Seven

MORGAN'S POV 

When I got to my new in-laws house, I wasn't expecting to be welcomed by the sight of my wife being thrown out of the house.

As she stumbled onto the porch, I reached forward quickly and caught her arms, steadying her. 

"What's going on?" I demanded, taking in her face. 

Her face was flushed, her lips pursed, while her eyes were teary and red.

"Nothing"' she muttered, turning her face away from me and freeing herself from my grip. 

"What are you doing here?", she inquired.

I looked towards the open door, where.Eve’s sister had been standing a few seconds ago. Turning around, I spotted Henry who was carrying several shopping bags. 

"Henry, bring them into the house" I told him.

"Okay, boss" Henry agreed and walked past Eve and i into the house.

"What is that?" Eve asked as she looked closely at the bags Henry was carrying.

"Gifts for my new in-laws," I answered, and then reached for her hand. 

"Come on, let's go inside!"

EVE'S POV 

I was a bit hesitant to take his hand, but I later did. As I went back into the house in his company, I wasn't sure of what kind of reaction to expect. After all, I had just been kicked out of the family.

Morgana and Cindy were waiting in the living room, with Cindy already going through one of the bags the other guy had brought inside.

 Jeffery was nowhere to be seen, and I figured he must have disappeared into his study.

"Hello, Mrs Luciano," Morgan greeted politely, letting go of my hand and shaking hands with Morgana.

I held my breath at the exchange. My fear was that Morgana, or Cindy, would say something insulting to Morgan. Or throw us out together. After all, they didn't think highly of him.

"Oh my God!" Cindy squealed, attracting everybody's attention.

 She rushed to Morgana with a jewellery box in her hand, a tiered diamond necklace lying on the velvet interior. 

"Mum! This is the necklace I wanted you to get me”.

My eyes widened as I gave another look at the bags the guy had brought in. They were all from luxury brands... Oh no.

Recalling the brooch Morgan had Worn to the wedding, I realised that they could all be fake. How else would he be able to afford such expensive gifts?

"Look at this scarf" Morgana said, reaching into another bag and retrieving a flowery silk scarf.

 “It's so beautiful!" She added. 

Clutching it to her chest, she turned to look at Morgan. 

"Thank you so much, Morgan. These gifts are amazing. You're such a good son-in-law."

As mother and daughter cooed over the gifts. I rose to my toes and whispered in Morgan’s ear.

"They are fake, right?".

Before he could answer, Cindy hurried up to is with another jewellery box.

 "How did you get this choker? It was a limited edition when it got out,and I didn't manage to get one... You're literally the best, Morgan. Thank you!”

I couldn't even focus on the irony of how Cindy was suddenly addressing Morgan after how she treated him at the wedding. Does she even remember offering him a job as a security guard? Or did she forget all of that the moment she saw the gifts?.

 My stomach was suddenly queasy as a feeling of dread took over. What would happen if they found out the jewellery were fake?.

Rising back to my toes, I tugged Morgan by his jacket to whisper to him again. 

"If they find out, you can say it was my idea”.

Suddenly, he looked down at me, his eyebrows coming together. 

"Are you sure?"

I nodded. 

"They are my family. I know how to deal with them."

What's the worst they could do to me anyway?. They had already kicked me out. They weren't going to pay for Sarah’s medication. So even if they found out, I could say that I fooled them with fake luxury goods to save my face for being married to a poor man. 

They would probably ridicule and insult me some more, but it wasn't nothing they hadn't put me through already. 

MORGAN'S POV 

It was quite hard for me to contain my smile as she assured me of protection if her family found out that my gifts were counterfeit. 

In truth, they weren't. But the thought that she was willing to take the blame if they were and me got busted… It made me feel warm all over. 

Who knew my pretending wife would go so far to protect me even if we were just a nominal couple?

My attention was drawn from her when Morgana Luciano approached me, a flattering smile on her lips.

 "Thank you so much for your gifts, Morgan. They must have cost a fortune. You didn't have to."

"Do you really like them?"

She nodded.

 "Yes. And, they are all from my favourite brands. It's almost like you know what I love".

 Her gaze shifted to Eve. 

"I'm so happy to know that my daughter is in the hands of a capable husband"

I refrained from scoffing out loud. Not only had I seen Cindy pushing Eve through the door. Before that, I had heard Morgana's voice asking Eve to leave. It was obvious that she didn't treat Eve with love. 

But now that I had shown up with expensive gifts, she was busy putting up an act in front of me.

I couldn't stand by and let these people continue mistreating my wife like that.

"Why did you throw her out of the house, then?" I demanded.

Morgana's eyes widened, as if she hadn't been expecting such a question. Crossing her arms across her chest, she stuttered, 

"Wha..what are you talking about?"

"You threw my wife out just before l arrived" I reminded her.

She shook her head.

 "No, I didn't! Why would l do that to my own daughter?" 

Quickly, she turned to Eve.

"Did you tell him that I threw you out?"

"I heard it myself," I spoke up for Eve.

"Look, there must be a misunderstanding. Eve was...she was...she had an argument with her sister-"

"I know what I heard, Mrs Luciano", I cut her off.

"And since it appears you don't treat my wife well. I have to take away my gift”.

Morgana's mouth fell open while Cindy exclaimed,

"What?".

I ignored them and beckoned to Henry, who was standing near the entryway. 

"Henry, put everything back into the bags and take it away!"

"You cant do that!", Cindy complained, her grip on the box she was holding tightly.

"Yes I can," I told her.

 "I meant to appreciate my wife's family for bringing her up and giving me her hand in marriage, but it happens that you don't consider her a part of this family. There's nothing to thank you for:"

Morgana was beside herself as Henry gathered all the gifts and put them back into the bags. 

Perhaps if only she had known that I would show up, she would never have asked Eve to leave. 

She couldn't believe I was taking back all my gifts. To miss out on benefitting from a rich son-in-law just because of something she had said!

CINDY'S POV 

Beside mom, I seethed as I took off the diamond necklace I had already worn around my neck. 

This had to be a nightmare for me. Well I guess at this point, there was no doubt that Morgan was truly a wealthy man. 

Only an extremely wealthy man could afford the kind of gifts he had brought. And they weren't even fake!

I almost shed tears as I realised the kind of life I had missed out on. If only I had married Morgan as intended... 

I should have never trusted hearsay that he was poor and unreliable.

Now, instead of me, it was my wretched adoptive sister who was beside him.