Page 114 of Knocked Up by My Fake Fiancé
"What else is there to talk about?" Stephanie mutters, stabbing at her peas. She's clearly in a foul mood tonight. Normally, I'd ask what's wrong, but I'm not exactly sunshine myself. Steph and I have learned the hard way that when we're both pissed off, the smart move is to keep our mouths shut until one of us cools down.
Her mother shoots her a warning look, but Stephanie only shrugs.
"I'm sure we can find something pleasant," Mother says quickly. "Like George and Marina's upcoming wedding. Marina, have you picked a venue yet?"
Marina's eyes flick toward me before she answers. "Yes. Villa d'Este, on Lake Como."
"Beautiful choice," my mother says. "The Italian Lakes are so classic. Villa d'Este is one of the few hotels that matches one's own standards. I imagine they do lovely receptions. Can you hold the ceremony by the water?"
"Yes, they have a lakeside pavilion. You can use their local priest or fly your own in." Marina smiles, but it's tight at the edges. Again, her gaze drifts to me. Why? Is she expecting a reaction? Waiting for me to object, maybe?
Her look lingers a beat too long, like she's daring me to acknowledge some shared secret. I meet her eyes for a moment, then deliberately look away.
To change the subject, I say, "Aren't you going to ask Jenna and me about our wedding plans, Mother?"
"Oh." Mother gives a brittle little laugh. "Sure."
"We haven't made any real plans yet," Jenna says, giving me a quick side-eye that clearly says thanks for the ambush. "We only just got engaged."
"I know, but it's never too early to start preparing," I reply evenly. I asked only to test my mother—to see why she really wanted this dinner.
She's been polite all evening, but cold as ever toward Jenna. I'm done pretending not to notice. It's hypocritical as hell, especially if Jenna's suspicions about her are right—and the more I think about it, the more I believe they are.
If it really was my mother that Dad cheated with, everything starts to make sense. Their obsession with making George CEO—it's guilt, pure and simple. They're trying to balance the scales, justify their past, and pretend they're a respectable family again. Meanwhile, Mom's hatred for Jenna runs deeper than snobbery. Jenna is everything she's never been—a proud, independent woman who doesn't need a man or a family name to define her.
It's all so fucked up.
I've always known my parents weren't saints, but I never realized just how twisted things had become. Now, watching my mother quietly pick at her food while Jenna sits rigid beside me, I feel something inside me starting to snap.
"I hope you're not too upset about the article," Marina says suddenly, turning to Jenna. "These things happen when you're dating in this family."
Her tone's light, but her eyes are darting between me and George like she's testing the temperature of the room.
"The craziest thing of all," I say, voice steady but cold, "is that the scandal was initiated by the family itself."
Every fork stills.
My father frowns. "What are you trying to say, Grayson?"
I ignore him, locking eyes with George.
"Are you going to deny it?"
"Deny what?" George demands.
"Don't play dumb," I say, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't have the slightest clue what you're talking about," he shoots back, his voice sharpening. "If you've got something to say, say it."
There's some fire in him tonight—finally—and I almost welcome it.
"You planted that article about Jenna and me, didn't you?"
George's chair scrapes. "What the fuck, Grayson? No, I didn't!"
"Grayson!" Mother gasps, looking scandalized.
"Yeah, I don't think he would do that," Stephanie mutters, rolling her eyes. "He's too dumb to pull off something that subtle."
