"What does your mother like?" Altezza asked without glancing at Adaline, who now looked uncomfortable, occasionally biting her fingernails.
"What do you mean?" Adaline asked, confused.
"I can't possibly visit my future mother-in-law empty-handed, right, Mrs.? I intend to bring something for her."
Adaline blushed instantly, not expecting Altezza to be so understanding. But she was confused about what to tell him about her mother's preferences.
"Just say it, what kind of food does your mother like?" he gently ordered.
"Many things," Adaline honestly answered. "My mother likes a variety of foods. She's not a picky eater."
"Alright then," Altezza said flatly, and a few moments later, he diverted his car towards a supermarket. "Come on, get out," he softly commanded when he saw Adaline's expression once again filled with confusion. "I have to buy something for your mother. And since my refrigerator is also empty, we might as well do some shopping," he said again, displaying his mischievous grin.
They entered through the basement lift. Although Altezza had already investigated Adaline, he acted as if he knew nothing and continued to ask about her directly. About whether she had siblings or not, whether she was a native or a newcomer from a village, and other things that Altezza already knew from the results of his hired detective's investigation.
"When did you break up with your boyfriend?" The question made Adaline's shoulders tense.
"Boyfriend?" she repeated softly.
"Yes, boyfriend. You've had a boyfriend before, haven't you?" he asked. His demeanor seemed indifferent, but in reality, Altezza was eagerly waiting for Adaline's answer.
"I've never had a boyfriend, Sir," the girl replied flatly.
Despite himself, Altezza was quite surprised. A girl as beautiful, gentle, and innocent as Adaline had never had a boyfriend? Was she telling the truth, or was she pretending?
"How old are you?"
"Twenty-five."
"And during all that time, you've never been in a relationship?" the girl shook her head. "Even just a casual monkey-like relationship. I mean, monkey love?" The girl shook her head again. "But you're normal, right?" The girl nodded, reminding Altezza of certain moments and bringing back her mischievous attitude. "I mean, you like guys, right?" Adaline nodded again. "You're really interested in guys, right?" The girl nodded casually. "You like me, right?" She nodded again, and on the second nod, she realized and looked at Altezza with narrowed eyes.
Altezza couldn't hold back her laughter. Irritated, she tousled Adaline's hair.
"Okay, okay. I won't tease you anymore. But seriously, come on. You're a normal woman, and you're not a child anymore. Shouldn't a woman your age have, at the very least, had multiple relationships by now?"
"Maybe I'm just not the woman I should be," Adaline replied casually, shrugging with an indifferent attitude.
"Then what about the guy you like?" The question made Adaline tense, and her demeanor indirectly answered Altezza. "Is there a guy you like right now?" she asked again, probing deeper.
"Do you need sugar?" The question seemed to signal that Adaline wanted to close the conversation.
"Yes-yes. I need sugar," she replied, and Adaline promptly placed a sugar pack in the cart.
After sorting out their purchases and paying, they returned to the car in silence. Adaline pointed the way back to her house. However, Altezza blocked the car towards a fast-food restaurant and opted for the drive-thru.
"Do you want something? I'm too hungry. How about we eat while driving?" She asked Adaline, who nodded in agreement because she was hungry too. Not forgetting, Altezza also ordered some types of food for Adaline's mother.
"Don't you want to ask anything about me?" Altezza broke the silence as the car returned to the food pickup area. Adaline glanced at Altezza for a moment before redirecting her attention to the road ahead.
It's not that she didn't want to ask about Altezza. In fact, there were many things she wanted to know, especially about why he chose to make an agreement with her instead of pursuing a normal marriage. But she was too embarrassed to ask and felt it was inappropriate to inquire about personal matters.
She didn't know Altezza well. Their encounters, if accumulated in hours, hadn't even reached twenty-four hours. This meant that if counted, they hadn't known each other for a whole day. Isn't it too early for them?
"I'll ask when I have questions," Adaline replied softly.
"Alright," Altezza responded with a nod of understanding, opening her burger packaging. "If you're hesitant to ask me directly, you can ask me through letters, or perhaps more conveniently, you can inquire through chat." She said casually and began to enjoy her meal.
"But speaking of chat, I should have followed your social media accounts by now, and I should have your phone number, shouldn't I? It's funny if people about to get married don't know each other's social media accounts or phone numbers." Although spoken with a flat tone, Altezza's words unintentionally caused Adaline to choke on her food.
