349 A slight change of hear (1/2)

Time - 09:26 AM

Ethan stood frozen as a pair of heavy gaze fell upon him.

'Why does it feel like deja vu?' he thought.

'First, Lillian Grey, now Giselle's parents!'

He was even afraid of slipping his glance somewhere else, fearing that the tall man who stood straight in front of him could pierce holes from his cold glaring. Summoning the courage, Ethan took a peek at the person standing next to the cold stare, Gigi. It appears that Giselle's sister was comparatively in a shock though less affected than him, but she did seem to understand his position. Her eyes didn't blink for at least the forty seconds they stared into each other.

Giselle, who watched the atmosphere growing cold, tapped Ethan since she had just introduced him to her parents officially.

Ethan had no time to remain motionless. He gulped a puff of cold air for support and released himself from the burden of being watched.

”H- Hello! Mr. and Mrs. Jones! I'm Ethan Ruz, L- Lia's father,” Ethan greeted politely.

Still, the two grey eyes could show no response, yet only gawk at this person intently. Melanie studied his bearing while Eric's glare never left Ethan's ashen face.

Just when Ethan thought he could seek Giselle for help, Eric's voice finally came out of his sealed thin lips.

”I wish we could have met personally at home and talk.”

Though the voice was frail and quivered, it still held such authority, and everyone surrounded hushed to listen to the old guy talk.

”That's alright!” Melanie jumped in to relieve the tension.

”You're Ethan, right?” she asked.

Ethan nodded with a fleeting smile and returned being stiff.

”My husband can be very intimidating, but don't be nervous Ethan,” Melanie added to approach.

She came near to Ethan and caught his face with her delicate hands. The touch of her aged skin with layers of wrinkles underneath and the smell of a mother couldn't help but put Ethan at ease. He relaxed his muscles to become free and couldn't apprehend the emotions he was feeling right now as Melanie studied his face closely. Her gentle eyes were full of warmth and consideration for a stranger.

”You look very handsome, Ethan,” Melanie stated.

Eric, who was supporting his wife from behind, grunted visibly. Ethan's blush instantly vanished to break a sweat.

”Don't be harsh on him, dear. Come, greet him properly. He is Lia's father.”

Eric followed to approach him to stand next to his wife and greeted him courteously.

”Nice to meet you, Ethan. I'm Giselle's father, and this is her mother. You can call us Eric and Melanie, no need to be so formal.”

Up until then, Eric's face indirectly challenged Ethan, but right now, his voice matched that of his wife's, tender yet careful.

”Ah- yeah! Hey!”

So far, Giselle silently observed to see how things went as she too was nervous for this gathering since its Ethan's first time meeting her parents. She stood by his side to keep an eye and was ready to lend her aid when needed. However, seeing how peace returned between the two, Giselle could overlook her father's icy glares. Moving on, she went to greet her family with a quick hug.

”Where's Lia?” Gigi asked after learning that the child is missing for a long time.

”Don't tell me- she left already! We can't see her?” Gigi groaned with scorn.

”We are still going to see her in the play and meet her later, so-”

While Giselle consoled the arrived guests, they heard the child's voice.

**

Time - 09:37 AM

”Aunt Gigi!”

”Grandpa! Grandma! You came! You came!”

The group instantly turned to the direction the voice emerged and found little Lia completely transformed into her character with perfect makeup and hair, racing towards them.

”Lia? Why- What are you doing here? Did something happen?” Giselle's face grew tense as she inquired. Immediately, she glanced around to check for Mrs. Beth, hoping that she wouldn't be there to witness Lia breaking the rule.

”Nothing, mom! I snuck out to see everyone before the play,” Lia replied coolly. Her smile, still spreading to greet the three new visitors.

Eric, Melanie, and Gigi had already ushered to meet little Lia as their gazes melted to the sight. They surrounded to idolize and worship the child while Gigi removed the camera from her bag to make a sudden announcement.

”Let's take pictures, Lia!” she cried from excitement.

Giselle intruded right away to stop them from causing a scene. Since there's no one else from the drama team roaming around, Giselle worried if someone were to witness a student in full costume, sneaking out, it would bring a lot of trouble. Thus, she abruptly shut Gigi to avoid taking any pictures that could possibly draw the surrounding attention.

”What a scaredy-cat!” Gigi muttered to ignore and clicked the shutter to snap a picture. She only took one, and that was Lia's, a single portrait of Lia in her costume for the stage play. Once satisfied with the photo, Gigi then obeyed her sister to put away the camera.

Giselle, though at first got agitated, now seem to calm down and was feeling glad about Gigi's silly ways.

”You should get back soon, Lia,” Giselle said, remembering the situation and choosing to be on the safer side.

Lia agreed. She glanced at the three to smile generously, thanking them for coming to see her- when suddenly a thought came crashing her mind.

”Mom, where's Ms. Lillian? I didn't see her! Did she went somewhere?” Lia innocently bombarded Giselle with an array of questions.

Time - 09:43 AM