The thought of being in the same dining room with Mrs Marshall pricked me so badly as i found myself getting more anxious by minute, the driver was steady, almost adding more to the tension that was consuming both me and Klaus, as he made a slow turn, we came face to face with a gigantic gate that shield a mansion behind.
"The passcode is Griffin4000," Klaus revealed, and the gates opened automatically. My eyes were filled as the mansion stood so tall, its unique design different from the ones i have seen before.
Three guards walked out from their hiding spot, their weapons clearly hidden in plain sight as they opened the car doors for us to step out, i was beyond impressed as i took another glance at the mansion, observing the water fountain at the center and the perfectly trimmed flowers, not to mention the dim lights that surrounded the house.
"This is beautiful," i confessed, unable to ignore the exterior design of the mansion and while i took a good look, i also noticed the luxurious cars parked by the side, SUVs and sport cars were all parked by the mini park on the left side of the mansion.
Rafael stepped out almost immediately, his face calm and a smile etched on his lips as he shook hands with Klaus, who felt uneasy as he stared at the cars, he obviously knew who they belong to.
"Everyone is seated and patiently waiting for you and your mistress," Rafael revealed.
"My uncles and aunts are there?" Klaus asked, the words sounding so heavy on his lips.
"Of course, they are already seated and waiting for you before dinner will be properly served" Rafael said.
Rafael and the other guards ushered us inside, but before i could take four steps in, Klaus slowly pulled me back, whispering into my ears. "Don't screw this off. Always read the room and watch out for my signals."
I simply nodded like i understood every word he said, as i stepped inside, i smiled beautifully on sighting the rare artifacts that were all around the living room, not to talk of the paintings and the Italian leather couch that stood out for its design. It was nothing short of beauty and elegance, but i remained composed as we walked to the dining room with its table stretching so long with chairs already arranged for us.
"There's my boy, Klaus!" one of the men seated roared with happiness as he stood up to hug Klaus, who had a faint smile that didn't come from his heart.
"It has been years since i set my eyes on you," he exclaimed.
"I'm here now, Uncle Antonio," Klaus said, his fake smile still visible.
I simply waved at the other men and women who all had their eyes on me, Klaus and i took our seats, but i still hadn't seen any woman who stood out to be Klaus's mother.
"And where's my mother?" Klaus asked, his tone sounding so uncomfortable by the second.
"I'm here, darling," a faint yet beautiful voice called out from behind as she held a tray of food with its aroma filling my nostrils in a second.
Klaus stood up to hug his mother, their hug lasting over a minute as all eyes were on them. Rafael took his seat, and with the snap of his finger, the guards retreated to their positions outside the house, i was a bit satisfied by the authority each person connected to Klaus possessed.
"It's so beautiful to be with my family. It warms my heart greatly, i have missed each and every one of you deeply," Klaus confessed, a tear drop streaming down his cheek. I was shocked beyond words. Was this real, or was it part of his plan? A man like Klaus shed a tear?.
"We have missed you so much, Klaus, we always prayed for you to come back to us, there's nothing as strong and united like a family bonded by blood" Mr Antonio revealed, his broad smile too hard to ignore.
Klaus had his seat close to his mother and definitely not far from me, and in no time, two young girls dressed in uniforms came out from the corner to serve the food and for some minutes, we ate in utter silence, everyone savoring the taste of the grilled turkey and the chicken soup, my taste buds were extremely satisfied with what i ate and it wouldn't take a lot to know that the chef is extremely talented. Each minute we spent eating made me anticipate what would be next. What question would be thrown at me first?.
"I believe it's time for introductions, Klaus. You haven't introduced us to your mistress," Mr Antonio said shortly after he cleaned his lips.
Everyone rounded up with their food, and Klaus soon became the center of attraction, his fake smile was eminent, but they all bought it.
"You're right uncle, i should proceed with the introductions," Klaus confessed, but before he could utter another word, Mr Antonio interrupted.
"I think you should let your mistress speak. She seems like a lady who has a lot to say. Her beauty is top notch,"
I felt the heat at once as they all stared at me like a priceless work of art, the words i meant to say got hooked in my throat but i coughed briefly and quickly gulped down a glass of water to hide my uneasiness.
"You can start with your beautiful name," another man revealed. They were three elderly men apart from Klaus and Rafael, and two women seated at the dining table with Klaus's mother, making it three.
"My name is Arabell..."
"Her name is Naomi Smith, daughter of Russell Jones Smith." Klaus interrupted before i could even pronounce my name.
I was stunned as my mouth was left hanging, i quickly composed myself, hoping it was all part of his plan that i obviously had no clue on.
"You don't mean it, Klaus. Is she really a model?" one of the elderly women exclaimed, her reaction so priceless and scary to me, i had no clue who the fuck was Naomi Smith and i definitely wasn't a model but how would i ever prove such?.
"Yes, Aunt Lara, she's the upcoming model New York has to offer, a stunning lady with a bright future," Klaus revealed as he smiled so broadly, almost believing his own fairytale lies.
"Tell me about yourself, I'm a big fan of the modeling world and i so delighted to be in the presence of an upcoming prodigy like you, Miss Naomi, which agency are you modeling for?" Aunt Lara asked, her question throwing me off balance as i struggled to find answers to such a question when I'm clearly a fraud.
"She's having a bit of trauma. The pressure on her wasn't good and she decided to take a break from her agency, the workload was way too much. It's funny how i met her during one of my vacations" Klaus swooped in to save me from a slow disgrace but it wasn't over, not by a long shot.
The look on aunt Lara's face was disapproving, probably detecting that she had been lied to in the calmest way possible and Klaus eyes moved from side to side, watching everyone keenly as they had their full attention on me.
"Klaus, allow the lady to speak for herself, this is a woman heart to heart talk, the men have no business here. And besides, i can probably help her out, i have connections to so many different agencies i can put her on" Aunt Lara said, her authority and seriousness visible in her voice.
The rest of them, including Klaus's mother, all burst into laughter like she had told a joke, i managed to smile, not wanting to look awkward while my heart pounded with fear and uncertainty.
"You look so much like someone i saw on the news" the other lady spoke and my heart froze in that minute, swallowing hard as my saliva turned to stone, crushing my oesophagus to shreds as i stared at her lips.
"Me?, I'm sure you're clearly mistaken, i haven't been on the news for at least a month. I'm keeping a low profile for now before i come back to the limelight. i need time to get used to the pressure" I said confidently, adjusting myself to the fake life i had been thrown into by Klaus.
"You're right, Maryann, i haven't even seen her on any modeling event before, it's quite hard to believe she's a model" Aunt Lara confessed.
"No, I'm not mistaken, Miss Naomi, I know what I saw, the resemblance is keen, you look like the bride who was pronounced dead on the news!" Miss Marayann revealed slowly, the curiosity in her voice so visible and for some seconds, the world paused before my eyes, I had been caught!.