Perhaps, Arianna should consider this meeting between her mother and Marcel a blessing because the interaction between the both of them changed for the better. They both chatted away like two estranged friends who finally got back together after a while and she was happy about the sudden turn of events. Although their conversations revolved around Penelope, she didn’t mind.
However, there was a tiny little problem in the name of Ephraim, Elvis, and Ezra with no Elijah – she has no seen him since the night he helped her meet up with Marcel.
But then, the presence of all three of them was making Marcel uncomfortable even though he wasn’t showing it. Why wouldn’t Marcel feel discomfort when they were glaring at him so intently they could have bored a hole in his head by now.
Arianna slapped her hand down on the armrest in annoyance and said to Eric, who was quietly sipping his tea and pretending to be oblivious to his brother’s shenanigans,
“Should I say it or are you going to say it?”
Eric lowered his cup and asked innocently, “Say what?”
Arianna closed her eyes with a sigh, were they going to play this game?
“You. You. And you. What are you really doing here?” She pointed at all three of them.
While Ezra and Elvis merely shrugged, Ephraim the tricky one answered her, “We heard that our little Arianna brought a boy home. What do you think we are here to do if not to welcome him?” He gave her a wide smile.
.....
“Well, you guys have been doing enough of that welcome for over fifteen minutes and you’re not even the host,” The host Eric was busy drinking tea and staying on neutral ground. She retorted, “Isn’t it high time you guys left already, or don’t you have something to do?”
“Exactly, we don’t have anything to do, which is why we have come to show our support to you, our precious sister-in-law,” Ezra chipped in this time and Arianna could not even answer back. The level of their shamelessness left her speechless.
“Eric, do something,” Arianna almost whined like a baby. They were clearly here to bully Marcel, not help him.
At this point, even Arianna and Natalie could not continue their conversation any more thanks to their distraction. Not that Marcel had been paying full attention to the conversation with Natalie anyway – he heard everything Arianna and the Draven brothers were talking about.
“What is it?” Natalie finally realized something was wrong.
Knowing her mother would be on her side, Arianna opened her mouth to speak but Ephraim beat her to it, saying “Dear sister-in-law, Natalie, we are here to scan and access Arianna’s boyfriend as caring and responsible relatives that we are. However, she is making a huge deal and wants us to leave which I find highly suspicious. Why does it feel like she has another motive in mind which is why she wants us as far as possible?”
His words were ambiguous and Arianna
threw up blood mentally. It was confirmed, they were here to ruin her time with Marcel. She should have known that Eric’s brothers were not going to accept Marcel that easily. But then, who needs their approval?!
“Even if she has another motive in mind, aren’t both of them adults and capable of taking responsibility for their actions, or are you merely nosy relatives?” Victor came to her defense and she smirked victoriously at them.
Ezra answered him, “This is our house and it is our responsibility to look out for her as family, ensuring that she made the right choice. ”
“Oh, so the house is the problem?” Victor snorted, “Even though it’s your father’s house. Aren’t you ashamed to say that?”
Now everyone had their eyes on Ezra and Victor, sensing the hostility between both men. They could sense something was up but just couldn’t figure it out, except Arianna and Marcel who knew the bone of contention between Ezra and Victor.
Mimi.
Right now they were trying to prove who was the better man.
Fools.
“At least it’s my father’s house, and you are nothing but an intruder.” Ezra narrowed her gaze at Victor, electricity crackling between them when their eyes met.
“That’s enough,” Eric said, putting down his cup, done with his tea. Instant silence saturated the room while his gaze took in everyone in the room.
“Marcel is a reputable guest here, respect him.” He declared and it was final.
There was an awkward silence for a while until Elvis suddenly stood up and walked over to Marcel while everyone watched, curious about what he was up to. The man had a huge frame so when he stood in front of Marcel who was seated beside Natalie, he completely towered over him.
Arianna watched the scene with her heart in her throat and her eyes wide, hoping that he was not about to do something stupid amid Eric’s instructions. So when he suddenly thrust his hand in front of Marcel’s face, Arianna nearly screamed out of terror thinking that he was about to hit him or something.
But he only said,
“Nice to meet you, I’m Elvis ”
His hand was out only for a handshake and not to hit him as she had thought. Damn, that was quite a scare, Arianna tried to calm her racing heart. This family would be the end of her one day.
Marcel was flustered too and it had taken him a lot of control to not react when Elvis suddenly moved in front of him. He could tell the man had done it on purpose to scare and test him at the same time.
Nonetheless, Marcel put on a bright expression as he stood up to his feet since he couldn’t shake his hands while sitting.
“Nice to meet you too, I’m Elvis.” He shook his hands firmly.
Without warning, the man suddenly tugged him forward and Marcel fell into his arms, stunned. Elvis laughed loudly and patted him on the chest and when no one was looking, he said to Marcel in a low voice,
“Elijah deserved what came his way. However, hurt Arianna and I would break every single bone in your body.” He threatened him.
Marcel swallowed, breaking apart from Elvis with a smile that didn’t touch his eyes. And just like that, the two other brothers welcomed him and with a very graphic warning in the end that involved Arianna. And he did not doubt that they meant it.
Instead of brothers-in-law, it almost seemed to Marcel that Arianna gained three protective brothers instead.