Meeting Theodore's family

Malcolm cleared his throat, grabbing their attention. "You, brat!" He feigned fury, puffing out his chest. "You got married but didn't think of telling me! Do you still have regard for me in your heart?"

"Grandpa, don't be mad." Theodore approached him, holding Bella's hand. "I was planning to introduce Bella properly at our meeting this weekend."

"Humph!" Malcolm harrumphed, turning away with a theatrical huff. "Well, I wouldn't have known a thing about it if Gary hadn't called me."

"I see! Gary told you." Theodore raised his eyebrows, realizing who had leaked the news. 'Your reward is canceled, Gary,' he muttered to himself, grimacing.

"You dared to marry without my consent and hide your wife from me," Malcolm roared, his loud voice booming inside the foyer. "Do you still have regard for your elders?"

Sensing Malcolm was still upset, Bella stepped forward, a hesitant smile on her face. She introduced herself: "Grandpa. I am Bella."

Malcolm turned to her, his gaze softening.

"We are sorry," she apologized. "We registered our marriage without letting you know. But it's not Theodore's fault. Don't blame him. It was actually my request to keep it a secret... for the time being."

Theodore watched, intrigued, as Bella navigated the situation with surprising grace. A sly smile tugged at his lips. He was curious to hear what she was going to say.

"Why, dear?" Malcolm asked, surprised and concerned at the same time.

Bella met his gaze, then stole a quick glance at Theodore before refocusing on the old man. "I come from a simple family, Grandpa," she explained. "Marrying Theodore felt like a dream. I was afraid... afraid you wouldn't accept me. I just needed some time to introduce myself properly."

A wave of warmth washed over Malcolm's face. "Social status means nothing to me, dear," he reassured her, placing a gentle hand over hers. "As long as you love my grandson, you're already a part of this family." With that, he pulled Bella into a warm embrace.

Theodore watched them, a rare smile playing on his lips. Malcolm's display of affection was genuine, and it eased the tension that had been building up.

"Thank you, Grandpa," Bella murmured, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

A lump formed in Bella's throat, heavy with guilt. She felt as if she was deceiving him. This marriage was temporary, only for a year. Would Malcolm ever forgive them for lying to him?

Stealing a glance at Theodore, she found him oblivious to the storm brewing, his face devoid of worry.

Malcolm pulled back, holding her at arm's length to look into her eyes. "All I want to see is you support each other, no matter what. Welcome to the family." He turned to Theodore, his stern expression softening. "You did well, Theo. You have a fine woman by your side."

Theodore chuckled. "Thank you, Grandpa."

"Come and meet the other members of the house." Malcolm, with a warm smile, ushered them inside.

Two women sat on a plush sofa, their lively chatter dying down as they noticed the couple. Their eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Bella beside Theodore.

"Theo, dear," the middle-aged woman inquired, her perfectly arched eyebrows shooting up in surprise, "who is this lovely lady?"

"This is my wife, Bella," Theodore replied.

The revelation hung in the air, causing both women to erupt in bewildered gasps.

"Wife?" the younger woman shrieked, her perfectly made-up face contorting in disbelief. "Theo! Why would you do this? Why did you marry her?"

She launched herself off the sofa, charging towards Theodore with surprising agility. "You were supposed to marry me!" she whined with a whiny nasal quality. Extending a perfectly manicured hand, she reached for his.

Theodore, however, retreated with a grimace.

"Grandpa!" She whirled around, her lower lip trembling dramatically. "This is simply unfair! I've been in love with Theo since we were teenagers. How could he do this to me?" Throwing Malcolm a pleading look, she exclaimed, "Please, you have to do something about this injustice!"

"Stop it, Gina!" Theodore bellowed, too tired to see her crocodile tears. "I never promised to marry you, so stop whining."

Gina sniffled dramatically. "Heartless! You are absolutely heartless, Theo! Don't you know I've always dreamed of being your wife?"

Bella stood there, feeling like an outsider in the midst of the family drama. She could sense the tension in the room, and it made her feel even more out of place.

"I never asked you to wait for me," Theodore snapped. "I never liked you."

"Aunty!" Gina sobbed, looking back at the middle-aged woman, who rushed to her defense.

"Calm down, Gina. Don't cry!" She looked up at Theodore sharply. "Gina has been devoted to this family for years, Theodore. She has never even dated anyone, waiting patiently for you to marry her. At least, you should have informed us before getting married."

Theodore's jaw clenched. "I don't need your lectures, Claudia," he hissed. "Your opinion means nothing to me."

Claudia's perfectly manicured hand flew to her chest, a gasp escaping her lips. "You! I am still your mother. Look at yourself: How you are speaking to me! Show some respect to me in front of an outsider."

Theodore shot her a steely glare. "She is not an outsider," he corrected sharply. "She is my wife." He wrapped a protective arm around Bella, pulling her close.

"Enough!" Malcolm roared, effectively silencing everyone. "Gina," he began, "you need to understand this: Theodore has made his choice, and we must respect that. Bella is now a part of this family. Treat her with respect."

Gina's face contorted with frustration, but she didn't argue further. She shot Bella a venomous look before turning away in a huff.

"Gina, you are still young and beautiful," Malcolm continued, his voice softening. "You will find a suitable partner in the future. Don't waste your energy pining over Theodore. He never made any promises to you."

Turning back to the couple, he offered a warm smile. "Theodore and Bella love each other, and that's all that matters. I fully accept their relationship."

"This isn't fair!" Gina shrieked. "You invited me here just to humiliate me in front of this... this nobody! I won't accept this! Theodore should marry me!"

Claudia bristled at Malcolm's words, her anger simmering beneath the surface. However, she knew better than to defy the old man. She swallowed her fury and reached out a placating hand. "Gina, calm down, please."

But Gina was far from ready to listen to reason. With a final, petulant stamp of her foot, she stormed off, disappearing up the stairs in a flurry of tears and ruffled feathers.

Claudia sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. She cast a withering look at Bella and Theodore before following Gina.

Bella dumbfoundedly watched them, a strange feeling settling on her. It seemed like Claudia cared about Gina a lot as if she were her own daughter.

'Maybe they are close,' she reasoned.

She glanced up at Theodore, who still had his arm wrapped protectively around her. His face was a mask of stoic determination, but she could sense the tension in his posture.

"Let's not dwell on this," Malcolm said firmly, drawing their attention back to him. "I'll talk to Gina. She will understand."

"Why did you invite her here in the first place?" Theodore roared. "You know I can't stand her!"

Malcolm held up his hands in defense. "I didn't invite her. She showed up this morning, announcing she'd be staying for a few days. You know Gina. She lost her mother when she was a child, and she has been incredibly attached to Claudia. There wasn't much I could do to stop her."

Theodore groaned in frustration. "Make sure she doesn't show up when I am here."

"You both must be tired after your journey." Malcolm changed the topic. "Why don't you head upstairs and rest for a while? We'll all meet for dinner later."

Theodore nodded curtly and took Bella's hand, leading her towards a bedroom on the first floor. Malcolm watched them disappear into the room, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow.