"Are you expecting some important guests?" A lady's sweet voice asked. Her bashful smile alone was enough to tell her current mood.
Quickly, he retracted his gaze to the lady sitting at his right-hand side.
"No," He replied meekly and leaned against the white couch whose hands were made of gold.
The chairs and table of the celebrant and her family differs from that of every other guest.
They were fancier and more sophisticated. And this tells more about the social class they belonged to.
"You said no but I have noticed that you have been restless for a while now," Adhara started. She reached out her hand and placed it on her husband's right hand which was on the table.
"If you are worried about why Her Highness didn't grace our invitation or send a request then you don't have to. We are still their in-laws and they dared not disrespect us in this manner even if they are the royal family," Adhara assured him as she squeezed his hand gently.
"I am not worried about the royal family not gracing us with their presence," Mr Anderson began. He stylishly removed his hand from the table in a manner that would not infuriate his wife.
"Although her marriage with the King hasn't been finalized they still have to show us some respect...,"
"If this wasn't what disturbed your peace of mind then what did?" Adhara narrowed her eyebrows as she waited for her husband's response.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThis was their daughter's birthday and should be a time of great jubilation. She didn't understand what on Earth would make him so worried to the extent that it was so obvious on his face.
Adhara waited for two minutes and when he didn't utter a word she decided to postpone the discussion for some other time.
This was her beloved daughter's birthday party after all and she wouldn't want anything in the world to ruin this special day for her baby.
She did everything to make sure that her mood was elevated. She will not be the one to ruin things for her.
Never!
She turned her attention to the boy by her side who has been playing with his cell phone for a while now.
"Tony...,"
"Did Joanna ask you for an allowance today?" Mr Anderson asked out of the blue.
"That...,"
"Was she supposed to?" Grandma Cora, who just returned to the table from greeting her old acquaintances, asked coldly.
"Is it my daughter's obligation to cater to the needs of that bastard of yours...,"
"Mum...," Adhara grabbed her mother's hand and squeezed it tightly. She signalled her to look to her right-hand side where occupants of that part of the hall were paying keen attention to their table.
"They can stare for all I care...,"
"I know you were never the type to care about what people say about you but remember this is your favourite granddaughter's birthday party," Adhara squeezed her furious mother's hands tighter.
She refused to let go despite the woman's struggles to break free.
"I am sure you wouldn't want to see her breakdown on the day that is supposed to be the happiest day of her life right?" Adhara smiled just to fool those watching into assuming that everything was alright.
"Also, I am sure my husband didn't ask about her because he cares about her," Adhara added.
She shifted her gaze to the man who went quiet after dropping the bomb. And it had to be in front of her mother who didn't want to hear Joanna's name.
"I am correct, right?" She asked her husband.
She clasped her fist when she saw her husband stood up from the chair instead of replying.
"She might be the product of my infidelity but she is still a part of the family. So it's no use getting all worked up each time her name is mentioned," He said a piece of his mind and walked out of there.
"Adhara, did you hear the nonsense he spewed from his mouth?" She hollered. "Do you now see why I was against her living under your roof...,"
"Mum, keep it down. People are watching," Adhara cautioned her mother once again.
Anthony showed no interest in the ongoing party before but he took his attention off the phone in his hands after his father spoke.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm[Big Sis has always longed for Dad to stand up for her even once. I wished she was here to witness how he left Grandma speechless with his reply]
Anthony grinned, he stole a glance at the enormous entrance with the hope that Joanna had changed her mind at the last minute.
Just when he wanted to return to playing his game, a hand snatched the phone from him.
"This is your Big Sister's birthday and not some outsider's," Adhara reprimanded him as she threw the grey phone on the table.
"Instead of burying yourself in your phone I suggest that you get your ass off that chair and start doing what is required of you," She instructed coldly.
Even after she talked, Anthony didn't move a muscle. There was hardly anyone at the party who was the same age as him.
The one he would have hung out with didn't come so he didn't understand what his mother expected him to do.
"And why are you still sitting huh?" Madam Cora berated, causing Anthony to jump to his feet.
Since it was obvious he wasn't wanted around there Anthony moved away from his family's table.
"Adhara, did you see what I warned you about?" Madam Cora scolded, her fierce glares shot at Mr Anderson's back at where he stood with two men.
"Can you see that what I warned you about training that bitch daughter years ago is beginning to manifest now...,"
"Mum, can you stop already?" Adhara snarled. For Laura's sake, she tried her best to keep her voice minimal.
"I have been holding it in for the past few days. Right now I am on the brink of losing it so please will you not add to it hmmm?" Adhara smiled in between her teeth as she glared at her angry mother.