin. Mother Laurent simply wanted to ensure you had all the information before making any… hasty decisions” His eyes slid to Adrian with obvious contempt. After all, one should always compare options before committing to a purchase, yes?”
Sophia’s hands clenched into fists, but before she could respond, Mrs. Laurent was already gesturing to the empty
seats.
“Please, sit! We’ve been waiting to order.” She indicated two chairs near the middle of the table…conspicuously separated from each other, with one of the suited men positioned between them. “Adrian, you’ll sit there. Sophia, here beside Richard.”
“No,” Sophia said flatly. “We’ll sit together.”
Mrs. Laurent’s smile tightened almost imperceptibly. “Sophia, the seating arrangement has already been…”
“Then rearrange it.” Sophia moved to two adjacent chairs on the opposite side of the table and pulled one out,
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gesturing for Adrian to sit. She took the seat beside him, he posture rigid with barely contained anger.
An uncomfortable silence settled over the table.
Derek recovered first, leaning forward with that same mocking grin. “Well! Someone’s gotten bold since we last saw her. Tell me, cousin, is this newfound backbone courtesy of your fiancé here?”
Adrian’s expression remained perfectly neutral as he calmly unfolded his napkin and placed it in his lap. He said nothing.
Derek’s smile widened, unbothered. He turned to the three suited men. “Gentlemen, let me introduce you. This is Adrian Cole…Sophia’s current… attachment. Adrian, this is Richard, Michael, and James. All very successful and eligible, and very interested in getting to know my dear cousin better.”
Richard Zhang leaned forward, his expression polished and professional. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both. Your mother speaks very highly of you, Sophia.”
“I’m sure she does,” Sophia said coldly, not looking at him.
Michael …the real estate developer…tried next. “I actually know of your company, Miss Laurent. Stellar Dynamics, correct? Very impressive work in the sustainable energy sector. I’d love to discuss potential partnerships…”
“I’m not interested in discussing business tonight,” Sophia cut him off.
The third man, James, adjusted his expensive glasses and studied Adrian with barely concealed curiosity. “And you, Mr. Cole? What field are you in?”
“I manage a few things,” Adrian said calmly, reaching for his water glass. “Nothing particularly noteworthy.”
Derek snorted. “Oh, he’s being modest! Let me fill in the details. Our mysterious guest is too humble to share.” He pulled out his phone with theatrical flourish. “You see, gentlemen, I took the liberty of doing a little background check on Mr. Adrian Cole.”
“Derek,” Sophia warned, her voice dropping to something dangerous.
“What? I’m just being thorough!” Derek’s eyes gleamed with malicious delight as he scrolled through his phone. ” Let’s see… Adrian Cole. Age twenty–eight. No record of higher education from any reputable university. No registered business ownership. No property holdings in his name. No professional licenses or certifications. No board memberships. No charitable foundation involvement
He paused for effect, looking up with mock concern. “In fact, the only significant record I could find was a marriage certificate to one Victoria Cole…recently divorced, I might add…and the rather interesting detail that our Mr. Cole spent the past three years as a… how shall I put this delicately… a homemaker?”
The word hung in the air like a curse.
Richard’s eyebrows rose. Michael’s expression shifted from polite interest to poorly concealed amusement. James Liu sat back in his chair, a small smirk playing on his lips.
“A homemaker,” Richard repeated slowly, as if testing the word. “How… progressive.”
“Oh, it’s very modern,” Derek agreed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Very forward–thinking. The man of the house staying home while the woman works. Admirable, really. If you ignore the part where he contributed absolutely nothing to society for three years.”
“That’s enough,” Sophia said, her voice shaking with rage.
“Is it though?” Derek leaned forward, his eyes locked on Adrian. “I mean, we’re all adults here. We can speak plainly. You have no education, no career, no assets, no prospects. You lived off your ex–wife for three years like a parasite, and now you’ve moved on to my cousin.” He spread his hands in mock confusion. “What exactly do you
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bring to this relationship besides a pretty face?”
Adrian took a sip of water, completely unbothered. “Is there a question in there, or are you just enjoying the sound of your own voice?”
Derek’s face flushed red. Several people at the table shifted uncomfortably.
Mrs. Laurent cleared her throat delicately. “Derek, while your… research is appreciated, perhaps we could discuss this more civilly…”
“There’s nothing to discuss,” Sophia interrupted, standing abruptly. Her chair scraped loudly against the floor. ” This entire dinner is a farce. You didn’t invite us here for a family meal, Mother. You invited us here to humiliate Adrian and push your own agenda.”
“Sophia, sit down,” Mrs. Laurent said sharply. “You’re making a scene.”
“Let me make a scene!” Sophia’s voice rose, drawing attention from nearby tables despite the private room. “You ambushed us with these… these peacocks preening for your approval, you had Derek dig into Adrian’s personal history like some kind of spy, and you expect me to just sit here and smile?”
“I expect you to show some maturity!” Mrs. Laurent stood as well, her composure finally cracking. “I’m trying to protect you from making a catastrophic mistake! This man.” she gestured at Adrian with barely concealed disgust “…has nothing! No wealth, no status, no connections, no future worth mentioning! And you want to tie yourself to him permanently?”
“He has more integrity than anyone at this table,” Sophia shot back.
Derek burst out laughing. “Integrity? Integrity doesn’t pay bills, cousin. Integrity doesn’t maintain your lifestyle. Integrity doesn’t keep you from ending up broke and desperate like he obviously was when he latched onto you.”
“You would know all about being broke and desperate,” Sophia said coldly, turning her glare on him. “Since you’ve spent your entire adult life leeching off family members. Tell me, Derek, when was the last time you actually earned money instead of begging for it?”
Derek’s face went from red to purple. “How dare you…”
“Enough!” Mrs. Laurent slammed her hand on the table, rattling the silverware. “Both of you! This is completely unacceptable behavior…”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
