Life of Fame (JAELE)

Reservations

Previously

"Sweetheart I forgot to tell you. Some boy named Carson came by this afternoon. Said he wanted to talk to you about something" Jennifer informed, causing Ella to freeze.

Now

"Carson? Who's Carson!?" Jace inquired, squinting his eyes in suspicion.

Ella gulped looking at her mother and sister-in-law, panicking. This made him even more suspicious.

"Who. Is. He, Ella!?" Jace demanded in a commanding voice.

"H....he....I......" She stumbled over her words, shivering. She had a look of horror on her face.

Riele observed this and went to her rescue. "Ah Mrs. Norman, did you say Carson?" Riele asked, garnering Jace's attention as he turned to her, scrunching his eyebrows.

"Yes, sweetheart" Jennifer replied, a little confused.

"Oh, then you must've mistaken, Mrs. Norman. Carson is a friend of mine. He said he'd stop by to talk to me about this event we're hosting next month" Riele explained with a sweet smile. She just hoped that she was convincing enough to save her little sister from her predicament, but there was no such luck.

"Riele honey, why are you covering for my sister?" Jace asked her in an eerily calm voice.

Riele gulped but still maintained her sweet smile. "W...what do you mean, Jace?" She tried to play coy.

"You know what I mean, Riele" Jace said in that same calm voice but Riele knew damn sure that behind that calm, there was an impending volcano that was about to erupt any moment now. Nevertheless, she continued to feign innocence, hoping it would mollify him somehow.

"I don't know what you're....." She stopped when Jace raised his eyebrow at her, daring her to continue.

"I.....I'm sorry" Riele lowered her eyes, helpless.

Jace turned to his sister. "Ella?" He spoke in an extremely calm voice, his anger bubbling up inside him as he clenched his fist under the table.

Ella gulped as she began to shake and shiver in fear. She opened her mouth but couldn't get any words out. This angered Jace.

"God dammit Ella! Open your mouth and speak!" Jace banged his fist on the table causing all three women to pitch in fright as Ella began to cry.

"C....Ca....Ca.....Carson a....and a....I a....are d.....da.....dat......dating" She stuttered out, scared.

"You're dating someone!?" Jennifer exclaimed, furious.

"I'm sorry, mom, I...." Ella went to explain but got interrupted by her brother.

"What the hell were you thinking, Ella!?" Jace's voice thundered as he stood up, apoplectic, and so did everyone else. The tension in the room was palpable.

"Jace, don't!" Riele caught his hand, stopping him from doing something that he would regret later but Jace wiggled free from her grip.

"Answer me, Ella!" He yelled irately. His voice reverberated throughout the house, and his face was livid, veins popping out of his neck.

Riele had never seen him like this. Even Jennifer was stupefied by her son's outburst. Ella curled up in a ball, sobbing relentlessly. Riele grabbed Jace's hand and dragged him into the bedroom, shutting the door behind.

"What are you doing, Riele!?" He tried to leave but she stood in front of him, blocking his way. "Please, baby, don't" she pleaded with him.

"Step aside, Riele" he gritted in a dangerously low voice.