There was that word again. She hadn't heard someone call her that for a long time. Like the good girl she was, Eliz wanted to bite her tongue. But she felt she had to speak out.

"What did you just call me?" Eliz said with a little hope that Jenice would take back what she said.

"A thief, bi–"

"Girls? Is everything okay here?"

Eliz and Jenice both turned their heads to Marcelina. Before Eliz could speak, Jenice beat her to it.

"Of course, Mrs. Wright," Jenice cheerfully lied without batting an eyelid. "I was just gushing over how pretty Eliz looks in these!” she says looking at the magnets.

Jenice threw her arm around Eliz's shoulder to solidify her lie as truth. Marcelina's wide smile meant that she failed to catch Eliz faking a smile.

"Oh my! You think so too? It would be hard for me not to grow fond of you if you say that," Marcelina happily chirped, joining them in a group hug.

"Anyway, where's the wine?" Marcelina asked with her arms on their shoulders.

"Oh, Eliz said she's gonna get it herself," Jenice replied.

She eyed Eliz and smiled. "Right, sis?"

Eliz saw how Marcelina waited for her confirmation, so she sucked up her irritation. "Yeah, I did. Right…"

Marcelina and Jenice left and headed toward the dining table.

Normally, Eliz's place at the dining table was always beside Marcelina. Despite the table's huge structure, Marcelina always wanted to sit close to Eliz rather than opposite her.

Eliz headed to the dining room, wine bottle in hand. She pulled out the chair beside her mother, only to find Jenice shamelessly taking the spot from her.

She wanted to protest. For the first time in her life, Eliz wanted to be mean to someone. She wanted to tell Jenice that was her place.

However, she saw Marcelina nod at her and give her a reassuring smile.

"Sit in front of me, sweetie. So I can see your pretty face while eating," Marcelina suggested. 

Eliz nodded and walked toward the opposite side of the table. She sat right in front of her mother, as she was told.

While the three of them waited for Maximus, Eliz watched Jenice as she tried to win Marcelina over.

She wasn't jealous of the newcomer. Rather, she felt disturbed.

Her gut was telling her that Jenice was doing everything on purpose. To deliberately annoy her and push her over the edge.

"Is Preston on his way here?" Marcelina suddenly asked.

"Let me call him," Eliz politely answered.

"Who's Preston?" Jenice asked. Then she turned to Eliz. "Your boyfriend?"

Marcelina sighed. "I wish! Instead, he's just this super hot, model-like human being lurking around her as a friend." She narrowed her eyes at Eliz. "I told you, honey, I will never forgive you if you don’t date that human in your lifetime!"

"Mom, please!" Eliz exclaimed shyly.

Eliz excused herself from the table to call Preston. She felt it was a bad idea to invite Preston over for dinner. He would only irk Maximus, and she didn't want that to happen, but her mother incessantly insisted.

Before she could dial his number, someone whispered in her ear.

"Hey."

Eliz flinched and dropped her phone, but Preston swiftly caught it with his hand and handed it back to her. She frowned and slapped his arm.

"You scared me, you prick!" she exclaimed.

Preston's eyes narrowed as he smiled. Eliz looked at his racing suit and disheveled hair.

"You've gone motor racing, didn't you?"

Preston winked and wrapped his arm around Eliz's shoulders.

"You should've at least worn something nice," Eliz scolded.

"Maximus isn't someone important to me. Why should I?" he countered.

"But still…" her voice trailed. "This is why you two don't get along."

Preston shrugged.

"Behave, Preston. If you start a fire I will kick you out of the house." Eliz insisted, trying to sound as stern as possible. 

Preston chuckled and whispered, "How violent. I like that."

While Eliz politely removed his hand from her shoulders, Preston continued smiling to conceal the pinch of dismay he felt.

"Let's go," Eliz suggested.

Preston nodded and said, "Yep. I'm famished."

Then Eliz added, "Seriously Preston racing is dangerous. You should do it as less as your boredom could allow."

He chuckled. “Well, I only obey my girlfriend's orders so if you want that to happen…”

Eliz rolled her eyes.

"So what do you say? When's our first date? I promise I won't take you to watch motor racing at least,” he joked, but probably half-meant.

He earned a lung-dropping slap on his back from Eliz.

"Fuck!" Preston breathily cursed through the pain and gazed at Eliz. She certainly didn't seem to be in a playful mood.

The two headed to the dining table, and Marcelina squeaked as soon as she identified Preston's figure. While Preston went to give Marcelina a quick kiss on her cheek, he noticed a new and unfamiliar presence.

"I'll leave you three for a second," Marcelina quickly said and left the table.

Preston eyed Eliz.

"Ah," Eliz exclaimed. "This is Jenice. Maximus' girlfriend."

“Preston. Nice to meet you." Preston offered his hand for a handshake, but Jenice stood up and pulled him into a hug.

The ever-flirty Preston liked it. It showed when he moved his jaw in glee and returned the hug, hands around Jenice's hips.

Eliz rolled her eyes again. 

'God, I told him to behave,' Eliz sighed in frustration inside her head.

"Hi, it's a pleasure to meet you!" Jenice cheerfully greeted him.

Jenice took a quick glance at Eliz.

"Well, I'm impressed that you have a boyfriend like him. Never expected it," she commented cheekily.

Jenice said it in a harmless tone, which made Preston grin.

Eliz immediately tried to correct Jenice. "Look, he's not–"

"I mean he's super hot, and tall too, probably 5'11 or 6," Jenice added and gazed at Eliz. "And then, look at you. You two don't match."

A frown gradually formed on Preston's face, showing his divided chin.

"What do you mean by that?" he said, annoyed.

He immediately let go of Jenice. Almost harshly. His flirty aura turned hostile in an instant.

Eliz thought she was the only one who noticed the weird undertone in Jenice's comment. She was proven wrong when Preston acted up.

Eliz rushed near Preston and dragged him toward his seat.

"Did she just diss you? The audacity," Preston said in a low voice. "I won't let her get away with this."

Eliz frowned, so Preston immediately zipped his mouth.

“Babe!” Jenice squealed as Maximus arrived.

"I see an unwanted presence.”

The creases on Maximus' forehead told everyone in the room that he didn't approve of  Preston's presence in the house.

"Sorry to bother you, but the rest of the family insisted I join, and so I must!" Preston retorted.

Jenice motioned Maximus to sit beside her, but the latter walked straight toward where Eliz was seated.

Eliz brought her thighs together as if she needed that to get the strength to meet his eyes.

When she looked up, Maximus' coal-black eyes were dull but enchanting enough to freeze her.

"Up," he ordered.

"Uh?"

"I said, stand up. That's my place." He then turned to Jenice. “Come here. Sit by my side.”

Jenice giddily did as she was told.

"Hey, don't be so rude,it's just a chair," Preston immediately defended.

Eliz turned to face Preston and mouthed, "It's okay."

Preston held Eliz’s hand and took her to the other side of the table. There was a bit of awkward tension in the atmosphere until Marcelina came back. She noticed the change in the seat plan.

"Son, you should've just sat beside Eliz," she said.

"It's okay, mom," Eliz immediately interjected, scared that Maximus might think she was trying to become the victim again. "You haven't seen each other for a long time. You should sit in front of each other."

Preston smiled sweetly at Eliz as if to console her.

Maximus scoffed and said, "If you're going to flirt, take your boyfriend out, Eliza."

She should be mad. She should be hurt and annoyed. However, Eliz's heart danced for joy when she finally heard her name roll off his tongue.