My CEO Boss Is A Masked Internet Sensation-Chapter 47: The Crimson Emergency

(Arata)

I turned my head to find an attractive woman with a dark wavy set of hair bouncing towards us. An apologetic smile plastered on her heavy lips as she weaved her way through the numerous tables on her high heels while balancing her handbag.

"Sorry, sorry. I am late." Her voice was sharp and shrill.

Karsten stood up to greet her while Rahsir simply snorted and muttered under his breath.

"Excuses, excuses."

Camilla had blossomed, seeing her. She ushered her forward. "It’s not a big deal. Come, my dear."

Grandma Martina didn’t seem very pleased to see her though.

The girl gave Camilla a quick kiss on her cheek and a hug before zealously speaking.

"You are the best, Mamá." Her gaze then went to Grandma Martina and she gave her a courteous nod.

Grandma Martina’s forehead wrinkled some more.

The girl ignored that and shrieked again as she turned towards Karsten and jumped at him.

"Kars, you finally decided to bless us."

A warmth settled in Karsten’s eyes as he embraced his stepsister.

"I was left with no choice," he sarcastically answered, his eyes flickering to his mother who made a point of ignoring his jibe.

Roshra giggled, her cheeks filling up when Karsten diverted her attention towards me.

"Rosh! Meet my girlfriend Arata." His gaze found mine as he furthered. "Arata, this is my step-sister Roshra."

The girl, like an overexcited kitten, shrieked again as her eyes fell on me. I offered a warm smile while she left her brother and threw herself over me, hugging me.

"You are real, I couldn’t believe it when Mamá told me. You are so pretty."

Her strong floral-scented perfume assaulted my senses. She seemed to have dipped herself into it. Her hands reached into my hair and then my face as if ensuring I wasn’t a robot, and I just hoped my wig would stay in place.

Considering the moods her brother carried I couldn’t blame the girl.

"That bad?" I asked, flashing her a smile as she kept her hands on my shoulders, refusing to let me go.

"Don’t ask. He never had a proper girlfriend, at least not the one we met." She winked and Karsten cleared his throat rather loudly.

"Let’s eat, you can spill my secrets later."

"Fine, fine." Roshra let me go, letting me sit back down. She rushed over to her twin brother and flipped his head with the back of her hand.

"Ouch! What was that for?" He complained, finally lifting his head from his phone and glaring at his sister. His hand rubbed the area where she had hit him.

"I heard your mumblings, shithead." She glared back while flopping beside him.

"Language young lady. The kids these days have no regard for adults," Grandma Martina interrupted their bickering. Camilla relaxedly watched them, almost proud and I wondered how the dynamics worked.

Where was their mother?

Where was their father?

"What would you like to have?" Karsten interrupted my thoughts and I diverted my attention to him as he handed me the menu to choose from.

I selected beef steak with mushrooms and cream sauce. Karsten placed everyone’s order while the waiters, dressed in neat uniforms, served us red wine.

"So how did both of you meet?" Camilla asked, eyeing me sceptically. She picked up the wine glass and swirled the burgundy liquid before taking a tentative sip.

We had practised our stories so they matched.

"We met at a gym. He helped me with weight lifts, and from there, we developed a bond. Then he offered me a job as his secretary, and well, here we are," I lied with a straight face, placing my hand over Karsten’s in a show of fake affection.

His rough fingers took mine in while his thumb drew gentle circles over the back of my hand. My heart did a small flip inside my chest at the sensations his touch caused and our eyes met. His stare wasn’t blank, he held hints of foreign emotions.

"Awww! That’s so romantic." Roshra had placed both her elbows on the table and watched us with doe eyes while holding her face.

"Now keep him shackled, Arata. Don’t let him go," Grandma Martina joked, her eyes crinkled while she laughed.

Karsten stiffened, and I felt his hand going rigid in mine.

I respectfully nodded at her, keeping the smile going. Stealing a glance at Karsten I found his face to have hardened again in displeasure. The conversation was taking a turn he didn’t like. Thankfully Roshra asked another question.

"Show us what he got for you, I know he must have given you plenty of expensive gifts." Roshra rubbed her hands together in excitement and I gladly pointed to the rose pendant.

"This is what he got me when he asked me to become his girlfriend."

"It’s beautiful and suits you well. A refined taste," Grandma Martina was the first one to speak, followed by Roshra, who heaped praises on the pendant and spoke non-stop. Camilla chose silence, only giving a brief look and seeming uninterested while Rahsir seemed oblivious to the conversation, buried in his phone.

Karsten remained quiet, but he was observing everyone’s reaction to me, and every once in a while, his eyes went to his mom. She wasn’t very subtle about not portraying her feelings through her facial expressions.

"So tell us more about yourself and your family, Arata," Grandma Martina requested.

I kept most of the conversation near to the truth but didn’t reveal who actually my family was. Mom still ran Grandpa’s company, so that’s what I went with as their line of work.

Meanwhile, the food arrived and the amalgamation of different smells mingled to create a mouthwatering scent.

Karsten personally served me like a dotting boyfriend and his family keenly observed his actions.

"Let me know if you need anything else," he softly said while placing more veggies on my plate.

"I will." The clanking of cutlery against the plates continued as everyone dug in. Roshra dominated the conversation. I could swear the girl loved the sound of her own voice.

I cut into the tender steak, placed some sauce onto the piece and elegantly placed it into my mouth. The juiciness of it made me gush over how tasty it was. The medium-rare steak was cooked to perfection, just the way I liked it.

I was lost in the flavours and had hardly taken a few morsels when a sudden pain erupted in my waist and thighs followed by the leakage between my legs.

’Oh! Shit. No, no. That’s not supposed to happen for four more days.’

My heart jumped into my mouth.

Damn it. I was wearing a white dress, it was going to stain and I was sure it already had.

Grabbing the napkin I wiped my mouth and hands before quickly excusing myself. Everyone was busy eating, so it was easier to slip away without them looking at my back, but I sensed Karsten’s eyes on me.

Shit.

Please! Don’t stain.

Please! Don’t stain.

I begged and begged as I rushed to the washroom, trying to walk so they wouldn’t see my back.

First dinner with his family and this was going to be so embarrassing.