Chapter 29: All Attention
All Attention
RAYNE’S POV
As we entered the garden, a buttress clashed with Elaina, she seemed to have been in a hurry. Elaina understood this and simply took the girl’s apology. Luckily, she wasn’t carrying any liquids, so Elaina’s dress didn’t get soiled. But, she still needed to use the restroom to check on herself.
“I’ll accompany you,” I told her, but she stopped me.
“No, you can’t. Not when your mother-in-law is over there dying for her new daughter-in-law to show up so she can show you to her friends.” She said and strolled off.
“I would like you all to meet my new daughter-in-law, Rayne. She recently joined the Lawn family.” The moment Mrs. Lawn said that, I noticed everyone’s shock, then all the attention turned in my direction, like a flashlight. And I felt my heart begin to race dramatically.
“That can’t be true, can it?” I heard someone say as Mrs. Lawn led me to a seat on the round tea table.
“She can’t be the Lawn’s daughter-in-law. I mean, she looks rather simple for that position.”
“That was exactly my thought following Mrs. Lawn’s announcement. A man as Eric wouldn’t stoop so low to mediocrity.”
“I wonder under what circumstances they got married.” The first woman concluded with a sigh.
I turned away from them, silently blocking my ears from listening to them. But it seemed like I had become the topic of discussion in every direction.
“She is actually beautiful, I wonder who her parents are.” I heard someone else say and there, I felt my heart start to race.
It was uncomfortable having everyone staring at me, mostly with dissatisfaction.
“Exactly what I’ve been thinking.” I heard a familiar voice say. I turned to Bianca. She had that same look from yesterday in her eyes. “Wouldn’t it be nice if we know what family the Lawn’s daughter-in-law comes from?
“Yes Rayne, tell us about you.” Another voice chimed in.
Bianca smiled smugly at me while twirling a glass of water in hand. I glanced around, I had become the center of focus since Mrs. Lawn introduced me as her daughter-in-law. So, naturally, everyone had their attention on me, even now. I felt nervous, and it didn’t help that Elaina wasn’t there at the moment. Speaking of Elaina, why was she taking so long?
Seeing everyone’s attention on me, and having Bianca smiling like she enjoyed seeing me helpless made me a bit panicky. But then I dragged in a breath. There wasn’t any reason to feel intimidated. These women shouldn’t make me. I thought to myself.
“My parents are late, and until their death, they were just ordinary people,” I replied. I felt a tinge of pain embrace my little heart, and for a moment, I felt that I was going to cry. The death of my parents was something I was still trying to get over, I didn’t think I’d be talking about it, ever.
I heard the gasps from different angles, then the side talks came again. But this time, they weren’t harsh, but the fact that they were pitiful made me uncomfortable. I noticed Bianca’s gaze on me, turn sharp and she pried further to say something, but just then, Elaina walked in with Jessica and Anna.
“Oh my goodness, Rayneeee,” Ann screamed on noticing me. I smiled as she hurried toward me with an excited smile. “I’m so happy you could come despite your honeymoon.” She said and embraced me in a tight, breath-ceasing hug. When she pulled away, my breath had turned haggard.
“Hello, Jessica.”
“We all know Eric is a very busy man, which leaves me wondering how Rayne got to meet him,” Bianca said suddenly and then turned to me. “How did you two meet, Rayne?”
“Uh…” I started, but a strange voice came interrupting.
“Hello, beautiful women.”
I tilted my head and saw a young man standing next to Bianca’s mother with a sweet contagious smile. He was Five feet tall and looked well-built and handsome. I noticed him glance at Elaina, with a teasing smirk playing at the side of his mouth. I wondered who the man was, and what business they had with each other.
“Hello, Ken.” The women chorused. He seemed to be popular among women.
“You all look ravishing, how did your husbands let you all leave the house looking this stunning?” He said and the women chuckled.
Nice. This was good. He had helped steal all the unnecessary no attention from me, and for that, I felt grateful.
He grinned at their comments and kissed Bianca’s mother on the cheek. “Bye, Mother.”
‘Mother, mother?’ I thought to myself. That was Bianca’s brother? He seemed to be a lot better person than Bianca.
“Bye Ladies.” He said, and smirked at Elaina before walking away.
As soon as he left, Ann stole everyone’s attention with her funny talk. And then the women went on with celebrity gossip, then about clothes, designer brands, and many other things women were known to talk about.
“Speaking of dresses and designs, Rayne, your dress looks great on you.” One of the ladies said, bringing the attention back to me.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.
“Yes, it looks like it was tailored just for her body.” Another added. I forced a smile at them.
“They aren’t being truthful, I’m sure they’re just saying all that to make her feel good. She isn’t even as beautiful as Bianca is plus, she barely even has a background.” I heard a woman’s soprano say with a tone of disapproval.
“Don’t tell me that Harriet let her son marry such, just because she was desperate for a daughter-in-law.”
Someone didn’t seem to be happy seeing me get these compliments. Bianca. She had her angry eyes fixated on me, and It was frightening. I looked away from her, silently wishing I was out of their midst. Being in such a gathering felt unhealthy for me.
Just then, like a prayer answered, I heard his deep baritone behind me.
“I’m here for my wife.”