Over the next hour or so, guests started to walk in through the entrance of the Covault family door. They lovingly embraced Rosaline and wished her a happy twenty fifty birthday, before making their way inside and joining in on the festivities. Erik simply stood to one side of the corridor and watched on as Rosaline humbly accepted each gift handed to her and thanked her family and friends for coming to celebrate her special day. At one point, Rosaline's mother Iris joined Erik and struck up a conversation, much to his surprise.

"I'm glad you could make it today Erik, I know how much it means to Rosaline." She politely began.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." Erik genuinely replied, knowing full well that wherever Rosaline was in the world, he wanted to be right there with her.

"Even still, as her mother I wanted to thank you for coming. I know we haven't seen eye to eye in the past, but today is about Rosaline's happiness and so it only makes sense to have you attend...She talks so highly of you." Iris continued, in what appeared to sound like a disbelieving voice.

"Something tells me you're not exactly ecstatic about that thought." Erik numbly comments.

"I guess I'm still coming to terms with the fact that my little girl has fallen in Iove." She says instead, as away of avoiding his response.

"No less, to a man like me, right?" Erik can't help but question in an accusatory tone.

Rather than refuting his own personal insult, Iris simply offers Erik a weak smile and clasps him on the shoulder in a gentle show of affection, before walking away with her head full of unresolved thoughts and feelings. Erik silently observes Iris as she leaves and wonders what exactly provoked that woman to come and speak with him. Although she wasn't rude or offensive in a direct manner, Erik couldn't help but take notice of the underlining assumptions made during their conversation. It was pretty evident that her family were still not accepting of Erik's relationship with Rosaline, nor did it seem as if they would be anymore happy about it in the near future. With this thought in mind, Erik regrettably starts to reconsider his birthday present to Rosaline and whether or not he should hand it to her in front of her family and friends. Has he really thought things through carefully about what he wants out of his relationship with Rosaline? Should he have maybe spoken to her first about his concerns with her family? Is this something they could ever truly overcome? Just as Erik was beginning to mull over these thoughts in his mind, he saw Rosaline approaching him with a beautiful and beaming smile.

"Erik! I wanted to introduce some of my work colleagues to you." She warmly tells her.

"Of course." Erik agrees, whilst placing a tender hand on her waist.

"Ladies, this here is Erik Silverstein, my boyfriend and the love of my life." Rosaline proudly says with a shy smile.

"Liana, Marcia and Juliette also teach at Panorama Elementary." She adds, as a point of explanation.

"It's so nice to finally meet you all." Smiles Erik, whilst graciously offering a hand out for each of the women to accept.

"Likewise, all we ever hear at work these days is Erik this, Erik that. It's nice to finally be able to put a face to the name." Says Marcia with a sincere look.

"Is that so?" Erik cheekily inquires, while averting his gaze to meet Rosaline's flushed expression.

"Maybe." She quietly replies, before bursting into a fit of nervous giggles.

Erik can't help but to wrap his other arm around Rosaline's waist and lean down towards her mouth so that he can seal their lips in a delicate kiss. He knew it was probably bordering inappropriate, given the fact that her friends were still standing in front of them and more importantly, her parents and brothers were just within earshot of seeing them in a passionate embrace, but in that moment Erik didn't seem to care. He had already harboured his feelings for too long and didn't want to waste the time he had left with Rosaline wondering if or if not he was acting accordingly. He was in love and deep down he knew that Rosaline was very much in love with him and nothing and no one was going to dare deny him that bold truth. Only once they had separated from one another with bruised rosy lips did Erik notice a hauntingly familiar figure conversing with Rosaline's friends in the lounge room, a place where most guests had seemed to have migrated to.

"Sweetheart, who is that woman standing beside Juliette?" Erik attempted to ask in a casual tone, despite feeling his heartbeat increase significantly with upmost fear.

"Who? Oh, that's Meghan! You haven't met her yet. She's lovely." Rosaline warmly explains, before latching onto Erik's hand and leading him to meet the mystery woman.

As Erik allows Rosaline to usher him through the small crowd, he internally voices all of the explicit words he would call to accuse the nightmare standing in the room known as Bianca Vettel. His mind struggles to piece together just how this devilish bitch of a woman had managed to infiltrate the innocent life of his sweet and unknowing girlfriend. What the fuck was she up to, Erik wondered and what did she want with Rosaline? Hadn't she already caused enough trouble for him and yet here she was laughing and chatting away with Rosaline's friends, as if Erik hadn't already warned her to stay far away. As Erik neared closer, he contemplated making a scene to expose Bianca in front of Rosaline and her family, but quickly decided against it when he considered their past relationship and all of the exaggerated lies she would use to tarnish his already fragile image. Erik was indefinitely beginning to panic. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect Bianca to show up here and pretend to celebrate and be happy for Rosaline's birthday. Just how many more heartbreaking moments did Erik have to endure in his sorrowful life before he was going to be able to finally settle down and enjoy a peaceful one? It seemed that no matter which direction he turned, someone was always there to try and hurt the blossoming relationship he has built with Rosaline. He had never been a quitter and he wasn't going to start now, but by far this unlikely surprise would take a turn for the worse.

"Meghan, it's so good to see you. I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Erik Silverstein." Rosaline kindly introduces the two, just as she and Erik come to stand within speaking distance.

"Erik, the pleasure is all mine." Bianca wickedly says with a sickly sweet smile.

Erik tightly nods his head before extending his hand and lethally squeezing Bianca's fingers in the hopes of sending an inconspicuous message to back the fuck off. Erik would have to be ten foot under if Bianca thought she was going to hurt his dear and beloved Rosaline.