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“Good. That’s excellent,” Elsa nodded in satisfaction. “Now, how about helping me get ready for the arrival of the last guests?”
Her tone shifted so abruptly it was as if the heavy conversation from a few seconds ago had never happened at all.
Now she looked relaxed again, even slightly cheerful.
Daphne blinked. It was sometimes hard to keep up with Elsa.
One moment she was serious and perceptive, the next playful and almost carefree.
And yet there was something else in her behavior right now.
Excitement. Anticipation.
As if she was eagerly waiting for something that was about to happen very soon.
And that unsettled Daphne far more than she wanted to admit.
“Are there more guests coming?” Daphne asked.
“Yes. I invited my older sister Sofia and her children. You seem to know Terence?”
Daphne immediately recalled a tall, blond-haired guy.
“We worked together as lifeguards in Sulani. You really gathered the whole family here?”
“Of course,” Elsa smiled. “We haven’t had a proper reason to meet like this in a long time. And then Dylan announced that things were serious between you two, so I decided to throw a big family gathering.”
She lowered her voice conspiratorially.
“The first thing I did was tell everyone about you.”
Daphne didn’t quite believe that the whole event had been organized just to meet her, but she didn’t argue.
“Really? And what did you say?”
“That you’re a real beauty.”
Daphne averted her gaze, embarrassed.
“Thank you, but that wasn’t necessary.”
“Oh come on,” Elsa smirked. “I only passed on Dylan’s words.
They walked through the kitchen toward the living room.
And Daphne took another careful look at Elsa.
Her mother had taught her since childhood to observe closely the people surrounding her friends and loved ones. According to her, it was important to understand not only the person themselves, but also who stood beside them, what kind of environment they grew up in, and who had influenced them the most.
Elsa walked with a confident stride.
Straight back. Slightly raised chin.
She carried herself with a natural confidence that couldn’t be imitated or learned in a few days.
Daphne also noticed her speech. Clear. Correct. Well-structured.
And the ease with which Elsa steered the conversation in the right direction, almost imperceptibly shifting the topic or the mood of the person she was speaking to.
That also said a lot. Elsa knew how to put people at ease.
And she knew how to control a conversation, even when those around her didn’t notice it.
Daphne had also heard of Elsa’s exceptional intelligence.
Until today, she had imagined her primarily as a talented scientist and inventor. However, after this conversation, she had no doubt left: the rumors had not been exaggerated.
Elsa was very intelligent.
And it wasn’t just about numbers, formulas, or inventions.
She understood people remarkably well.
She could pick up moods from a single glance or gesture.
And she also knew how to ask questions in a way that made people reveal far more than they originally intended.
Daphne suddenly realized that, in just the past few minutes, Elsa had learned far more about her than she had managed to learn about Elsa.
And it was both impressive and a little unsettling.
Daphne knew that Max's wife was Evie.
However...In the Villareal family, the most influential woman was undoubtedly Elsa Villareal.
Not because of any formal title.
And not because she tried to command those around her.
Her presence was simply everywhere. In the way the household functioned.
In the way people listened when she spoke. In the way she effortlessly connected with all kinds of people.
Elsa possessed a rare combination of qualities: a sharp mind, inner strength, and an extraordinary ability to understand others.
Daphne suddenly thought that many people probably made the mistake of seeing her as a gentle and harmless woman.
They were wrong. Elsa Villarreal was very intelligent.
And very dangerous. Not the kind of dangerous that came from threats or brute force.
Something far more powerful. She knew how to influence people.
And for the first time, Daphne found herself thinking that there was a great deal she could learn from her.
