Chapter 7. The Introduction Dinner

Chapter 7. The Introduction Dinner
As we arrived in front of Lorena’s house, the large wooden door opened softly, and the sound of the welcome bell echoed in the air. David parked the car in front of the entrance, and I felt my breathing quicken. When he turned off the engine, a deep silence fell over us. The knot in my stomach grew even tighter, and I wondered if I had made a huge mistake by agreeing to come with him that night.

—We’re here —David said, with a smile that tried to reassure me, but I couldn’t help noticing the tension on his face.

When we got out of the car, a butler who had been waiting by the door greeted us and led us to the living room. Every step I took felt heavier than the last, as if the weight of the situation was crushing me. The luxury of the house, the sophisticated decoration—everything felt so distant from my life. But David took my hand, and although mine was sweating, his touch gave me some comfort.

As we entered the living room, all eyes turned to us. Lorena, David’s mother, was in the center of the room, chatting with a group of people. When she saw us arrive, her expression changed instantly; her eyes lit up upon recognizing her son, but when she saw me, her gaze turned inquisitive. Alexandra, David’s ex-girlfriend, was also at her side, and when she turned toward us, her face showed clear surprise.

David looked at me and, with a determined smile, took my hand and lifted it slightly.

—This is my fiancée, Sarai —he said in a firm voice that echoed through the room. At that moment, the entire living room fell into complete silence. The murmurs stopped immediately. No one moved, no one breathed. It was as if time had stopped.

Lorena blinked several times, unable to process what she had just heard. Alexandra, for her part, let out a nervous laugh that sounded more like disdain.

—Your fiancée? Is this the woman you’ve been searching for all these years? —Lorena asked, with a mixture of disbelief and surprise, while her eyes scanned my figure from head to toe, cold and analytical. She seemed unable to believe what her ears had just heard. I didn’t understand anything she was talking about.

—Yes, she is —David responded, his voice remaining firm, but with a look that showed he had made a decision that couldn’t be undone.

Both women looked at us, and at that moment I could feel the weight of their eyes on me, as if they were evaluating me, judging me. The air between us grew thick, and my nerves multiplied. I wasn’t ready to be the center of their scrutiny, but I knew there was no turning back.

—Where did you find her? —Alexandra asked, crossing her arms with a mix of astonishment and confusion. Her tone was cutting, and it made me feel like I didn’t belong, like my presence there was an anomaly.

Lorena, for her part, seemed to try to hide her surprise, but her eyes kept scanning me, as if she were trying to find something wrong with me. Finally, she broke the silence with a sigh.

—She’s… very pretty, David, now I understand why you worked so hard to find her —she said, though her words sounded hollow, as if she weren’t fully convinced—. But, what do you do, Sarai?

I stayed silent, a bit surprised by the way she addressed me, as if she were measuring each word. I felt my stomach twist.

David didn’t seem to notice the way his mother looked at me and continued the conversation.

—Sarai is a waitress —he repeated, with a firmness that made it clear there was no room for discussion.

But Lorena, in a sharper tone, didn’t let him continue.

—I see —she said with a dismissive sigh, letting her words linger in the air. The look she gave me made me feel small, vulnerable. It was as if, in that moment, the only thing that mattered was what I represented compared to her expectations.

And then, like a dagger, her words pierced me.

—A waitress? —she asked with a low laugh, but full of contempt. It was as if she had ripped off the mask, as if that were the worst part of all. My hands began to sweat, but I tried to stay calm. My heart was beating in my throat, but I couldn’t let them see. I couldn’t show them that they had hurt me with a single word.

David, upon hearing his mother’s words, turned to her, his face marked by restrained fury. His gaze hardened, and it was then I realized he wouldn’t allow her to treat me that way.

—Sarai is my fiancée, and I respect her, mom. So, please, stop with those comments —David said, raising his voice for the first time. The tension in the air rose immediately, and Lorena stopped talking, surprised by the harshness of his response.

