Chapter Four

< Nina >

My birthday doesn’t have to be a big occasion. My mom feasted us with my favorites and she even put party hats for the three of us. I feel flustered at her grand gesture since we rarely had this opportunity to celebrate my birthday given how heavy her workload is.

It felt normal at first, she keeps chatting on and on about her work and occasionally teases me with Gene since she sometimes calls us “love birds” to my embarrassment. 

I love my mom but sometimes she’s jumping to conclusions with my relationship with Gene. We’re friends, that’s all.

And when she reveals the news during our meals, my jaw drops, no longer interested in defending myself from her teasing. 

“Y-You’re getting married in Spain, mom? T-To Rodrigo Gomez?”

Of course it has to be him. Rodrigo Gomez, her long-time boyfriend of eight years has finally decided to kneel on his one knee before proposing to her.

I thought their whirlwheel romance is just a phase, since she hasn’t mentioned him a lot recently. 

“C-Congratulations, mom!” I stammer as I smile. Gene says his congratulations afterwards while he continues to stuff himself with food. He isn’t a fast eater. In fact, he has been eating in a snail-pace by chewing the meat piece by piece.

Even if he’s starving, he doesn’t wolf the food like most guys do. 

But that would mean…this will be the first time my mom is going to be the legal wife.

When she gave birth, she and my biological father were in their teens then. But after hearing that she decided to keep me, he went somewhere far away, leaving my mother to support me on her own. 

So the news strikes me as a huge surprise. I should be happy, really. And this should be something worth celebrating.

However…

“We are going to hold the wedding in his home city next year,” she says as she pours water into both of our now empty glasses. “Even if Rodrigo retired from acting, it doesn’t mean he is free from the public eye.”

“And his country is the key to running away from the presses?”

The problem with her boyfriend, I mean, fiance, is that he is a famous celebrity in Hollywood. 

Back in his prime, he was known as the most handsome celebrity in most gossip magazines and he won many awards due to his raw talent.

His early retirement years ago caused a huge uproar in the Hollywood industry.

“He’d never gotten this chance with Elina, you know.”

“Speaking of which,” she adds, beamingly towards me. “She’s going to the wedding.”

“Is she, huh?” Elina is the ex-wife, I thought.

I met her once, five years ago in Italy for her birthday. She sent us tickets to head to Venice. It was my first time riding a plane and I wasn’t really used to anything fancy.

During that time, I was really worried about the tension between the wife and the other woman but the moment when Elina saw them, she ran and embraced us both. She introduced my mom to her friends and some of her relatives. 

My first impression of Elina was weird. She may have been very welcoming to us during her birthday party but I couldn’t figure out why she’s completely okay with the situation they are in.

It’s really strange that she accepts the woman who broke off their marriage.

‘It’s as if I’m the only sane person in this fiasco,’ I thought, sighing.

“Y-you will definitely love Spain, Nina!” My mom continues, cutting my trail of thoughts. “You will be moving there with us after your graduation.”

...What?

As my mother said that, Gene stops eating as he looks surprised as well.

“I’m going to Spain?” I ask, looking baffled at the news.

“A-after your graduation, honey,” mom answers. “Rodrigo didn’t have the chance to spend time with you plus in Spain, no one will bother us there.”

“Plus, there’s an international university there so you don’t need to learn Spanish yet.”

“I—I see,” is my only response. I give a sideways glance to Gene who has been quiet the whole time. He just resumes eating his meal.

But something feels off.

I have this gut feeling that there is still more news. Whenever my mom stutters, it means she’s incredibly nervous. “A—anything else, mom?”

There is a long pause before mom sighs as she looks straight into my eyes, “Honey, the thing is… I’m going to Spain in two days.”

I don’t like where this is going. 

“Rodrigo and I,” she continues. “ We were thinking that it would be better if you finish your school here before moving with us to Spain. It was a sudden decision and we don’t want you to feel uncomfortable in your last year in high school. Besides, we will be very busy preparing for the wedding.”

“So I will stay here until graduation?”

I try to think of the bright side.

Honestly, that seems to be a good idea since I’m not really ready for Spain. Heck, I don’t even know how to construct proper sentences in Spanish class!

My only concern is to deal with the daily chores and to do a bit of money management.

My mom continues to stare at me. Her eyes are telling me that there’s more than just that.

“Honey, do you still remember Luca?”

“N-no,” I stuttered for the nth time before looking at the hem of my sweater.

Luca de Milano.

The same guy I tried to forget all these years.

All I remember is the fury in his eyes and how he’s ready to kill me.

How could I not forget him? I met him in Italy and well, it’s still fresh in my mind the way he looked down on me as I was on the floor.

“You met him when you were thirteen. He’s their son.”

“I—I see.” I couldn’t count the number of times I said that. Just the thought of his icy glare makes me shiver in fear.

“Because we want our children to get along, we’re hoping that before the wedding, you can get to know each other more.” Oh no, I don’t like where this is going.

“He may not be blood-related but he will be your family soon. So—“

“Mom,” I interrupt her as I muster the courage to ask. My stomach’s churning, my mind drifting to a path filled with uncertainty. “Are you saying that I will be living with him?”

“Yes~” she beams, clasping her hands, unaware of my gaping mouth.

This isn’t the surprise that I’m expecting at all.