"If you say so." Cayenne didn't refute what he said and just went along with him. They stepped out of the house and bid farewell to her family, letting them know that she'd be back the next day.
"You didn't forget." Stefan whispered close to her ears and licked her earlobe making her blush and cupped her cheeks.
"I don't dare to forget. Who knows? You might think of something else to double my punishment if I keep postponing this very important matter to you."
"My wife knows me the best." Stefan chuckled as he said his reply. He opened the car door for her and covered her head to make sure that she won't bump on to the metal frame. After making sure that she was settled and safe with her seatbelt, he went back to his side of the car and drove out of the neighborhood.
Most of the time, Chris didn't pick him up from Cayenne's apartment since Stefan insisted to drive the car and drop his wife on the way to work. Leone, since he didn't have to pick Cayenne from her apartment and send her to the hotel, his job was changed to picking up Cayenne's brothers and sent them to school; and from school, he'd pick them and bring them home in the afternoon.
It was him who suggested it since he didn't want to continue receiving money from Stefan without doing any work.
On the way to the villa, Cayenne was starting to get nervous as they drew nearer to the place. She was starting to sweat on her palms and Stefan directly felt it because he was holding her.
"Don't be nervous. Remember, you have me with you. I won't let anyone bully you and no matter what happens, I will always be by your side."
"Thank you. That makes ma feel a little bit at ease now." She took a deep breath and released it. With a smile on her face, she kissed the back of Stefan's hand. "I got your back, too."
"I know sweetheart and I'm so glad about it."
The two of them took turns in kissing the back of their hands, expressing their love and sincerity. If Chris was with them, he would roll his eyes at them. Single dogs can't relate to these lovebirds.
After almost have an hour of travel, Stefan stopped the car in front of a huge black gate to wait for the guard to open it. As soon as the gate was wide enough for his car to get in, Stefan drove inside and parked the car outside the garage. He didn't bother parking it inside since they will leave immediately.
However, the both of them frowned. "Why are there so many cars outside? Does your family own all of these?" Cayenne asked while running her eyes from one car to another. They're from different brand but all of them were expensive which was why she thought that they owned them. But there were just too many of them.
"We don't own them." Stefan replied coldly. "I thought that this will be an ordinary lunch but it seemed like my father invited a lot of people. Do you still want to come inside?"
"Let's just go. We're here already and I don't want you to waste your time by going back after getting here."
"They might expose your identity to the public." Stefan told her what he was concerned the most.
"Trust me. Everything will be fine this time." Cayenne replied calmly. For some reason, she gained confidence that nothing will happen because Stefan won't allow anything bad to befall her. She trusted him so much.
Since his wife wanted to go then, he can only concede to her and protect her all the way. The two of them walked towards the house and the butler greeted them warmly. Stefan also noticed that the servants were no longer the same.
"When did these new hired servants came?" Stefan asked the butler in passing, not really expecting an answer from him since the butler didn't really talk that much to him before.
The butler looked to the maids who were lined up to welcome them, saying 'welcome back, young master'. "They're newly hired by your grandfather last week."
"Clara didn't know about this?"
"These servants came yesterday after the ex-mistress was arrested."
"Oh." Stefan didn't say much anymore since his grandfather came out of the kitchen to meet them. Instead of saying hi or hello to him, he went directly to Cayenne and warmly treated her. Not only Cayenne but Stefan was also shocked. He had been worried that his family will ill-treat his wife like how they treated his mother in the past.
He didn't expect that his grandfather will directly befriend his granddaughter-in-law.
"Son, won't you introduce your girlfriend to us?" Magnus commented on the side while watching his father, Ferdinand, warming up to Cayenne, undoubtedly accepting her already.
Stefan coughed to disperse the negativity he was feeling and walked to the side of his wife. "This Cayenne Ardolf, my girlfriend." Stefan told his father and grandfather. "Ayen, this is the head of the family Mr. Ferdinand Dumrique and this is his son, Magnus Dumrique. I guess you knew who they are already."
Obviously, he wasn't going to play along with their act. They like Cayenne, how much they like her? How come they like her when they just set him up for an arrange marriage not long ago? Stefan knew all along that it was for business reason. They needed someone who can inherit all the properties and assets that the Dumrique family owns and he's the sole heir of this wealthy family.
They needed to warm up to him in order to gain healthy relationship with them. But Stefan being Stefan, he hated didn't like it when he's being used and that's even a bigger no when it comes to Cayenne.
"So, Stefan is finally planning to settle down?" one of the shareholders asked.
"I'm not growing young, Mr. Saavedra. It's time for me to get serious and when I met her, I knew that she's the right one." Stefan told the older man with a wide grin on his face. When given a chance and opportunity, he really likes to flaunt his love for his wife and how bless he was because of her.
"Why haven't you showed her in public? Many people are so curious with your girlfriend's identity." Another business investor asked him. "I'm one of those curious people. But now, seeing her in front of us, I understand why you don't want her to be seen in public."
"Mr. Reynolds should understand, after all, you have a very delicate and pretty wife as well and when it comes to them, we only want to protect them from the jealous gazes of other people, right?"
"Absolutely." Mr. Reynolds agree with a smile on his lips.
Soon, Cayenne was introduced to other business partners and Stefan asked them not to tell anyone or leak this information out. Among those people who came was Travis. He may not be a direct business partner to the Dumrique but he's a good friend of Stefan.