Chapter 13: Misbehave
Reina was hit by a sense of foreboding right before she stepped into her house. She wanted to turn around and run back into Matteo's car, but it was too late. He'd already sped off.
Maybe it's nothing. It could all be in your pretty little messed up head, Reina, she mentally scolded herself.
Still, seeing the glow of the lit-up living room through the window made Reina nervous. When was the last time someone actually occupied the living room anyway?
Well, there was only one way to find out.
Reina took a deep breath then punched the combination code on the door lock's keypad.
She crossed the long hallway that led to the intricately decorated living room, and began to frown when she saw the scene that laid before her.
"Reina, you're back," her father observed from where he was sitting in an armchair by the fireplace.
"Come and sit with us, dear," her mother intoned in a voice much warmer than her father's.
"No thanks. I'm really tired so I think I'll just head to my room," Reina announced.
"Sit," her father instructed. "We have some news to share with you."
Reina crossed her arms impatiently. "Whatever it is, can't you just say it in a text? Like how you usually do?"
"Reina." Her mother looked hurt.
Heaving a sigh, Reina relented and dropped into the nearest chair.
"Were you out with Matteo?" her mother asked.
Reina nodded wordlessly, with zero interest in carrying on with the small chit chat.
"Look, Reina. We have some big news." Her father glanced at her to make sure she was listening before he continued, "My firm has just formed a partnership with the biggest construction company in Madrid and we'll begin several global projects soon."
"Yes, it's very exciting," her mother chimed in with a smile.
Reina's expression remained uninterested. "Congratulations, I guess. Can I go up to my room now please?"
"There's a major gala event this weekend, to celebrate this partnership among other things," her father announced, choosing to ignore what she'd said. "It'll be held at a wine cave and all the important people will be there. You and your mother will join me at this gala."
There it was. They were now getting to her father's motivation behind this whole conversation.
"Really? Well, as fun as it sounds, I already have plans this weekend," Reina told her father, staring at him right in the eye.
"It's unfortunate but you'll have to cancel those plans," her father replied in a cool but unmistakably steely tone, meeting her defiant gaze without hesitation.
Reina knew he was putting on his corporate big-boss-from-hell attitude. However, unlike his tragically meek subordinates, she wasn't intimidated at all. "It's unfortunate but I have free will and my own life to lead."
Her father glanced at her mother, and Reina knew she was screwed. She couldn't stand her father, but she did have a soft spot for her mother.
"Reina dear, it's been so long since we've had an outing together as a family..." Her mother gave Reina the biggest, most hopeful smile. "I'm really looking forward to this wine gala, and I think you'll enjoy it too. Can you please reschedule the initial plans you have for this weekend?"
Reina sighed, wondering if it was worth arguing with her parents about this. "The thing is, I've already made plans with Matteo and my friends to have a weekend getaway at La Concha Beach," she explained. "We've booked the hotel and everything."
"This is not a negotiation, Reina," her father said firmly. "Just do as what your mother and I have asked."
"How is this asking if I'm not allowed to say no?" Reina's dark eyes flashed with fury.
"You can say no... But you will be grounded for a week. And I will take away your credit cards and cell phone," her father told her.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Reina didn't hold back on her anger. She slammed her palms against the chair's armrests and stood up indignantly. "I'm done with this conversation."
She stormed out of the living room, ignoring the frantic plea of her mother as she tried to call Reina to come back.
"Diego, it's good to see you."
Reina's father stopped to shake the hand of a silver-haired middle-aged man in a sharp black tuxedo. "Florentino, how are you, my old friend?" he asked jovially.
Reina chose to walk ahead, leaving her mother to stand by her father's side as he made small talk with various business associates at the wine gala.
Someone please get me out of here.
Her heavily lined eyes scanned the surroundings – the wine cave was majestic yet cold and depressing. Everyone was dressed in beautiful gowns and expensive suits, but nobody wore a genuine smile.
The whole scene was enough to make Reina sick. She hated this feeling of utter loneliness amidst the crowd.
It wasn't just the fact that she pretty much got threatened by her father to attend the wine gala. What made it worse was that Matteo and the rest of the gang – Emilia, Kate and Noel – had decided to go on with the La Concha Beach trip without her. She had tried to talk her father into extending the wine gala invitation to the entire gang, or Matteo at the very least, but he'd refused to.
Reina had never been so furious. At her father, her boyfriend and her so-called friends.
There was only one way to make it through this miserable night, and it was called alcohol. Reina snapped her fingers at a waiter who was serving glinting glasses of red wine on a tray.
When the waiter approached her, she took a glass by its dainty stem and finished the burgundy-hued liquid in one gulp.
She then placed the empty glass back on the tray and grabbed a second glass of wine.
"Reina?"
At the sound of her name, she frowned and turned around. "Christian?" she asked incredulously.
"Hello," he greeted with a grin.
"Why are you here?"
"What, I don't look high-society enough to be here?" Christian teased, rolling his eyes.
"Actually, yeah," Reina replied, smirking as she sipped her wine.
