Chapter 219 Indirect Insult

Chapter 219: Chapter 219 Indirect Insult

Daisy’s eyes widened slightly, and for a few seconds, she genuinely had no idea how she was supposed to respond to what Rafael had just said.

Her lips parted as if she were about to say something but then she remembered that there was nothing she could actually say aloud and her mouth slowly closed again.

Her gaze shifted toward Alessio, almost instinctively searching his face for some clue about how she was supposed to react. He was already looking at his brother with dark expression.

Daisy then looked back at Rafael and finally at Alessio again, her eyebrows raised in helpless confusion.

Her hands lifted uncertainly in front of her, fingers moving through a small, awkward gesture before she gave them up and simply smiled.

Rafael burst out laughing. "Don’t look so confused. I’m happy for you!"

Alessio’s eyes narrowed slightly. He didn’t particularly mind Rafael insulting Cedric. In fact, if he were being completely honest with himself, there were moments when he had far worse things to say about the man. But there was a difference between thinking something and casually announcing it in front of Daisy, especially when he was trying very hard to maintain some image around her.

"Rafael."

"What?"

"Control yourself."

Rafael looked genuinely offended by the accusation. "I am controlling myself."

Alessio slowly raised an eyebrow.

Rafael immediately pointed toward Daisy as if presenting evidence in his defense. "I’m being very respectful."

"You just called her ex-husband a di*khead within thirty seconds of her entering the house."

Apparently, getting the chance to insult Daisy’s asshole ex-husband indirectly, right in front of Daisy herself, was simply too good an opportunity to waste.

Rafael shrugged without the slightest trace of guilt. "Am I wrong?"

Alessio stared at him.

Rafael stared back.

For a moment, neither brother said anything.

Then Rafael’s lips slowly curled into an innocent smile. "Anyway..."

Alessio closed his eyes briefly, as if silently reminding himself that patience was a virtue.

Rafael, completely unaffected, turned toward the woman standing beside him. "Daisy, this is Eva." His entire expression changed when he looked at her, becoming noticeably softer and almost boyishly proud. He slipped an arm around her shoulders. "My girlfriend."

Daisy blinked. Her attention immediately shifted to Eva.

Eva smiled at her. "Hi."

Daisy’s expression softened, and she lifted one hand, giving Eva a small, graceful wave before making a gentle greeting gesture with her fingers.

Eva’s face brightened immediately. "Hi, Daisy."

There was something naturally warm about Eva’s voice that made Daisy relax almost instantly. She smiled again, this time more comfortably and her eyes curved into soft crescents.

"It’s really nice to finally meet you."

Daisy nodded. Her smile widened.

Eva had already heard plenty about her from Rafael. Perhaps a little too much, considering how often Rafael brought up his brother’s strange new behavior whenever Daisy’s name came into the conversation.

Rafael had never directly said that Alessio was in love with her, because even Rafael wasn’t foolish enough to make such a declaration without getting punched by his older brother but his teasing had made his opinion obvious.

And now that Eva was finally meeting Daisy herself, she understood why Rafael had been so interested in telling her about this woman.

Daisy looked delicate without seeming fragile and there was something almost angelic about the softness of her features. Her eyes were expressive even when she couldn’t speak and the little smiles she gave seemed completely genuine.

She had a gentle presence that made Eva instinctively want to treat her kindly.

Eva stepped a little closer. "Rafael told me a lot about you."

Daisy’s eyebrows lifted.

Rafael immediately coughed. "Not that much."

Eva turned toward him. "You talked about her for nearly an hour."

Rafael looked embarrassed, and Daisy smiled a little.

Alessio noticed immediately. The corner of his mouth lifted faintly. She looked a bit cheerful now.

Then, just as the moment was beginning to become almost too sweet, a quiet crunching sound came from the sofa.

Crunch.

Daisy’s head turned.

Crunch.

She blinked.

Mateo was sitting comfortably on the sofa with an open packet of biscuits in his hands, one leg stretched lazily in front of him. He had apparently been eating throughout the introductions, completely unbothered by the arrival of their guest.

When he noticed Daisy looking at him, he paused. Their eyes met.

Mateo slowly raised his eyebrows. "Hmm."

Daisy blinked again.

Rafael’s head snapped toward him. "Mateo!"

Mateo stopped with another biscuit halfway to his mouth. "What?"

"You didn’t even greet her!"

Mateo looked genuinely confused. "I did."

Rafael pointed toward Daisy. "You just said ’hmm’!"

Mateo glanced at Daisy, then back at Rafael. "That was my greeting."

Rafael stared at him as if he had just heard the most ridiculous sentence of his life. "That was not a greeting!"

"It was."

"No, it wasn’t!"

Mateo frowned. "It means hello."

"It means nothing!"

"It means hello to me."

Rafael marched over to the sofa and lightly smacked the back of Mateo’s head. "Stupid! You don’t care about our house’s reputation at all."

Mateo immediately rubbed the back of his head and pouted. "Why are you hitting me? I’m eating Brooo.."

"You can eat after greeting her properly!"

Mateo looked down at the biscuit packet in his hands as if considering whether this conversation was worth interrupting his snack for. Then he looked at Daisy.

She was trying very hard not to laugh. Her shoulders were trembling slightly and she had pressed her lips together in an attempt to hide her amusement.

Her eyes, however, completely betrayed her. They were shining with laughter.

Mateo noticed. He stared at her for a second. Then a small smile appeared on his face. "You’re laughing at me."

Daisy immediately shook her head.

Mateo narrowed his eyes.

She smiled innocently.

Rafael crossed his arms. "Now greet her."

Mateo sighed, as though he had been assigned some exhausting responsibility. "Fine."

He slowly stood up, still holding the biscuit packet in one hand. "Hi."

Rafael stared at him.

Mateo stared back.

Rafael’s expression became increasingly irritated. "That’s it?"

Mateo sighed again. "Hello, Daisy. Welcome to our house."

Daisy’s smile widened. She gave him a small nod before making a graceful gesture of thanks with her hands.

Mateo watched her hands for a moment, then looked back at her face. "You’re welcome."

Rafael’s mouth opened. "You don’t even know what she said."

"She said thank you."

"How?"

Mateo shrugged. "I have common sense."

Rafael looked at Alessio. "Where did he get that from?"

Alessio folded his arms and calmly replied, "Certainly not from you."

Eva covered her mouth, laughing.

Rafael looked betrayed and personally insulted. "Broooo!"