72 Under the table- Part 2 (1/2)

Dragging her feet to the middle of the dais, Heidi and Warren stood facing each other. Two maids followed them, holding the rings. Taking the silver ring from the maid, she pushed the ring on Warren's finger when he raised it. Hearing the polite claps around them. Readying herself, she raised her hand.

Heidi could feel her heartbeat as seconds seemed to have slowed down, dragging the time like she wanted to since morning had arrived. Everything was happening so fast now that she was hardly able to grasp the situation. Letting her eyes wander at the crowd for the briefest moment, her eyes met the eyes of the man who had stirred trouble in her mind. His stoic expression was in place with a small smile on his handsome face. Except for the silent exchange of gazes from morning, they hadn't spoken to each other. Call it an intuition but something wasn't right. She didn't know why but the thought of the lord enjoying her misery crossed her mind. Behind that sweet smile was a sadist.

Returning her gaze back at Warren, she gave him the best smile she could muster which brought a smile on Warren's lips as he slipped the ring on her delicate fingers. Like Warren had said, it might be a truce but it was still a marriage. She didn't want him to be the only one putting effort. From now she would do her best too, she thought to herself.

Nicholas who had been enjoying the fresh air outside the mansion while looking at Heidi waiting for cousin to put the ring in her finger slowly narrowed his eyes at the smile that appeared on her face. Once Heidi and Warren descended down from the dais, Heidi accompanied Warren around to greet and meet people along with him and Venetia.

”Congratulations on getting engaged Mr. Lawson,” Heidi's uncle, Raymond approached with his wife Aurelia, ”This is my wife Aurelia,” he introduced.

”Congratulation Mr. Lawson and Heidi too,” her aunt wished them both.

”Thank you, Mrs. Curtis,” when her uncle continued to speak to her fiance, her aunt took her to the side and hugged her, whispering softly,

”How have you been doing? I didn't know you visited Woville. If I knew I would have made time to come meet you,” Heidi hugged her aunt. Pulling back her aunt then asked, ”Are you alright? You seem to have lost a lot of weight,” the woman placed her hand on her cheek.

”I have been doing well. You didn't get Ruth?” Heidi asked to see her aunt shake her head.

”She is at my mother's house. You know how your uncle is.” That was right, her uncle wouldn't bring his little daughter to a place where vampire would suck humans blood.

”He seems like a good man who will take care of you,” her aunt commented in a low voice, looking at Warren, ”Are you getting along with everyone here?”

”Better than Woville,” Heidi replied truthfully.

Hearing this her aunt sighed, ”That doesn't sound bad. Maybe it is for the best,” and she only hummed at it. Her aunt wasn't aware of what her uncle and the Duke were up to. Though she knew it was a truce to use it for their advantage, she didn't know the entire outline of if.

When it came to talking to her family, Heidi tried putting up a smile for the sake of it. Her father hardly spoke a line or two before joining his brother. Daniel and Nora instead sticked around as Warren came from an aristocratic family, or may be tried but Warren seemed to hardly care about them. Though it wasn't evident but subtle, Heidi saw him brush them away politely before going to meet another guest.

Heidi wanting to use the bathroom, excused herself and walked inside the mansion. Walking through the main hall she heard someone speak behind her,