Chapter 37: The Engagement Is a Fact

The guests raised their glasses, and Alexander lifted his own with a reserved smile, watching Miranda and thinking about how much his life had changed since Isabella's arrival. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder if this engagement was truly what he wanted. Just as he was about to take a drink, Ethan interrupted him.

—Dad, are you going to spend more time with me now that you're getting married? —he asked with the innocent curiosity of a child, drawing the guests' attention to them.

Alexander lowered his glass and looked at his son with tenderness.

—Of course, Ethan. I'll always be there for you, that won't change —he replied with certainty, as if reassuring himself of what truly mattered.

Miranda tensed as she heard Alexander's words, noticing that his attention was focused on Ethan. Forcing herself to keep the smile, she took a long sip from her glass, feeling that that night, which should have been perfect, had turned into anything but.

The next day, in the main hall of the mansion, Miranda stood before Alexander with a deeply upset expression. She couldn't forget the incident from the previous night, and although Alexander hadn't made any major comments, she was determined not to let what had happened with Ethan go unnoticed.

—Alexander, we can't just leave it like this —she declared, her tone serious and authoritative—. Ethan needs to learn that his actions have consequences. We can't let him think he's above everything just because you let him get away with it.

Alexander sighed, somewhat tired of Miranda's attitude. He knew that Ethan had exaggerated with the joke, but he also understood that his son's reaction was a response to the disdain Miranda had always shown him.

—Miranda, he's just a kid. I'm not going to punish him severely for a joke —he replied, maintaining a calm tone—. Besides, maybe you could try to understand him a little better instead of seeing him as an obstacle.

Before Miranda could respond, Ethan entered the room, his small and determined footsteps echoing on the floor. He lifted his head, looking at Miranda with determination, as if he were ready to face her once and for all.

—You don't have to try to punish me, Miranda —he said with a firmness that surprised both Alexander and Miranda—. I'm not afraid of you anymore, and no matter how hard you try, you're not going to make me leave.

Miranda stared at him incredulously, and Alexander couldn't help but notice a mix of nervousness in her expression.

—What are you talking about, Ethan? —Miranda replied, trying to stay calm—. You have no idea what you're saying.

—Yes, I do —he answered, with a challenging look—. You're mean to me, and I don't like how you treat my dad. I'm not scared of you anymore, because now I know I'm not going to let you decide everything.

Alexander watched his son, impressed by the bravery with which he was standing up to Miranda. Something in that child's look, so innocent yet determined, reminded him of someone, though he couldn't quite figure out who. It was as if Ethan were speaking not only with the courage of a child but with a force that challenged everyone.

Miranda tried to smile condescendingly, but she couldn't prevent a flicker of irritation from showing in her eyes.

—And what do you think you're going to do, Ethan? —she said sarcastically, trying to maintain her superiority—. You're just a kid. You can't stop me from marrying your dad.

Ethan looked her straight in the eye, holding her gaze without hesitation.

—I'll do whatever it takes —he stated, with an astonishing calmness—. Because I don't care about your threats anymore, and I'm not going to let you ruin things for me.

Alexander, seeing the conviction in his son, felt a strange mixture of pride and concern. He knew he would have to clarify many things with Miranda, and that he couldn't ignore the impact this relationship was having on Ethan.

Alexander, still silent, watched his son and then Miranda, realizing the palpable tension in the room. This conversation was revealing much more than anyone had expected, and it was clear they couldn't continue like this without making an important decision.

Finally, Alexander turned to Ethan, crouching down to meet his eyes with a comforting calmness.

—Ethan —he said softly—, I understand that you're upset about some things that have happened. And I want you to know that your opinion will always be important to me.

Miranda tried to interrupt, but Alexander raised his hand, asking for patience. He turned back to her, maintaining a serious expression.

—Miranda, I think we need to talk about how this is affecting Ethan. I can't ignore how he's feeling. Maybe we should rethink how we're going to handle things between us.

—Rethink? —Miranda replied with a mix of frustration and desperation on her face—. Alexander, this engagement is important, and you can't base our decisions on a child's whims.

Alexander sighed, feeling that for the first time in a long time, he was seeing the situation clearly.

—It's not about whims, Miranda —he responded calmly—. It's about doing the right thing, not just for Ethan, but for all of us. I can't overlook how my son feels, and if we're going to move forward, it will be in an environment where we're all at peace.

Miranda clenched her lips, clearly frustrated, but she kept her composure.

—Fine, Alexander. If that's what you decide, I will respect your decision —she said, though her tone made it clear she wasn't happy—. I just hope this isn't an excuse to delay our engagement.

Alexander nodded, determined to take control of the situation.

Miranda left the room with a tense face, and Alexander remained silent next to Ethan. He looked at him with affection, grateful for the honesty he had shown in that complicated moment.

—Thank you for telling me how you feel, Ethan —he said, placing a hand on his shoulder—. I promise I'll always take care of you, no matter what.

Ethan, feeling the relief of being heard, smiled and nodded. At that moment, both of them understood that no matter what happened, their bond would be the most important thing in their lives.

Hours later, Miranda decided that if she truly wanted to earn Alexander's acceptance, she had to try a different approach with Ethan. She knew the little boy represented a challenge, but she was determined to find a way to get closer to him. So, that same day, she came up with a plan to try to win the boy's favor.

Miranda arrived at the mansion with a large box of toys and, after greeting Alexander with a charming smile, she went in search of Ethan. She found him in the garden, playing alone, and, with a sweeter voice than usual, approached him.

—Ethan! —she exclaimed, showing the box—. I brought some special gifts for you. I thought we could have some fun together, what do you say?

Ethan looked at her cautiously, not trusting her sweet tone. He knew very well that Miranda was not the nicest person in the world, especially with him. However, his curiosity about the toy box made him stay where he was.

—What's in the box? —he asked with suspicion.

Miranda knelt to be at his level and opened the box, showing him a set of remote control cars, a building set, and several stuffed animals.

—I thought you'd like to play with these —she said, trying to sound friendly—. And if you want, we can do something together. Maybe a castle with these building blocks, or a race with the cars.

Ethan furrowed his brow and looked at the toys. Although they were things he would usually love, he couldn't forget all the times he had seen Miranda trying to impose herself on his father. Still, he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt, mostly because he wanted to see how far she would go with her "kindness."

—Okay... We can have a race —he said finally, taking one of the remote control cars.

Miranda smiled, apparently delighted with his response, and quickly took the other car.

—Perfect. How about we make a track around the garden? —she suggested—. The first one to reach the fountain wins.

Ethan nodded, and they both positioned themselves to start the race. However, as they played, Ethan noticed that Miranda was staring at him intently, as if she were watching every move he made. The situation made him uncomfortable, but he tried to focus on the race.

—You know, Ethan? —Miranda started, almost casually—. I'd love for us to get along. Your dad is very important to me, and I also want you to be important in my life.

Ethan looked up at her and stared at her suspiciously.

—Why now? You've always ignored me or... or tried to push me away from Dad —he said, not hiding his skepticism.

Miranda put on an expression of apparent regret.

—I know, and that was wrong of me —she replied, placing a hand on his shoulder—. Sometimes adults make mistakes, and I want you to know I'm trying to fix mine. I don't want you to feel like I'm your enemy.

Ethan looked at her, trying to figure out if her words were genuine. Still, deep inside, something told him that Miranda's intentions weren't entirely sincere.