Chapter 4 A MESS

GRACE POV

I rush toward the parking lot, glancing at my wristwatch twice. I promised Nick I wouldn’t be late to his parents’ place.

God, I have no idea what his mom even looks like or where exactly his house is.

Nick doesn’t talk much about his family, though he mentions his mom often. The few times he opened up, it was about the accident that killed his dad. Apart from that, nothing else.

I grip the steering wheel and exhale hard. “It’s just a simple introduction, Grace. Calm down,” I mutter to myself, hoping saying it out loud will steady the nerves bouncing in my chest.

I switch gears and pull onto the main road. Nick’s not from a small family, that much I know. His aura gives it away, even if he never flaunts it. I love him more for that.

My phone screen lights up with the address: Krystal Estate.

I’ve heard of it, only the biggest men in the city live there. Supposedly owned by the Santos family.

I whistle under my breath. His family must be richer than I thought.

When I reach the gate, the security guard scans my pass and steps aside instantly. “You’re cleared, ma’am.”

Guess Nick was right about the green card pass.

I follow the driveway until I spot his house. I honk once before the gate opens, and I park near the entrance.

“Miss Penny?” a man in a black suit greets me the moment I step out of my car.

“Yes,” I reply quickly.

He smiles politely. “I’ve been waiting for you, ma’am. This way, please.”

I follow him inside, and my jaw nearly drops.

The house isn’t just big. It’s massive. The kind of luxury you only see in magazines. Gold accents, marble floors, chandeliers that probably cost more than my entire career.

I’m still staring when I accidentally bump into someone.

“F*ck! Watch it, bitch!” a sharp voice snaps.

She’s blonde, slender, and her tomato-red lips curve into a sneer.

Normally, I’d just smile it off. But the way she looks at me, like I’m dirt on her designer heels, snaps something in me.

“Who the hell is she?” she asks the man who brought me in.

“She’s Master Nichole’s guest,” he says carefully.

Her gaze rakes over me from head to toe. “Nick? You mean our Nick invited this…” she stares at me again.

“Just call me Grace,” I cut in, meeting her glare head-on. “That’s my name.”

Her eyes darken, but before she can say another word, I hear a familiar voice behind her.

“Hey. You’re here!”

Nick appears from the hallway, his face lighting up. He pulls me into a light hug. “I called you already. Was missing you like crazy.”

I smile, realizing my phone’s been on silent. “I’m sorry, babe. The studio’s been chaotic today. Y’know, new projects and all.”

“It’s fine.” He smiles before glancing at the blonde. “Oh, I see you’ve met Sam already.”

“Sam?” I repeat.

“Yeah. Sam, meet my fiancée, Grace.” Then he turns back to me. “Grace, meet Samantha, my best friend. We practically grew up together.”

Samantha forces a smile, her red lips stretching like they might crack.

Before I can say a word, footsteps echo down the hall. A stunning woman walks in, her poise commanding the whole room.

Her smile is soft, but there’s something piercing behind it. And somehow, I don’t need to ask who she is.

She’s definitely Nick’s mom.

“Are you guys having fun without me?” her cheerful voice says from behind.

Before I can even turn, she’s already wrapping me in a hug, warm, tight, and totally unexpected. I freeze, unsure what to do. This is our first time meeting in person; a hug wasn’t exactly what I saw coming.

“Gosh, you’re so beautiful in person, my darling,” she breathes against my neck.

I stay still, an awkward smile plastered on my face. “Thank you, ma’am.”

She pulls back immediately, waving a hand. “Nonsense. Call me Mother. That’s our culture here.”

I glance at Nick, who’s grinning from ear to ear, clearly enjoying the scene. One look at her and I see exactly who he takes after, the same charm, the same warmth.

“Don’t be surprised, honey,” she says, looping her arm through mine and gently tugging me along. “You’re the first woman my son has ever brought home officially… apart from Sam, of course. He’s always tagging her along.”

She leans closer and whispers, “Honestly, I almost thought my sons were gay, but Nicholas already bailed himself out, so that’s good enough.”

She chuckles, her dimples deepening.

Wait. Sons? Nick has a brother? He never mentioned that.

“Mom, I can hear you,” Nick groans as we enter a massive sitting area. So much elegant, bright, and way larger than I ever imagined.

I try not to gawk, but holy hell, this place is huge.

“The chefs are making us lunch already,” she announces proudly. “I told them to prepare all your favorites, just as Nicholas requested.”

Then she turns to him with a pointed look. “Have you called your brother?”

Nick frowns like the question annoys him. “He knows he’s supposed to be here. Do I really need to call him again?”

Her tone sharpens. “Stop it, Nicholas! Don’t act rudely in front of our guest.”

He exhales dramatically, slapping his thigh. “Fine. I’ll call him.”

He stands and walks off, probably to make the call. His mom turns back to me, her smile still warm.

“I heard from Nichole that you’re a photographer and not only that, you also train models. I was so impressed. I knew right away you’d be a good match for him.” She grabs my arm gently, her tone full of approval. “You know, the Santos family runs an art gallery. Maybe you could work on our latest designs sometime.”

Wait. Hold up. Did she just say Santos family?

My mind blanks for a second. Nicholas… Santos?

I try not to let it show, but the shock is crawling up my throat, begging to burst out.

“The Santos family?” The words slip from my mouth before I can stop them.

She tilts her head. “Don’t you know that?”

I don’t even get the chance to answer before Nick walks back into the room, his tone flat. “He said he’s not coming. I told you it was a waste of effort even inviting him.”

His mother frowns. “Well, he promised he would. Call him again. I’ll talk to him myself. He needs to be here.”

And just then… A deep voice cuts through the air.

“Are you looking for me?”

We all turn towards the doorway. And when I see him, I stop breathing. My stomach twists into knots. My palms go clammy.

Why the hell is he here?

He leans against the doorway, hands tucked casually into his pockets like he owns the place, as if he owns every room he walks into.

Those same piercing eyes lock on mine. And just like that, I’m back to that night, the heat, the chaos, the way his hands trailed down my body like it was something that belonged to him.

For a second, everyone pauses. Nicholas’s jaw goes tight.

The air thickens until it feels impossible to breathe.

His mother breaks the silence first, smiling wide. “Finally! I was just talking about you.”

But I can’t hear a word she’s saying because he’s still looking at me, straight through me, like he’s remembering too.

Nicholas turns toward him. “Took you long enough, brother.”

Brother?

The word slams first into me all over again. He’s Nick’s brother.

God! This is a mess… My one-night stand is Nick’s brother?

And the way he smirks right now tells me he knows exactly what I’m thinking.