His expression suddenly turned serious.
"They're here…" he whispered, almost guilty.
I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. I wasn't ready to meet his parents—not now, not after what had just happened. But he squeezed my hand tightly, as if trying to pass his courage onto me.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine."
He led me to the dining room. Sitting at the table were his parents. They smiled warmly and said:
"Hello, what's your name? Did you have a good trip? Sit down, we'll make you some coffee. Tell us a little about yourself…"
I was practically paralyzed. Words refused to come out, still trapped by the embarrassment of what had happened earlier.
Thankfully, he stepped in.
"Mom, stop asking so many questions. You're making her uncomfortable."
"I didn't mean to," she replied softly. "I just want to get to know her better."
That's when I finally spoke.
"Nice to meet you, ma'am. What would you like to know? And… yes, I'd love some coffee."
I gave a small smile, though my heart was racing.
She looked at me curiously. "Your name is quite unusual. Could you repeat it, please?"
"My name is Deirdre. I know it's not a simple one… it's Anglo-Saxon."
"How come you have such a name? It's not common here."
"You're right," I said. "My father traveled a lot for work, and he chose it for me."
Just then, there was a knock at the door. A girl walked in—his cousin.
He looked annoyed, his face tightening.
"Well, isn't this a family reunion today? Incredible, Mom… you really can't keep a secret."
I felt a wave of discomfort. I tried to be more talkative, but my shyness always seemed to win.
A few minutes later, his cousin also showed up, his tone sarcastic and his voice too loud.
"Antony, aren't you going to introduce me to this lovely young lady?"
"Weren't you supposed to be at work? What are you doing here?!" Antony snapped back.
The cousin stepped closer, reached out his hand to me, and with a sly smile said:
"Compliments—you're truly beautiful. Tonight we're having a party… you two should come."
I didn't know what to say. I looked at Antony, searching for help in his eyes, but he seemed tense, distant. The more his cousin spoke to me, the further Antony pulled away.
Still, we went to the party.
The music was loud, laughter filled the air, but I couldn't shake the tension surrounding us. His cousin was quick to approach me again, insisting I dance with him. I politely refused, but I caught Antony's gaze darkening.
"He won't leave you alone," he muttered through clenched teeth, holding my hand almost painfully.
I tried to calm him, but he pulled away and stormed toward his cousin. Their voices clashed, sharp and rising, drawing everyone's attention.
"I told you to stay away from her!" Antony shouted.
His cousin smirked, tilting his head. "Or maybe… you're just afraid of losing her."
The room fell into sudden silence. All eyes turned toward us. I stood frozen in the middle, my heart racing—not just from embarrassment, but from the chilling certainty that this was only the beginning.
And in that moment, I knew: tonight would not end well.