𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐬

17 - home

Julia just smiles at him, taking the gravy from his hand and dunking the rest of it onto her own plate.

"So Emilia..." More questions from Lily. Yay.

"I learned who your mother was yesterday. Valentina Violet, I used to keep all her magazines when I was little." Carters hand goes to my knee and I freeze.

"Yeah, mhm. She models and acts in various different productions..." Beth raises an eyebrow. "So you didn't follow in your moms footsteps then?"

I shake my head, taking a sip of my wine. "No, I wanted a regular life. I still attend events with her but I prefer to keep everything pretty normal..."

Carters hand tenses at the little dig, but he deserved it. "It's not like you had much of a choice anyway, when your mother is who she is. Right?" He adds for me and I turn to glare at him.

"Well actually... I think I've kept my life pretty low key, anything that's related to my mother is just a coincidence, I didn't ask for any of it."

I grit out through my teeth as his eyes burn a fire through mine. "None of it was my choice. Just hers and what she decided for me."

"Well yeah but... you're in this life now. So maybe you should get over it, acceptance and that." I kick his shin underneath the table, as discretely as possible.

"If I could have it differently then I would. But I don't, just-"

"Lia? Everything okay?" I look around at the rest of the table who's head all drop to look at their empty plates.

Blair nods her head towards the kitchen door and I nod right back. "We'll be back in just a minute. Excuse us please." Blair yanks my hand upwards and does a little wave before shutting the hall door, dragging me outside into the freezing cold.

"Lia... you need to shut up. They're looking at like you're insane." I breathe out as if I was holding on to it for hours.

"He was just trying to push your buttons, figured that he found the right ones to press." She says quietly, leaning opposite me against Bentleys car.

"I think I just need to go home. I've already had dinner, I can just catch the train and then... the bus and some taxis. Home in no time."

She sighs as I walk back into the house, knowing there is no changing my mind. I thank Ben and his family, say goodbye to Belle and she whispers one simple piece of advice into my ear.

'Trust me when I tell you, that you should always, always choose happiness over your pride..'

I roll my eyes at the comment and she smiles to herself. "Goodbye Emilia."

"Goodbye Belle." She winks at me once more before going back to Leo, putting an arm around him.

"Hey Blondie?! Rob comes running through the kitchen and pulls me into the hallway so we aren't heard by everyone eating dinner inside.

"I couldn't organize a taxi or anything to take you, but..." I groan. "Carter can drive you, fun road trip right?"

I groan again.

"You're not being serious right?" I'm interrupted when footsteps sound behind me and a hand is leaning on the wall just above my head.