The moment Mom spotted Aria, her demeanor flipped like a switch. Excessive warmth poured out of her. "Aria! We haven't seen you in ages. Are your parents in good health?"
Aria linked arms with her, sat down, engaged in polite small talk. They shifted from household topics to recent gossip. On the surface, it looked harmonious—a happy family dinner.
Under the table, my hands were clenched so tight my knuckles ached. Dad and I sat in stiff, stony silence.
When the hot dishes arrived, Mom started piling food onto Aria's plate. Halfway through the meal, she dropped the bomb.
"Aria, I heard you and Gabriel are planning to get married soon? Is that true?"
"Yes, Mrs. Fox. We're hoping to have the ceremony this year."
Mom glanced at Dad. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes. She probably hadn't expected us to move this fast.
"Regarding the marital home... Gabriel told you the situation, right?"
Aria nodded. Mom kept her smile plastered on.
"Look, could you two use our place as the marital home for now? If you're not used to living there after the wedding, we can always move out."
My chair scraped loudly against the floor as I stood. I was done.