ALEX’S POV.
We had just wrapped up an afternoon at the bowling alley, and I couldn’t help but smile as Saraya celebrated her latest victory with an exaggerated fist pump. Evan groaned dramatically, slumping into a chair.
“She cheated,” he muttered, glaring at the scoreboard.
“How exactly does someone cheat at bowling?” Mary asked, raising an eyebrow as she set her shoes on the counter.
“Maybe she bribed the pins,” I said, grinning as Saraya stuck out her tongue at all of us.
We gathered our things and made our way out to the car. On the drive back, the kids bickered in the backseat about who deserved to win while Mary shook her head, trying to hide her amusement.
Soon we arrived, I cleared my throat to get their attention. “Alright, listen up, everyone.”
They stopped mid-conversation and looked at me, waiting.
“We’re heading to Sydney tomorrow,” I announced.
“Wait, what?” Saraya asked, sitting up straight. “Tomorrow.”
I nodded. “Christmas is a few days away, and it’s tradition to spend it at the Newman mansion with your grandma, I know it’s your first Christmas with us but you will see.
Saraya groaned. “You mean the massive house where grandma and Ian acts all high and whatnot? Great.”
Mary shot her a look. “Saraya, be careful how you speak ill of your own family.”
“Exactly,” I added. “Which means packing your things as soon as we get back to the rooms. We leave early in the morning.”
Evan sighed. “Do we have to pack everything tonight? Can’t it wait?”
“Nope,” I said firmly. “The sooner, the better. Unless you want me packing for you?”
“Fine,” he mumbled, dragging his feet toward the elevator.
“Don’t worry, I will help you pack.” Saraya offered.
Evan hugged saraya. “Yippee.”
“Good,” I said. “Now, let’s get upstairs and start packing. We’ve got a long trip ahead of us.”
As we stepped out of the car, I exchanged a glance with Mary.
She gave me a small smile and whispered, “The kids are something else, who would have thought they were nitpicking a moment ago?”
“They’re like magnets,” I said quietly to Mary.
“More like fireworks and a fuse,” she replied with a smirk.
We stepped into house when Saraya stopped on her tracks.
“Can I be exempted from the family gathering?” She asked.
“Listen,” I said, turning to face her. “I know what you’re thinking but give it a chance. Your grandmother may be a bit… strict, but she means well. And as for Ian-”
“He is a spoilt brat,” Saraya interrupted. “If you ask me.”
I sighed. “As for Ian, he’s just… particular. But it’s Christmas. Let’s keep the peace, alright?”
Evan nudged Saraya. “I’ll keep Ian distracted for you if you want.”
She smirked. “Deal. Just don’t let him start talking about his antique watch collection again.”
“Got it!” Evan said, already darting toward his room.
“I’ll check on him,” Saraya called out as she jogged after him.
I turned to Mary as we walked to our room. “I can tell Saraya is still having a tough time in the mansion specially with Ian being around now.”
Mary chuckled softly. “You think? Between your mother’s perfectionism and Ian’s smugness, it’s bound to be entertaining.”
I shook my head, smiling. “Well, Christmas is about family, no matter how chaotic it gets.”
“Speaking of chaos,” Mary said, raising an eyebrow. “Think you’ll survive another ‘polite’ debate with Ian about inheritance and legacy?”
“I’ve been doing it for years,” I said with a shrug. “What’s one more?”
We shared a laugh as I unlocked the door. But as much as I played it off, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this Christmas might be more eventful than usual.
SARAYA’S POV.
Once I was done with helping Evan pack up his bag, I walked into my room, undressing almost immediately. I walked bare into the restroom and lowered myself in the cool water.
After a quick shower, I grabbed my phone to check for any messages. There were a couple from Arlan, but before I could even start replying, the door creaked open.
“Hey, Saraya,” Mary said, stepping inside. “Thank you for helping out with your brother, you need help with your hair?”
I smiled. “You came at the perfect time, actually.”
As I sat down on the edge of the bed, my phone buzzed again. I looked at the screen-Arlan. My stomach twisted.
