"Angelo?" Eden questioned once they stepped out of the car. She'd made effort, she'd really made effort this time. She had red lipstick on that made her look like she had strawberries lining her lips, that alone was timeless but the dress she chose to wear tonight was beautiful, effortless on her. It was cut beautifully too, that shade of green she adored, darker than her eyes. "What if he's here?" she asked with concern filled eyes, she hadn't been sure about tonight at all in fact if she were honest, she was a bit on edge to pick up a drink at all. "What if something.. what if.." she'd slid her hand through the loop of his arm, her fingers holding around his sleeve lightly. She hadn't touched alcohol since that night. "What if they think I'm odd, for just wanting water?" she whispered, the only relief she had was that she was on his arm. "What if your friends think I look I don't know... common? I don't want to embarrass you- I could go home right now!" she was filled with anxiety over this. It was a given, with how it went last time it was such a given she was going to feel like this but if she stayed near him, would it be so bad? Then she stopped, before entering that building she stopped to look up at him, her hand pulled away from his arm and concern etched into her eyes, the way her brows pulled inwardly. "I don't know Angelo, I've got this gut feeling..."
There was no way in hell Harold O'Connor was going to miss this event. He'd heard the gossip through people that'd attended, people he'd worked with and built bonds with. Eden was apparently dating Angelo Santino, whether or not it was dating he didn't particularly care. What he cared about was that he had a way in to exploit and get business set up, work with someone like Angelo, hit the big numbers. "Have you heard, Lorelai?" his wife was on his arm, quiet and obedient until spoken too but it'd only take one look to Lorelai to see where Eden and Ben had gotten their looks, especially Eden, given she had the same loose waves as her Mother, the same eyes too. "What am I meant to have heard?" she asked, both of them stood on the second floor, overlooking down to the guests, the attendees, but Harold wasn't just observing, he was searching for her. "Our daughter." the word spat from him like venom. "Apparently Eden is with Angelo Santino." There should have been a flash of control but she maintained a bland expression, watching people socialising.
"She is a grown woman, Harold..." Lorelai mumbled and he flashed her a look. "We play this smart, Lorelai." by saying we he had immediately dragged her into this plan of his, he'd immediately manipulated her into agreement. That's what he did, manipulated people smaller than him but this wasn't an easy play, this took more consideration on how to sue the pieces presented to him... and he knew how to use Eden. "Nobody has heard or seen Jonathan Barlowe since the night of that event, don't you find it interesting that Barlowe apparently had an altercation with Eden?" he smirked wickedly. "Eden no matter her relation with him, is in his interests. A few nice words from her and I imagine he will do business with her Father very easily, and we'd be in the big numbers Lor, on the big table with big names." Lorelai turned to face him rather than the crowd below. "And what if it's just coincidence Harold? What if he kills her for what you'd have her lie about?" she wanted to bring up Ben, that they'd lost a son.. but she already knew her reasoning wasn't going to matter. "Then the world would have one less stain on its surface, she'd have failed her use to me." his eyes moved back to scanning, waiting. "I suppose so.." Lorelai spoke submissively. That is when they both saw their daughter walk in on his arm. Lorelai spotted it right away, that she had a sparkle in her eye when she was looking up at Angelo.
Upon walking in Eden turned to Angelo instantly, she'd looked up and seen that piercing glare on her, she knew the way her heart thudded. Her parents were here. They weren't just here but they were looking at her, they were going to talk to her and Eden couldn't bare the idea that her Father would talk, would be near her, would do anything.. she couldn't bare the idea that he'd find a way to use her or turn Angelo against her, that he might hurt Angelo. Eden turned, her hand as tight as a vice around Angelo's arm. "Please, let's go." she leaned in to speak and there was this urgency about her. "Angelo please, please we can go right now, let's just leave. Let's go home." she had never called his house a home, she'd never implied that home would be where he was but in that panic some truths came out. "I want to go home, I want us to go home." she repeated quickly because she could feel it, the approaching steps, the air snatched from her lungs.
"Angelo." she pleaded softly and then she heard him. "Hello Eden." he'd spoken first. "Hello sweetie." her Mother followed, like they were friendly. Eden could barely raise her eyes to meet the man, in fact she truly looked like she didn't want to look at him at all but she made herself when she turned. "Hello Mother, Father." she said his name a certain way, this hidden disdain in her tone but one thing was absolutely certain, where she'd had this vice grip to his arm, she now held just as tightly.. and trembled. Her hands, her body, genuinely trembled and he'd simply said hello. "Well, Eden, it is rude to not introduce us." he spoke firmly, his hand moving out to Angelo to shake and that very moment Eden seemed to take the smallest pull back, it was discreet, a slight flinch but god she did not want him laying a hand on Angelo. He tarnished everything he got his hands on, herself included, she didn't want him to ruin the one thing she... actually enjoyed in her life right now. "Angelo this is.. this is my Mother, Lorelai and my Father, H-.." the minute she stuttered there was this snap of his head, this sinister smirk that she'd come to know. "H-Harold." being near him reverted her back to being a girl, a frightened girl unable to get her words out for fear.
"Harold and Lorelai O'Connor." her Father interjected, like he was too impatient to give her chance to just speak and you could see how it knocked her confidence, how she shrank into herself. Anyone that new Eden knew that her childhood stutter only came out in times where she was extremely nervous or frightened but in this case, she was terrified. All she could think and hope was that Angelo would not have her let go of his arm right now. "Pleasure to meet you Angelo..." he turned his eyes back to Eden, awaiting their introduction to him. She went to speak and felt that stammer, the choking feeling constricting her to looked away, her fingers starting to tap and fidget, anything to distract. Harold knew his name, it was just his way of making her feel small. "Santino." she manged quietly and he suddenly beamed with this wide, toothy smile. "Pleasure to meet you, Angelo Santino. I've heard a lot about you, that you're a prominent business man. I'm a business man myself." Harold spoke and Eden knew where this was going and dreaded it. Anything but Angelo. Anything but her Angelo.
@wiinestories !