Chapter 4: The Visitor

Fauna Kent's POV

After last night, I thought about what Adam had said to me. He wanted me to translate something for him. And I will be spending so much time together with him if I was agreeing to help him. A knock interrupted me from my thought as I was looking at my boss. He was a good looking guy but his notorious ways made me repel to him.

"Hey, Fauna, we wanted to get out tonight. Will you be joining us?" He asked me as he was looking at me. His hazel eyes were staring at me with an intensity that I don't think I would like if I said yes.

"Sorry, I have to go home after work. I have a visitor," I said as I was putting my stuff in my handbag as I was shutting down my computer. He looked at me confused.

"A visitor?"

"Yeah, My fiancé from Portugal. my mum has been keeping him all these years," I said as I was making a light joke. He did not share the joke with me.

"You're engaged?"

"Yeah, I just told you," I said as I was knocking my eyebrows together as if it was a bizarre thing that I have a man in my life.

"And you have been keeping it a secret?"

"Not everyone needs to know that I dated. yes, Bill, I am engaged and now if you excuse me, he is waiting for me right now. And it was only Wednesday, for god sake. Don't you think it is too early to have a drink?" I said as I was walking out of the room. I turned to bid goodbye as Bill was standing in front of my desk, watching me as I went out of the building.

The chilly night air was seeping me through my bones. I cannot believe that I forgot my jacket. I know it was not Winter yet but Fall in the States was not to mess around with. I was rubbing myself on the arms as I just had my knit sweater on and I think I have to make a mental note to get my jacket first thing in the morning.

The drive of going home was a short one as I always left after rush hour. I don't like to have to wait in traffic as I was wasting my time and fuel in my car. If I come home after rush hour, chances that Adam was still there would be thin.

And of course, my chance was not a dream come true. The sleek BMW of his parents was here that means he's here. I sighed before I took my handbag and get out of the car as I was walking to the front door. I unlocked the door before I was greeted by my mother.

"You're late," she hissed at me as I was putting my scarf on the coatroom.

"Well, sorry, I was being held up with my works," I lied but not that I was lying through my teeth. I was held up by work but I can just leave after 5 PM.

"Never mind that, we were about to have some dinner. Come and get that smudge out of your face," she said before she went to the dining room. I blinked a few times before I went inside the half bathroom as I was looking at my face.

There was no smudge, just some ink from the pen that I was doing some work with. I shook my head before I went out and into the dining room. Surprisingly, Adam was not here, thankfully but I also wondered why.

"Ah, you're here. sorry, Adam could not make it, he has some business to attend to," Mrs. Florenz stated as we were taking our seat.

"Sorry, I never know what Adam does for his living," I said as I was smiling at them. His dad replied to me.

"He's a detective,"

"No, he was being promoted to a lieutenant now but they still on trial," his mother chimed as we were joining hands and said our prayers as usual. Then there was a rush coming from the hallway.

"Sorry, I was late," his velvety voice was coming from behind and went I turned around, I saw a very disheveled and sexy Adam Florenz as his slate orbs were looking around the room before he settled on me.

My heart skipped a beat.

I turned around to cover my face from the blush that he managed to get out of me. I was surprised when I was, a little part of me, expecting him to be here and now that he was, I don't think I can breathe normally again.

He took his usual spot in front of me as he was saying his prayers before he went to dig in like the rest of us.

"How's work, son?" His father asked as he was looking at the roasted chicken that was being served in front of us. He scooped a big portion as if he did not have lunch today.

"Well, it was tough but I learned to get around the city,"

"Any news on the latest crime?"

"Yeah, but I don't think we have any lead to uncover the next victim. The work was not systematic and I think it was intentional," he replied before he took a spoonful of salad and passed it to me. Our hands touched before I looked at him. He did the same as he can feel the sensation as our skin touched each other.

"What about you, sweetheart?" Mr. Florenz has been calling me sweetheart now that I was engaged to his son. His wife did not seem to mind as she knew it was a daughter's endearment to him.

"Well, I got more translation to be done with," I said before everyone was laughing including Adam. And I think I liked the sound of it.

After dinner, we went to stay in the painting room as my parents and Adam's parents wanted us to get to know better but with their chaperone. I don't think I was living in the 1900s right now.

"Hey," I said as I was coming from behind as Adam was overlooking the garden outside the window. He turned to look at me as he smiled weakly.

"Hey, yourself,"

"You looked tired. Have you been sleeping well, adjusting to your new routine here?" I asked him as I know I should never pry into his private life but what can I say, my bluntness was getting the best of me. He smirked as he looked at me, arching his eyebrow.

"What? Afraid that I might be doing something else?" He asked me. I did not understand his question at first before an idea stuck to my head. I blushed at him. He chuckled.

"Yeah, it was alright. I'm still trying to adjust as my jet lag gets the best of me. But I think in a few days I will be adapted to this new lifestyle," he said as he sipped on his coffee. He took his black and I drink my Earl grey all the time after dinner with lemon. It helped with the indigestion of my stomach.

"So, in a week we will be getting married and I don't think that we get to know each other better than ever," he said quietly as he was hoping to have a conversation with our parents hearing it. I think it was an intimate gesture as well.

"Well, they seem not to believe that we will behave if we were left alone together," I said as I was looking at them. Our parents were talking animatedly as I was smiling at them while I was sipping our tea.

"Well, I will behave," he replied.

"No doubt you will,"

"Hey, I'm serious," he said with laughter in his answer. I smiled even though I tried to keep my face stoic but he got the best of me.

"So, about that offer that I mentioned the other night,"

"Yes?"

"Will you be willing to translate it for me. I can get the payment for you if you're thinking of getting paid. I can tell my captain and I think he would be delighted to know that I was working with my fiancée up close," he said as I arched my eyebrow.

"And how does he knows that you have a dinner date with the in-laws?" I asked him as I was looking at his slate orbs. He shrugged.

"Well, apparently, my parents were his friends and he was happy to oblige with their will to let me know my fiancée better," he said as he was sipping on his coffee before he was looking at the garden again.

So, he was forced to be here. I think my heart dropped at that declaration before I excused myself to go to the kitchen.

I was refilling my tea when my mother barged in as she was scowling at me. I rolled my eyes at her as she was never scowling at my sister, her favorite child.

"Fauna, I know that you were forced into this but can you not be so childish. You know how important this union for our families, for your dad. Why cannot you be good for once in your life?" She asked me as I was trying to control my anger with her. She was looking at me for one last time before she spoke.

"If Flora did not have any idea about running away, I think Adam would fall head over heels with her right now," she said before she got out of the room. I gripped the countertop as I was taking a deep breath.

Breath in, breath out. You need to control it.

I knew that I was never a good daughter to start with but isn't my change in wardrobe, my willingness to stay and fulfill Flora's place wasn't enough? I think I need a drink. A lot of drinks to get this heart numb and my emotions to shut up for once in my life.