I turned my phone down but my phone rang again, taking a peep at the caller, it was still him.
Mary raised an eyebrow. “Arlan? What’s he calling for?”
“I wouldn’t know.” I quickly placed the phone face down on the bed. “I’m tired. Don’t feel like discussing business right now,” I said, trying to act casual.
Mary continued working on my hair. “Sara, it’s rude to ignore his calls, you know. He’s your dad’s best friend and business partner.”
“He keeps calling, it could be urgent, you know.” She added.
“Ugh,” I muttered, wishing he’d stop calling. I really didn’t want to deal with this right now.
Mary, however, wasn’t having it. Before I could react, she snatched the phone from the bed and answered it.
“Mary, no!” I said, trying to reach for it.
But it was too late. She’d already pressed the green button and put it on speaker.
“Hey, Butterfly,” came Arlan’s voice and what followed was a soft sigh. “How are you doing? I can’t wait to see you in Sydney. I love and miss you so much.”
Mary’s face froze, her eyes wide as she pulled the phone away from her ear. She quickly ended the call and looked at me.
“Well, seems like my eyes weren’t playing games last night,” she said, her voice shaking slightly.
I was speechless, my mouth hanging open. “You saw that?”
Mary nodded slowly, her gaze never leaving mine. “Everything. All of it.” She replied. “For a moment, I thought it was Dominic.”
I felt the room spin. “Does Dad know about this?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
“If Alex knew,” Mary said, shaking her head, “we wouldn’t have gone to the bowling alley. We’d be in Sydney already, and trust me, there would be chaos.”
I felt a lump form in my throat. “This is… this is bad.”
Mary looked at me straight in the eye. “You’ve got some explaining to do, Saraya.”
My hands shook as I tried to speak. “M-Mom, please… you have to keep this a secret. I don’t want Dad to know. I swear, I didn’t mean for any of this to happen, but it’s… complicated.”
Mary’s eyes widened and she took a step back. “Complicated?” Her voice was calm, but there was tension in it. “Saraya, is Arlan the man you’ve been talking about?”
I froze. My heart raced. “Please, Mom” I stuttered, moving closer to her, grabbing her hands. “You can’t tell anyone. It’s not what it seems. It’s… I didn’t plan this. It just happened. Please, don’t say anything.”
Mary pulled her hands away from mine, looking at me like she was trying to understand. “Arlan? The same Arlan your dad trusts? You’re telling me this isn’t some kind of mistake?”
I felt a lump form in my throat. Tears stung my eyes. “I didn’t mean for it to happen,” I whispered. “But it’s real, Mom. And I can’t let Dad find out. It will destroy him. You have to keep this between us.”
Mary was quiet for a long moment, just staring at me. I could tell she was processing everything I’d said, weighing her options. Finally, she spoke. “Saraya, this is Arlan. Your father’s best friend. This is serious.”
I nodded quickly, tears now slipping down my face. “I swear, it wasn’t planned. But it happened, and now I don’t know what to do. Please, Mom, I need you to keep this a secret. If Dad finds out…”
Her face softened, but there was still concern in her eyes. “You know that, right? You know this is going to hurt your dad if it comes out so why do you keep at it?”
“Please, don’t tell him.” Was all I could say.
Mary’s expression stayed serious, but after a moment, she sighed. “Alright, I won’t say anything. But you need to get a grip on this…” She shook her head. “It’s going to be a mess.”
I nodded quickly, desperate. “I’ll figure it out, I promise. Just please don’t tell anyone.”
Mary looked at me for a second, her gaze steady. “You need to stop letting Arlan do this to you, Saraya. It’s not right. Have you forgotten he is expecting a child with Matilda?”
I nodded again. “I will. I promise.”
She hesitated, then turned to leave. But just before she walked out the door, she stopped and looked back at me. “I’m trusting you, Saraya. You should end this affair while you can. Don’t make me regret it.”
I swallowed hard. “I won’t. Thank you, Mom.” I watched her shut the door and collapsed to the ground.