Chapter 3

"Hello, Mrs. Edgar, it's nice to finally meet you," Elma said with a warm smile as she extended her hand to Gael's mother.

Gael's mother hesitated for a moment before reluctantly shaking Elma's hand. "Yes, nice to meet you too," she said, her voice cold and distant.

"Breakfast is ready, so please come downstairs," Mrs Edgar said, turning away from Elma and walking downstairs.

Mrs. Edgar sat at the head of the large, mahogany dining table, her eyes fixed on Elma as she took a delicate sip of tea from her porcelain cup. "So, dear," she said, her tone cold and measured. "How did you and Gael meet?"

Elma shifted nervously in her seat, glancing over at Gael for support. Before she could respond, however, Gael jumped in. "We met in Los Angeles," he said quickly. "At a fashion runway show I was attending. Elma's a model."

Mrs. Edgar raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. "A model, you say? I find that hard to believe. I've never heard of you, dear."

Elma shifted in her seat, clearly uncomfortable under Mrs. Edgar's scrutiny. "Yes, I am a model. I've been working in the industry for a few years now," she said, trying to remain calm.

Gael's face grew red with anger, but he tried to keep his voice calm. "Mother, please. Elma is a successful model. She's done work for some of the biggest names in the industry."

Mrs. Edgar took a sip of her tea before continuing her line of questioning. "And how exactly did you two meet? I find it hard to believe that you just happened to bump into each other at a fashion show," she asked, her tone still skeptical.

Gael quickly explained how he had been invited to the show by a friend, and how Elma had caught his eye as she walked down the runway.

Mrs. Edgar raised an eyebrow skeptically. "And how did a simple runway model manage to capture my son's attention?" she asked mockingly.

Elma felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment, but before she could respond, Gael spoke up again. "Mother, please. Elma is a wonderful person and I love her. That's all that should matter," he said firmly.

Mrs. Edgar looked at them both, not convinced. "I see." she said, before taking a bite of her sandwich.

She sniffed, still not convinced. "Well, I suppose we'll just have to take your word for it. But I must say, I find this all very sudden and quite unconventional."

As the conversation continued, the tension in the room grew palpable, with Elma growing increasingly uncomfortable under Mrs. Edgar's cold scrutiny. Despite Gael's attempts to defend her, his mother remained skeptical, and it was clear that she would be a formidable obstacle for the couple to overcome.

Mrs. Edgar sat at the head of the dining room table, her eyes fixed on Gael as he sat across from her. She took a sip of her tea before setting it down and turning her attention to him.

"So, when is this wedding supposed to happen?" she asked mockingly, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips.

Gael sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Mother, please. We haven't set a date yet," he said, trying to keep his tone even.

Mrs. Edgar's smirk grew wider. "Really? And why is that? Afraid your little model won't be able to keep up with the planning?" she asked, her words dripping with sarcasm.

Elma, who was sitting beside Gael, spoke up. "Mrs. Edgar, we want something quiet and small. Just close family and friends," she said with a gentle smile.

Mrs. Edgar's face twisted into a scowl. "Quiet and small? Absolutely not. This is my son's wedding, and it will be a grand event," she said firmly, her tone brooking no argument.

Gael clenched his jaw, visibly trying to keep his temper in check. "Elma and I are taking our time to make sure everything is perfect. We'll let you know as soon as we have a date set," he said through gritted teeth.

Mrs. Edgar shrugged dismissively. "Well, I hope it's soon. I don't want to be waiting around forever for this grand event," she said, her tone dripping with disdain.

The tension in the room was palpable as the three of them sat in silence, sipping their tea and picking at their sandwiches. 

The door to the dining room suddenly swung open, and in walked Kim, Gael's ex-girlfriend, interrupting the tense silence. Everyone turned as Kim, Gael's ex-girlfriend, walked into the room.

Mrs. Edgar's expression immediately changed, her cold demeanor melting away as she welcomed Kim warmly. "Oh, dear, come join us!" she said, gesturing to an empty seat at the table.

Gael's face went white as Kim took a seat next to him, a confused look on her face. Elma, meanwhile, looked uncomfortable, her eyes flitting between Gael and Kim.

"Oh, I didn't realize we had company," Kim said, looking around the table.

Mrs. Edgar's expression turned cold once again as she introduced Elma to Kim. "Yes, this is Elma," she said in a mocking tone, "Gael's new fiance."

Kim's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Gael, who sat frozen in his seat. "Oh," she said, her voice small.

The tension in the room was palpable as the four of them sat in silence, with Mrs Edgar's cold and mocking attitude towards Elma and the obvious discomfort between Gael and Kim.

Kim sauntered over to Elma with a smirk on her face. She stood tall and confident as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Oh, Gael's new girl," she said mockingly. "I'm just his ex. You know, the one he can't seem to get over." She glanced over at Gael with a suggestive look in her eye, making it clear that she still had feelings for him. Elma's face hardened and she looked away, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

Gael stood up from the dining room table, his chair scraping against the floor. "Kim, come with me," he said, his voice tight with anger. Kim stood up, a mocking look on her face as she glanced over at Elma. Elma remained seated, watching the scene unfold with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

Gael grabbed Kim's arm and led her out of the room. Once they were alone, he turned to her, his voice rising in anger. "What the hell was that scene back there? Why did you show up here unannounced?"

Kim looked at him defiantly. "I wanted to see you," she said. "I didn't think you'd be so angry about it."

Gael shook his head in frustration. "You can't just show up here like this, creating a scene in front of everyone. What were you thinking?"

Kim looked up at him. "I don't believe in the marriage scene your mom told me"

Gael looked uncomfortable as he confirmed "That's what it is."

She leaned forward to Gael as she placed her hands on his chest and told him "Tell me you haven't missed me." 

Gael couldn't control his emotions any longer. He reached out and grabbed Kim, pulling her into a passionate kiss. He couldn't believe how much he had missed her.

Kim responded to his kiss with equal passion, her arms wrapping around his neck as she pulled him closer. The world around them seemed to fade away as they lost themselves in the moment.

Gael's hands roamed over her body, pulling her closer to him as he deepened the kiss. He couldn't get enough of her.

Kim moaned softly as Gael's hands caressed her skin, her own hands running through his hair.