Page 108 of Unravelling The Beast

I return her as I approach, then Cree speaks behind me.

"I want to sit with Wren, daddy!"

As I pull out a chair for him beside me, Arlo lowers him to his feet, and he races toward me with a big smile on my face. He climbs onto it, and I take a seat between him and Sara, while Arlo's mom is on the opposite side of Cree.

"Wren, you look beautiful!"

With a broad smile on my face, I turn to face Sara.

"As do you, Sara!"

Arlo's dad, whom I've been avoiding eye contact with, suddenly speaks out.

"Son, come sit beside me and Charley."

I observe Arlo hesitantly move forward to sit next to his father, opposite me. I quickly notice that the men are at the head of the table, which is a rather domineering and terrifying sight, but I presume the women in this family are used to it because they appear unaffected.

Feeling Arlo’s dad’s intimidating eyes all over me from across the table, I look everywhere but at him. I cringe at the memory of how I spoke to him when I had no idea who he was.

We order dinner, and I speak to Sara for a while, continuing to ignore the stares from across the table, but when I do cast a glance over at Arlo, he is just observing me, looking relaxed in his seat, sipping whisky, but he doesn't say anything to anyone as usual.

Arlo's father raises his glass as our dinner is served to us by waiters wearing silk white gloves.

“A toast!”

We all hold our glasses up except Arlo, and I wait to hear what he has to say about his daughter.

“To my beautiful daughter, Sara! My first child, my pride and joy, will turn 32 on Friday! I am extremely proud of you, baby girl.”

Sara responds beside me, but it sounds reluctant.

“Thank you, Dad.”

He speaks again just as I'm about to take a sip of my drink.

"And to my son, Arlo!"

My brows furrowwith confusion before I look at Arlo beside him.

"Congratulations on his engagement to Savannah Thorell!"

I can’t stop my eyes from expanding, but Arlo continues to stare at me with intensity. The words echo through me; I can’t hear anything else as everything blurs around me, leaving only Arlo in my peripheral. My throat starts to tighten, strangling the life out of me and my heart aches.

“What!? Arlo, say it ain't so."

Sara’s gasp beside me pulls me out of my mental state but I continue to look into Arlo’s eyes since he doesn’t deny it; he simply doesn't say a single thing.

As anxiousness sweeps through me, tears prick the corners of my eyes, leading me to frantically push my chair out before standing and clearing my throat.

"Please excuse me; I have to use the bathroom."

Sara calls out to me as I pass her.

"Wren?"

As I rush through the restaurant, weaving in and out of tables and servers, a tear escapes and cascades down my flushed cheek.

I push on the ladies' restroom doors with my palm, instantly seeing that they're empty when I enter, luckily, before striding toward the huge mirrors. I dab my tear-stained cheeks with a towel to avoid ruining my makeup and once I'm done, I just stare at myself in the mirror.

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