Initially surprised by Adaline's cough, Altezza eventually helped her by offering a drink and gently patting her back.
***
The sound of the car engine stopping in front of the house caught the attention of two middle-aged women already dressed in nightgowns, who peeked through the window. Seeing Adaline step out of the unfamiliar car, they walked towards the front door and opened it. Adaline had already exited the car while Altezza was still adjusting its position while parking. As Adaline approached the entrance, her mother immediately bombarded her with a head tilt.
"Who's she?" Violet inquired.
Before Adaline could respond, Altezza got out of the car and approached. "Good evening, ladies," he greeted warmly. "I apologize for visiting without permission." He spoke with his charming smile, leaving Violet and Emma bewildered. Despite their advanced age, they were still normal women who appreciated a handsome face. Moreover, the man standing in front of them not only had a handsome face but also an athletic body and a smile that could make a woman's heart beat twice as fast.
"Oh, it's alright," her mother replied. She then turned to Adaline, seeking an answer.
"Mom, Aunt, let me introduce you. This is my boss at the office. His name is Sir Altezza," Adaline cautiously introduced them. "Sir, this is my mother Violet, and this is her sister Emma." Adaline always introduced Emma to anyone as her mother's sister, not as a house assistant. This surprised Altezza because he clearly knew who Emma was from the investigation provided by his hired detective.
"Yes, yes. Come in." The two middle-aged women then flanked Altezza on the left and right, leading him inside. Meanwhile, they left Adaline standing alone on the porch.
Adaline followed behind, a little annoyed because the two women in front seemed to forget about her. However, while she was putting away the shoes she had worn into the rack, she heard Altezza asking for permission to use the bathroom.
"Why did your boss come with you here?" The question came with a very soft voice, coinciding with Altezza disappearing into the bathroom.
"There's something he wants to discuss with Mom," Adaline replied without daring to look at her mother. She knew her mother was now looking at her suspiciously. "Let him be the one to talk to Mom. I'm feeling a bit stifled, Mom. Is it okay if I tidy up and change clothes?"
"Yes, but don't take too long," her mother commanded, a directive to which Adaline responded with a nod. Adaline handed over the gift that Altezza had bought through the drive-thru to her mother. "What's this?" her mother asked, clearly pleased with the fast-food in her hands.
Adaline went upstairs, right where her room was located. Quickly, she entered the bathroom and cleaned herself up. It seemed like the fastest shower she had taken in a while.
She came down wearing her favorite sky blue oversized shirt paired with her beloved black seven-eighth jogger pants. Her casual home attire felt much more comfortable than her office shirt and skirt.
As she descended, Adaline, thinking that Altezza would be sitting in the living room, was quite surprised to see him sitting in the family room, right next to her mother. Meanwhile, Emma had prepared hot drinks for the four of them, along with her homemade cookies that she always proudly presented.
"Well, there's Adaline coming down," her mother exclaimed upon seeing Adaline at the bottom of the stairs.
Altezza's gaze shifted to the petite girl wearing a sky blue short-sleeved shirt that revealed her upper arms and black knee-length jogger pants, seemingly made of black cotton that accentuated her white and smooth calves. It was a common sight, but for Altezza, seeing Adaline outside of her office attire seemed extraordinary. Her long black hair, usually tied into a simple bun or ponytail during work, now flowed beautifully on both sides of her delicate shoulders. And her face looked flushed without any makeup.
Adaline walked towards the sofa and chose to sit in another chair across from her mother. Emma, who had returned with her tray, chose to sit next to Adaline.
"Altezza has already told everything to Mom. My question is, why have you been hiding everything all this time, dear?" Violet asked, making Adaline's forehead furrow in confusion.
"What story, Mom?"
"The story about you two, of course," her mother replied with a beaming smile. "What did you say earlier?" Violet looked at Altezza again with a radiant face.
"I asked for your and Aunt Emma's permission to marry Adaline," Altezza said with a wide smile on his face, which for some reason made Adaline's heart race uncontrollably. Not the fearful pounding like when her mother was in surgery, not the nervous heartbeat when she tried to ask him for a loan, but a different kind of heartbeat that Adaline herself couldn't decipher.