The guests fell silent when Mr Livingston walked in. His son followed with someone next to him.
"Good evening and welcome my dear friends, thank you for coming for my birthday," she said.
Alex felt the stares on her as she stood next to Nathan and his father.
He was almost done with his speech when he turned to them and smiled.
"This year is a little different since I will be adding another member to the family, my son's girlfriend and someone I see as a daughter, Alex White " he announced.
Alex smiled at the guests noticing the glare from Mrs White and the shock on the rest of the guests apart from her sister.
Nathan's father smiled, "Yes I was also shocked as you all are when I found out but excited as well. And when I got to talk and meet her I was so proud of my son for finding a sweet kind woman like Alex. so today we celebrate my birthday and also her being welcomed into my family" he said.
Alex heard the guests clap as her eyes returned to the two men next to her.
She wondered how they could favour her so much without even knowing her for that long.
"Go have fun and talk to your father. He looks like he's having a heart attack" Nathan's father whispered.
Her eyes moved to her father and panicked.
"Let's go talk to him," Nathan said.
...
"Mr White, thank you for coming to my father's birthday," Nathan said.
Her father's eyes were on her, not Nathan's.
"I told you she was hiding something, now she finally showed her true colours of being a social climber" Mrs White muttered.
"Mother," Cynthia said.
"Father, I am...." Alex wanted to say but Nathan stopped her.
"Am surprised a man of your status has such a foul-mouthed wife. I see why my girlfriend was so scared to even come here with her present" he said.
Mr White glared at his wife who looked away., "We are sorry Mr Livingston, I apologize on her behalf," he said.
"I will let it go cause of your daughter, she will kill me if I make her father suffer" his eyes landed on Alex.
She smiled glancing away, "Thank you but please let me talk to them alone"
He sighed, "Okay but if they disrespect you I won't mind who they are, and throw them out"
"Go ahead," she said. He bent down kissing her cheek then moved away.
She shifted back to her family who were staring at her.
"How did you do that?" her father said.
"Do what father?" she asked.
"Tame him, the Nathan I know is a heartless man who doesn't care about anyone. Trust me when I say he meant it when he said throwing us out if we do offend you" her father said.
Alex laughed, "I didn't tame him, he's just joking"
Her father smirked, "Am telling you he not, so how come you were able to get under his hard cold skin. Did it start on the night you stayed behind at the dinner party" her father asked, "you joined his table if I remember correctly"
"No I had met him long before that," she said, "and am a sorry father I didn't tell you sooner, I didn't know thongs would get to this"
"You don't have to apologize, dear, am happy for you. I might not know much about Nathan but I do trust his father" he said.
"Do your his girlfriend now, am happy for you sister?" said Cynthia.
"Thank you" she smiled
"And the dress and that beautiful jewellery, it looks custom made," she said.
Alex looked down at her neck and touched the necklace, "it belonged to his mother, his father handled it to me a while ago as a present"
"What?" her father said, "Isn't that something precious to the family"
"Yes it is and I said the same but he said I would be offending him if I refused it," she said.
"It's as if you are already their daughter-in-law. Are you really worth it"Mrs White said.
Alex sighed.
"Yes she is"Nathan walked up to them, his hand sliding into her waist...." "you can't possibly start to imagine how precious Alex is to me and my father cause you don't even seem to treasure your own family".
His face was cold as he glared at Alex's stepmother."Please Mr Livingston.... "Alex touched his hand.
The moment his eyes glanced upon her he softened.
A smile appeared on his face," I'm sorry "he said.