บท 28: Chapter Twenty-Eight: Meeting The Petrovs.

When Sasha said that the birthday party was just a few family members and close friends, she really didn't explain more on the few because the moment they walked into the grand hall where her brother's party was being hosted, Marissa already was having second thoughts.

I don't fit in!

Her conscience screamed at her.

Looking at everyone who was dressed to the fit, they way they carried themselves with such charisma and overconfidence, made her knew that this was not a party for the poor and unprivileged like her, and the mere thought of saying or doing something that would make one notice that she was nothing but Sasha's handbag who she came along with, made her stomach churn.

Goosebumps travelled along her spines, and she was having a nervous breakdown already to which Sasha noticed immediately, and blocked the view of the people she was looking at with her worried face.

"It's okay, Marissa. I'm here with you, nothing is going to happen." Sasha assured her, she already knew what was going on in her head and Marissa could see that she knew her to the core, to know that this kind of social gathering was the last thing she would make up her mind to come to.

What if something happens and she gets blamed for it?

What if i mistakenly push the cake down?

What if Sasha's parents don't like me, and see me as nothing but a leech hanging right off their daughter?

They would know that i am not like them, I don't belong here, what are you doing Marissa?

"Marissa, listen to me." Sasha's voice broke her out from her trance, before she finally kept her gaze on her." Take a deep breath in, Marissa. Everything is going to be just fine, I'm here and you know that."

Sasha's here, that's what's important.

Marissa heeded to her word, Sasha is here unlike her mother who would be the last person to stand up for her, nor try as little as possible to not inculcate in her while she was growing up as a kid that she's anything but a burden.

If she hasn't done that, maybe she would be normal because she was far from anything normal and Sasha knew it too. But she stayed.

When everyone left, Sasha stayed, so why can't she do the same for her right now?

All she needed was to support her when she meets her parents, since they don't have the best relationship. That's the only similar thing she had with her.

Throwing every thoughts aside, Marissa focused on what's more important here and that was making sure that nobody walks over here, because she's a strong woman.

It doesn't matter if i fit or not, I'm strong and that's enough!

She gave herself some prep thoughts, and the thoughts of eating good food alone brought a smile to her face, which made Sasha know that she was fine.

"I'm okay, let's go." Marissa told her, as Sasha held on to the wrapped box in her hand which was her elder brother's birthday gift.

When they made their way fully in, Marissa's eyes scanned everywhere and she could only come to one conclusion. Sasha's parents are really fucking wealthy.

Which made her wonder why exactly Sasha had to leave such luxury, and toil day and night like a monkey when she has everything that a dream girl like her always wanted.

"Sasha!" A soft baritone voice called, jerked her out of her thoughts to see Sasha hug someone. She couldn't really see who he was because yeah, Sasha was taller than her but all she could make out was the Russian language the both of them were communicating with.

Sasha was Russian, it sounds totally unbelievable for someone as meek and down to earth like her. Russians are complicated but Sasha was far from it, until she looked into the gray eyes of this really cute man she hugged earlier.

He's…fucking cute!

Marisa's eyes nearly fell out of it's sockets, like what the hell! If this was what her mind was telling her, then she really has cute brothers.

Sasha has three brothers to which judging by the smile on her face, towards the blondie that was looking at her just the way she was doing towards him, she could only came to know that this wasn't the complicated elder brother.

"She's the one i was telling you about, brother."Sasha said, bringing her third elder brother forward to introduce Marissa to. " Marissa, this is my brother, well the third actually, Maksim, meet Marissa, my best friend."

Marissa was speechless not knowing what to do, but when she actually tried introducing herself. Her right hand was snatched up to meet the sexy warm lips of this hot Russian.

"It's a pleasure to meet such beauty like you, I'm Maksim. Sasha has told me a lot about you." Maksim Petrov, said watching the young lady squirm under his intense gaze, if she was this way with him he couldn't wait to see her reaction once she gets to know what she just walked into.

From the way she's acting, he knew that his sister hasn't tell her about her true identity, as the only daughter of the Russian Mafia.

"She did? It's a pleasure to meet you, Maksim. The name is Marissa." Marissa said, while Sasha stood at the side beaming with smiles, because her dream was finally coming true.

Her aim here was to get one of her brothers to fall in love with Marissa.

"That's a lovely name for a beautiful lady." Maksim added, and Marissa turned bettle red and tried talking but another Russian voice beat her to it, catching everyone's attention including hers.

"Just like the prodigal son, the prodigal daughter had returned." Lily Petrov said, trying to show how angry she was towards Sasha, but when she ran into her embrace that cold wall she built around her heart was brought to the ground.

Marissa who stood watching the family reunions couldn't help but smile, she's happy for Sasha, although she noticed that her father had this cold stare on her that would make anyone wish for the ground to open and swallow them whole, what's with the staring?

Until he finally said something in Russian, to which she figured out was him asking about her, because Sasha smiled and rushed over to introduce her, to which her mother wasted no time embracing her like she's one of them.

"I love your red hair, is that dyed?" Lily asked, getting engrossed in her conversation with her daughters friend.

This was supposed to be a family reunion, to which Marissa didn't want to be an interference but then at the same time she's enjoying the attention she got knowing that Sasha's mother, wasn't judging her background when she talked about herself.

But then there was this prickling feeling she had about her father, until the next voices that joined the cue that made her look into the cold eyes of Sasha's two eldest brothers made her understand why Sasha kept her distance from them.

But that doesn't change the fact that this was all she ever wanted, a family that loves her.