Chapter 29 A Husband and a Girlfriend

Sabrina didn’t care much for the unfamiliar woman. She was more concerned about her grandfather. "Didn't we agree that you'd call me when you arrived so I could pick you up from the station?" she asked her grandfather and brother. Barry chuckled and said, "We've been here before, so we know our way around. Besides, we didn’t want to trouble you with picking us up." Her grandfather also chuckled and said, "My health’s not as bad as you think, my dear. I can still manage to walk a little. I just need some time to adjust to this place. No need to worry. More importantly, who's the gentleman with you? He seems quite extraordinary." Her grandfather had experienced many ups and downs in his life and had a keen eye for character. At a glance, he could tell that Curtis didn't quite fit in with their group. It was as if a wolf had infiltrated a herd of sheep. Barry, reminded of his own inquiry earlier, also found himself waiting for an answer. All eyes were on Sabrina and Curtis. Curtis remained calm, as if the questions were directed at someone else entirely. Sabrina's expression momentarily froze, but she finally replied, "This is my husband. We’re married." "What? You've become quite bold, haven't you? You didn't even discuss this with the family. Was it your idea or his?" Even though their family was generally open-minded about marriage, how could she not tell them about such an important event? If they hadn't come here today, they might never have known that Sabrina was already married. Barry's anger flared. He had initially thought Curtis was a decent man, but now he considered him far from it. "What does he do for a living? Where's his family from? How old is he, and how many people are there in his family? I also saw him arriving in a Rolls-Royce downstairs, so he should be quite wealthy. What kind of assets does he have?" These protective inquiries stemmed from the perspective of a concerned brother, and Barry regarded Curtis with a wary eye. If Curtis weren't a good person, Barry wouldn't hesitate to throw a punch. The tension in the room was palpable, and honestly, Sabrina had anticipated this reaction. "You’re overreacting, Barry. He is actually a very kind person. Remember my neighbour, Daniel, that I mentioned before? He’s Daniel’s grandson." Upon hearing that Curtis was Daniel's grandson, Barry's animosity diminished somewhat, but it was not entirely gone. "Even so, why didn't you inform us when you got married? Was it your decision or his?" In Barry's view, his sister would never have the courage to do something like this on her own, so he assumed Curtis was the driving force behind their secret marriage. Sabrina and Curtis exchanged a glance, and Curtis raised an eyebrow, signaling that this was a shared responsibility. Their decision to marry had been impulsive, and they hadn't realized the importance of informing their families. As time passed, it had simply slipped their minds, especially since their relationship had grown more like roommates than a married couple. "I apologize for not handling this well. The wedding was indeed rushed. I had planned to personally visit and discuss this matter with you, but it seems you and Grandpa arrived first." Curtis recognized the importance of mutual respect, especially since Sabrina had taken good care of Daniel. So in return, he was willing to be nice to Sabrina's family. "I think you don't value my sister at all," Barry huffed, his discontent evident. Sabrina's expression stiffened at his comment. Why should Curtis value her when their relationship was initially built on mutual benefit? She had almost forgotten the reasons they had gotten married until Barry's words reminded her. "Barry, come on. Don’t say that. Don't you keep things from me too?" Sabrina's gaze shifted to the woman beside Barry. Her words made Barry a little uncomfortable. "How is this the same? We’re just dating, unlike you, you got married without telling us!" "It’s not much different! It’s still something you hid from me!” Sabrina was being unreasonable, but he didn't want to back down. Grandpa Parker, feeling a bit helpless, just smiled and studied Curtis quietly. His inquisitive look wasn't intrusive; it was merely the curiosity of a family member. Curtis met Parker's gaze confidently, allowing him to observe. "Why don’t we all sit down," Parker suggested, trying to diffuse the tension. The apartment wasn't particularly spacious, and with everyone seated, it felt even smaller. It should have been a heartwarming scene, but to Sabrina, it seemed oddly strange. "Although you didn't inform us about your marriage, you should at least tell us your husband’s name, right?" Parker asked. Parker was quite understanding. After his recent illness, he had come to realize that his grandchildren's happiness should be in their own hands. Otherwise, the old him would definitely be furious and not as calm as he was now. Barry nodded in agreement. "His name is..." Sabrina was about to introduce Curtis, but he spoke up first, taking the initiative. "I'm Curtis. I work at a tech company, and my monthly salary is decent. My parents are living abroad, so it's just me and my grandpa living together here at the moment." Before Sabrina could provide more details, she saw Barry appearing ready to pick a bone, so she quickly interjected, "And what about you? You've asked about his name; how about introducing your girlfriend? Don't be so unfair." Frustrated that Sabrina didn't even give him a chance to speak, he grumbled inwardly. Then he said, "This is Ada Winstorm. She's from Minnecota, and we've known each other for two months now. We're also planning to get married." It was apparent that Barry really liked Ada. Ada smiled at everyone, but there wasn't any overtly intimate gesture as she sat beside Barry. "Hello, I've heard Barry mention his sister before. Today is our first meeting, and this is a little gift for you." Ada took out an exquisite little box from her bag. From the logo on the box, Sabrina could tell it was quite valuable. Sabrina felt a bit caught off guard by this generous gift. She hadn't known Ada was coming, so she hadn't prepared anything in return. "I'm sorry. Barry didn’t tell me that you would be joining us, so I didn't prepare a gift for you."