Forbidden Mate- A Step-brother Romance - Chapter 75: Chapter 75

~LANA~
Why did that have to be the first thing out of her mouth the moment we sat down? Jada looked timid at her words, as if even her personality was perfectly polished, much like her looks.
I could feel Apollo's gaze on me, and I knew he was worried about how I would react to his mother's behavior.
"Don't you think so?" she asked Jada, her tone almost insistent. "You both are quite good-looking, so naturally, you'll have beautiful babies in the future."
I nearly gagged in response, managing to hold it together before anyone noticed.
Jada flushed, "I honestly haven't thought about it, but having seen baby pictures of Apollo, I'm sure we will have adorable kids."
Mrs. Reign positively beamed at Jada's reply. I could tell Jada was a pro at winning over Apollo's mom; she really knew how to keep her happy. Meanwhile, no matter what I said, Mrs. Reign would surely find a way to resent me.
The more time I spent with her around, the heavier my heart felt.
I was already dreading the thought of tonight turning into a significant pain in my neck. I really wished my mother hadn't forced us to come.
"Well, this dinner is already a drag," Isabella mutters beside me.
She could say that again.
"Emily, how are the wedding plans coming along?" my mother asks, trying to strike up a conversation with Apollo's mother.
I could tell that Mrs. Reign didn't want to engage with her at all but was making an effort, likely to keep the peace until the engagement was officially over with. I knew the second Apollo and Jada got engaged, her true colors would show again. My mother wouldn't know what hit her. But if this lousy experience was what it would take for her to learn, I wouldn't get in the way.
"Oh, it's going wonderfully," she answers, her enthusiasm somewhat fake. "I can't wait to see everything come together. Soon, Apollo will be a married man, officially belonging to Jada."
I swallowed hard, my frown deepening as I caught that familiar look Mrs. Reign was giving me once more.
I knew I wasn't imagining it. His mother had been shooting daggers with her eyes at me all night. Isabella had noticed it, too.
Did she know something had happened between Apollo and me?
Her behavior was so odd. Why was she only glaring at me? I always assumed she hated my mother the most, but now it felt like her disdain for me was more personal.
She seemed completely unfazed by Isabella's presence, as if her hatred for me was so intense that she couldn't even disguise it.
There was only one thing I could chalk this up to. But Apollo would never tell his mother about what happened between us; I was certain of it. So, there had to be another reason for the way she glared at me whenever she thought her son wasn't looking.
"Well, this is boring," Isabella says, yawning. "I want to go home."
I nod in agreement. "I'm with you on that. I don't know how much more of this I can handle."
Watching Apollo seated next to Jada while his mother kept praising their 'perfect couple' status was churning my stomach. I'd take any excuse to leave right now.
"What's your daughter's name again? Laney?" she asked, a condescending smile on her face.
I frowned. She couldn't be talking about me, could she?
"Lana," my mother corrected her, confirming that she was indeed addressing me.
"Oh yes, Lana," she said, her smile growing sly. "Why is she still single? Aren't there any suitors interested in her?"
My mother frowned, and I could see Isabella's temper rising; she looked like she wanted to leap across the table. I squeezed her hand, warning her with my eyes to stay calm. Mrs. Reign seemed to be trying to push our buttons while putting on a facade of kindness.
"Mom." Apollo finally spoke up, his voice low and controlled but there is a hint of anger in it, hidden beneath the surface. It surprised me since he had been quiet all evening.
"What did I say?" she whisper back. "I was only trying to help. I know many great suitors back home that Jada turned down for you. They would suit your stepsister well."
Isabella smirked next to me, "My sister already has plenty of men interested in her. You'd be surprised at how close they are. They could be in this very restaurant, possibly even seated at—"
I quickly pinched her under the table to silence her. She shot me a glare and took a sip of water to keep quiet.
"Well, that's lovely," Mrs. Reign said, looking directly at us. "I'm glad to hear she has suitors lined up already. But like I said, if you're ever looking, feel free to reach out. I could play matchmaker for you."
"I wouldn't trust you to set anyone up," Isabella replied, her tone audible enough for Mrs. Reign to hear.
"Excuse me?" Apollo’s mother responds as she shoots daggers in her direction. My mother glanced over at Isabella, and I could see the warning in her eyes.
Unfazed, Isabella continued, "It's just that you don't exactly have the best track record for a happy marriage, Emily. I wouldn't rely on you to find a suitable match for my sister if you couldn't pull it off for yourself."
I nearly choked at hearing my sister openly insult her in front of everyone, using the same tone the woman had used all night.
"Isabella," my mother scolds.
"What did I say?" my sister replies, feigning innocence and batting her eyelashes sweetly. "I was just sharing my honest opinion."
"I apologize," my mother says on her behalf.
"No, it's fine. Your daughter has merely stated the truth," Mrs. Reign responds with a hint of sarcasm. "But she seems to lack respect for her elders."
Lack respect? For doing the same thing she had just done to me?
I'm ready to respond when Isabella squeezes my hand.
"Let's go order something from the restaurant’s bakery," she suggests, dragging me out of my seat.
Well, wasn't this dinner just a dream? A big, happy family gathered together, hurling insults at one another, one after the other.
How lovely. It couldn't possibly get any worse, could it?