"Hey, I can be a total snob just as much as anyone here in this party can," Christian said, putting on a dramatically haughty look and pointing his nose upwards. "Anyway, I'm here because Carla invited me. Her mother is The Marchioness who owns this wine cave."
"So are the rest of your loser Las Encinas friends here too?" Reina couldn't help wondering about one curly-haired person in particular...
"Yup. The usual suspects." Christian studied her face. "Why, looking for Ander?"
"Why would I be?" Reina shrugged.
"Hopefully because you felt guilty and wanted to apologize to him?" Christian suggested. "You know you basically set him up for failure at Vicalvaro Lake. Matteo had an unfair advantage because of you."
"I have no idea what you're talking about, and frankly I don't care," Reina snapped, tired of the exchange with Christian already. The night just kept getting more annoying.
"All right, all right. Let's change the subject," Christian said, maintaining his easy grin. "You look really hot, by the way."
Reina gave Christian a bored stare. She was well aware that her tight, long red dress was great at flattering her curves, but it was certainly not meant to attract the attention of pathetic characters like Christian.
"Look, I'm not Kate. Save your breath for someone who'd actually appreciate a compliment from you."
"Yeah, Kate is really sweet to me. She's single, right? Is she here too?"
"She's just giving you pity attention. And no, she isn't here. I'm sure she's glad she isn't, since this is evidently turning out to be a disgusting Las Encinas congregation."
"We're not that disgusting once you get to know us better," a new male voice piped in, dripping in sarcasm.
Reina mildly recognized the good-looking Las Encinas boy who had joined the conversation. He'd been there with Ander in the drinking challenge at Club54. The one with dark hair and intense blue eyes.
Next to him was the petite blond girl whom Reina had seen several times before too. She was looking extra stunning tonight in a bright fuchsia dress.
Reina couldn't recall their names, which Christian must've sensed because he immediately cleared his throat and said, "Allow me to do a proper introduction for everyone's sake. Carla and Polo, this is Reina. Reina, please meet Carla and Polo."
Reina threw them a disinterested glance and focused on drinking from her glass. It was clear that Carla and Polo were not eager to be friendly either.
"Christian, who is your new friend?" A girl in ginger curls showed up with a boy who appeared tense and looked like he wanted to be here at the event as much as Reina did.
"Marina and Samu! This is Reina. Reina, say hello to Marina and Samuel. Marina is Guzmán's sister. Guzmán is the tall blond guy who looks like he has a stick up his ass most of the time, in case you don't know him."
Marina laughed in amusement. "Yeah, Guzmán can drive people crazy sometimes."
"That's the understatement of the year," Samuel muttered.
"Let's get a fresh round of wine glasses and toast to, uhh, this wonderful party," Christian declared, seemingly determined to make the group more comfortable with one another.
Okay, if we're going to keep the drinks coming, then I won't mind sticking around with you losers, I suppose.
Reina drank quietly and observed the Las Encinas people as they kept up a steady stream of chatter. It was strange, but for a fleeting moment, she didn't feel so lonely.
Christian ensured that a waiter was on standby with a full bottle of wine, ready to refill anyone's glass as soon as it was empty.
By the fifth glass, Reina had a nice alcohol buzz going. She was even ready to admit that perhaps the night wasn't entirely a disaster after all –
"Reina." Her father appeared, his arms crossed and his eyes darting suspiciously from her to the Las Encinas group.
"Yes?" she asked casually.
"I need to talk to you in private. Will you please excuse yourself from your... friends?"
Reina sighed and stepped out of the circle, leaving Christian and the rest to look on with curiosity.
"What do you want now?" she muttered.
Through gritted teeth, her father said, "Are you drunk? You're being even ruder than normal."
Reina merely shrugged her shoulders.
A second later, her mother had walked up to them and patted at her father's arm gently.
Her father ignored the gesture and continued talking in a highly irked tone to Reina. "Can't you stop misbehaving for once? You're supposed to stay with me and your mother at this party. My business partners wanted to meet my daughter, but clearly she was too busy to understand the meaning of family respect."
Reina couldn't help it – she lost her temper. She glared at her father, hissing, "Family? First of all, we're not a family. It's bullshit. We've stopped being a family for years now, so why bother keeping up a pretense?"
Her mother gasped, clapping a frail hand over her mouth.
Reina's rage and speaking volume grew as she continued, "Mom, you know you're unhappy and emotionally unstable, but you don't have the guts to kick Dad out because for some stupid reason, you still love his sorry ass! Even after all the fucked up things he's done, having one disgusting affair after another. One 'business trip' after another. He'll never change. Yet he'd never leave you solely because of your massive inherited wealth, Mom."
Her father's eyes nearly bulged out from anger, but before he could verbally respond, Reina spun on her heels and stormily walked away.
She was done with this damn party and the whole damn world.
"Reina!" Christian called out, trying to catch her.
"Get the fuck away from me, Christian," Reina snarled as she continued walking quickly toward the exit.
Reina was in such a rush to leave that she didn't notice the person who emerged from a corridor until it was too late – and found herself crashing into his arms.
She glanced up at the same time he looked down.
"Reina?" Ander said in confusion.