CARMELA'S POV
I finally decided and I chose home. Best decision I've ever made. I missed home.
My brothers, Grandma even Roberto, our butler, even my insufferable elder sister, though I haven't seen her yet, she's always busy. Everyone welcomed me with open arms.
Although I don't miss the galas, the charity balls, I hate socializing. Yet here I stand beside the snack bar in a gala.
Grandma has been doing this all week since I came back. Every gala, every ball that was held by an elite I was mandated to attend. Luckily no one really knew me, so I stayed out of everyone's way. The attendee's only knew me as Eduardo's date, my first brother.
Eduardo approached me looking as elegant as ever in his black two piece suit, no tie, he hated them.
All my brothers looked alike. They all look like the younger versions of each other. The signature Jet black hair and brown eyes, even my sister, taking after Dad.
But I'm different. I look like mom. I had all her features. From the hair, to the face.
I'm the last child so Grandma said it was only fitting that one of us took after mom.
"I know you are extremely bored and luckily for you we will be leaving early tonight." Eduardo said as he got to me and I smiled immediately.
"Why?" I asked. We just got here and Eduardo just finished his greeting rounds.
"We have an urgent family meeting tonight." Eduardo informed. "Grandma called it" He added.
"What's it about?" I asked with a worried expression.
"No idea" "But let's hope for the best." He replied.
"There's someone I need to greet. Do you want to come with me?" He asked as he traced the movement of a guy also in black suit with his eyes. I couldn't see his face because his back was to us.
"I'll pass. I think I need a bathroom break." I said taking my eyes of the guy.
"Are you sure you are okay on your own?" He asked, his attention and eyes back on me looking worried.
"Yeah I'm sure now go" I said, going behind his back and attempting to push him off. Which was a fail because it was like attempting to move a brick wall.
"Okay. Okay. I'm going. See you later" He said and walked off after a final nod and smile.
I'm going to go hide in the toilet till it's time to leave. I left the snack bar heading to the toilet.
**************************
"Oh shit." The woman that just collided into me as I came right out of the toilet, muttered staring down at her dress.
I looked down at my dress to which was also ruined. The drink she was holding had spilled on both of us.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't see you coming." She said when she finally looked up.
"I'm sorry too. I also didn't see you." I said staring down at her dress and I looked at mine too.
I went back into the toilet. I walked over to one of the basins and turned on the tap, taking my napkin and soaking it in water then using it to wipe my dress.
"This is a spectacular way to meet." The lady said and chuckled. She was now beside me repeating the same actions as me.
"You're Carmela De Cruz right?" She asked. What! No one here knows I'm a De Cruz, how did she?
"I'm a close friend of Miguel." She said as if reading my mind. Miguel?, my immediate elder brother. The playboy. She's probably one of his flings.
"I'm not one of his flings. We have a platonic relationship." She replied again answering my thoughts. What's going on?
"You whisper your thoughts out loud, and I'm good at reading lips." She said.
My eyes bulged. "What! I say my thoughts out loud?" She nodded and chuckled. I winced. No one has ever told me that. Wait! I called her a fling to her face. What a night.
"Sorry for calling you a fling." I apologized.
"No it's alright. Miguel has a reputation. I'm sure that's what comes to your mind anytime you see him with a girl." She said. I wish a hole could open up now and swallow me.
"I and Miguel attended the same University and we've been friends since then." She said with a smile. She looked very pretty.
A petite body with curves which she graced with a long silver off shoulder straight gown that hugged her curves in all the right places, and her curly black hair which she packed in a ponytail. And last of all, the most attractive feature of her, her eyes. Emerald, you could get lost in them.
My phone buzzed, that should be Eduardo. "I've got to go. I guess I'll see you around." I said.
"Yeah, OK" She replied.
*****************************
"This meeting is mainly because of our new found collaboration with the ROSSI's organization." Grandma said.
We were all seated in the faming meet room. It had the same design has a regular boardroom.
"When did we collaborate with the Rossi?" Eduardo asked with a puzzled gaze. He is sitting at grandma right side as the eldest.
"It's a marriage agreement between the heir to the ROSSI's organization and Paloma" Grandma said.
Thank God it isn't with me. We are all subjects to an arranged marriage, it is just a matter of time and Paloma's own came sooner than later.
Speak of the devil. She slammed the door of the family meet room open and walked in like the queen she thinks she is.
"Right on time" Miguel said sarcastically. Paloma eyed him.
Paloma and Miguel are twins but they never act like it and they're always at each others throat.
Paloma settled beside me. I'm now in between her and Miguel which is supposed to be a non-issue but with Paloma and Miguel everything is an issue.
"Carino you arrived late. Why?" Grandma asked with a stern face. Nobody is allowed to be late to family meetings.
"I came directly from the hospital. Just ended my shift" Paloma answered.
"Hey sis" Paloma whispered very close to me, so only I could hear. I smiled in return.
"Heard about your scumbag boyfriend" Way to go, bringing him up.
"So what's the meeting about?" She asked directing the question to the whole room. I sighed, everywhere is about to go shit.
"First of, your parents are coming back tomorrow. Also you are engaged." Grandma said all to fast. Everyone is afraid of Paloma.
Everyone started looking around for a nonexistent object in the room while waiting for Paloma reaction.
Paloma bursts into laughter, we all snapped our heads to her.
"Oh nana. I am not walking down the aisle to get married to someone." Paloma said with amusement in her voice as her laugh died down.
"Carino, you know this is how this family works." Grandma said in a soft tone.
I have no idea how she's going to convince Paloma but no one is forcing Paloma into doing something she doesn't want to do. She is one hell of a force to deal with.
"Well I guess it's time to change the rules then." Paloma said still unconvinced.
"This is the end of the meeting. Paloma wait behind." Grandma said dismissing all of us.
I and my brothers all stood up and walked out. I'm heading towards my room straight. Only I still live in grandma's mansion. All my siblings have their own individual mansion in the family estate.
"Carmela" I heard Miguel's voice call from behind. I turned around to face him.
"Want to go for a race?" Miguel asked with a smirk. That's a surprise.
Miguel has always been a rebel. Going against everything the De Cruz stands for. He owns a not so legal racing ring that only I and my siblings know about. I've never been there, mainly because Eduardo and Bruno, my second brother, do not want me there even though my knowledge of cars far surpasses theirs and I'm crazy with and about cars.
"Wow. We are in the mood to go against Eduardo this night?" I asked sarcastically. Miguel just grinned.
"Do I get to race?" I asked.
"We'll see" He replied with a shrug.