But I, in that moment, felt a mix of humiliation and relief. I knew he was defending me, but I also understood that my place there wasn’t welcomed. I had married him for a contract, but that truth was unknown to everyone, and if it came to light, I couldn’t predict how things would change.

While Lorena remained silent, watching her son, Alexandra, with her cold gaze, took a step toward us.

—David, darling, I don’t understand how you could... —she paused, looking at me with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes—. But a waitress? Couldn’t you have found someone more suitable for… this kind of life?

The mockery in her tone was clear. The contempt was palpable.

David looked at her sternly, but before he could say anything more, he gave my hand a slight squeeze, a gesture of support. He was there, defending what he had chosen, and although the situation was uncomfortable, I knew that nothing that happened that night could change what we had between us.

The air in Lorena’s house was thick with tension, and I felt everything becoming more and more uncomfortable with every passing second. Lorena looked at me with a mix of disbelief and disapproval, and her silence grew heavier.

Suddenly, without losing her composure, Lorena broke the silence, her voice tense and full of reproach.

—David, how can you trade such a sweet, well-mannered girl like Alexandra for a... waitress? —she said, as if being a waitress were an unforgivable crime. She locked eyes with me and continued—: Why didn’t you tell me anything about the marriage, son? Did you think I wouldn’t handle it?

I felt a knot in my stomach. Lorena’s words hurt more than I was willing to admit, but I kept quiet, searching for strength not to let the contempt in her every word break me. David, for his part, stood firm, but I could see the tension in his face. He wasn’t comfortable with the situation, and neither was I.

Then, out of nowhere, Alexandra stood up and, with a cold smile, walked toward the table. I watched her pour a glass of wine calmly before walking over to me. She didn’t have to say a word; her attitude said it all. With disdain, she held the glass out to me, her eyes full of mockery.

—Don’t you want something to calm your nerves? —she said, as she offered the glass with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

My hand trembled slightly as I took the glass, but I couldn’t avoid the pressure of the situation. Before I could react, I felt the strong push of the glass toward me. The wine spilled instantly on my dress, soaking the fabric and leaving a red stain that seemed to symbolize the humiliation I was living in that moment.

Everyone’s eyes were on me, and the blush on my cheeks intensified as I felt the weight of shame. I could hear Alexandra’s stifled laughter, and although I tried to keep my composure, I felt like a little girl being watched with scorn.

David didn’t wait a second. In a swift movement, he approached me, took me by the arm, and pulled me away from the scene. His gaze was full of restrained fury, but I knew it wasn’t aimed at me. It wasn’t my fault that I was facing this attack for no reason. However, I felt so small in that moment that even his protection made me feel vulnerable.

—That’s enough, Alexandra! —he shouted, with a firm and authoritative tone. Everyone fell silent, surprised by David’s reaction. I didn’t know whether to feel relieved or even more uncomfortable.

Lorena, for her part, seemed to be chewing on her words, trying to digest everything that was happening. Her gaze was now even harsher and colder. Finally, she looked at David and then at me before speaking, this time with a tone full of disbelief.

—David, are you really going to let this woman humiliate you like this? —she said, referring to me—. A waitress! I don’t understand how you could leave Alexandra for her.

David remained silent, but I could see his eyes shining with determination. He wasn’t willing to let his mother or Alexandra belittle me. However, Lorena didn’t stop there.

—How could you hide something so important from us? —she continued, now looking at David with a mix of anger and disappointment—. Why didn’t you tell me? You knew Alexandra is the ideal woman for you.

The weight of those words, so full of expectations, almost crushed me.

David came closer to me, but I said nothing. My face was hot with shame, but I tried to stay strong. I needed to remember why I was in that situation. It was my chance to show David that I wasn’t going to give up so easily.

But, after everything that had just happened, I couldn’t help but feel that the battle had only just begun.