Chapter 5
After my announcement, I expected… well, something. Maybe a “Nice to meet you, Brendan,” or even a “Wow, Lucy, you have a boyfriend?” Or at least a raised eyebrow from Mom, followed by a dramatic, “We need to talk!”
But instead. I got nothing. Just blank stares of everyone for a split second before mom let out a loud, exaggerated sigh, grabbing their attention.
She placed her glass back on the table and snapped her fingers like she was summoning a servant. Her gaze shifted lazily to Brendan. “Hey, you.” she called with an almost bored drawl. “The waiter. Yes, you. Refill my glass,” she ordered, tapping her finger on the rim of her empty glass.
The way she said it–completely dismissing him as nothing more than a servant–burned a hole in my chest. It was more than just disrespectful; it was degrading. She didn’t even look him in the eyes, just jabbed her finger at the glass with a smug curl of her lips, dripping with superiority.
If Brendan felt the sting of her words, he didn’t let it reflect on his face. With a practiced, placid smile, he leaned forward, filling mom’s glass with steady hands and not a hint of emotion. But I could see the muscle in his jaw twitch, the faint clenching of his teeth as he focused on his task. He wasn’t letting her see the frustration simmering beneath his polite exterior. When he finished pouring, he just set the bottle down gently and gave a tight, forced smile before leaving, his back ramrod straight as he walked away, each step echoing the tension he’d bottled up.
Mom didn’t even blink an eye. As if I hadn’t just introduced her to my boyfriend, she just took another sip of her scotch, polishing off her glass in one smooth, oblivious motion.
I couldn’t help but feel a knot of anger twisting tighter in my stomach. Mom had just made a complete mockery of him, of us, of me.
What was I expecting anyway? I knew how she was. That’s nothing new for her. Still, watching her belittle Brendan like that, treating him like someone so beneath her… it hurt more than I wanted to admit. However, I can’t make an issue out of it. All I can do is clench my fist and tolerate that smug look of Kaiden secretly enjoying the drama.
“What was that?” Mom burst into my room, the door slamming against the wall with a thud.
“Oh, so…. you did hear the announcement about my boyfriend.” I remained on my stomach, stretched out on my bed, staring at my phone with a phony lack of interest. Acting nonchalant right now felt almost impossible, but if she was going to be an ass, well, I could match her step for step. I am my mother’s daughter, after all.
“Of course, I heard that embarrassingly senseless announcement of yours!” She reached down, ripping the phone right out of my hands.
I slowly looked up at her, shrugging as if it didn’t bother me. “What? Aren’t we playing the ‘clueless bitch‘ game?” My voice was dripping with sarcasm.
“Lucy Sterwalt!” she spat my name like a curse.
“My name is Lucy Hailstone,” I shot back, standing up so fast I nearly knocked my lamp over. My voice was sharp, unwavering as I matched her glare with one of my own. We locked eyes, both of us refusing to be the first to look away. I wasn’t about to back down, not this time. What if she is my mom? That doesn’t give her the right to be a bitch!
She folded her arms, her eyes narrowing further as her voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “I told you before, and I’m telling you again now.” She leaned in closer, her pricey perfume suffocating as it filled the air between us. “Break up with that good–for–nothing waiter. He’s not good for you.”
“Why? Because he’s poor?” I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms to mirror her.
She let out a disdainful laugh, a sound that only seemed to deepen the contempt in her expression. “Is your memory that
1214 Mon, 14 for #A.
Chapter 5
wed? Shot’s you remember that post by @QueenBee?”
My womack churned I clenched my fists, forcing myself to keep steady. “I remember, Mom. I asked Brendan about it. He dibert book on imate details to anyone?
“And you believe him?” She tilted her head, smirking like she knew some dark truth I didn’t.
“He’s my boyfriend 1 love him. The words came out steady, defiant. “Of course, I believe him.”
“Et Don’t say that she sneered, shivering as if the word “love” itself was repulsive. “You’re prohibited from even having a-
Trendy Kand of fodings for people like him. He’s a complete loser.”
I voted, shaking my head. “Yeah, right. According to you, anyone whose family net worth is less than a billion is a loser.”
“Obviously, Money is everything she replied, her tone so smug that it nearly made my skin crawl. How can she be so proud while saying that when she hasn’t even earned a dime in her whole life?
“Then earn it, don’t dig it like a goddamn gold digger” I shot the words at her, each one laced with the bitterness I’d held back for too long,
“Lucy” Her voice rang out in a furious, clipped tone before her hand connected sharply with my cheek. The slap left my skin stinging, hot and raw, I could feel the burn spreading across my face, but I held my ground, jaw clenched.
How dare yo-“Her anger was cut short by a firm, unexpected knock on the door.
“Ah, um, sorry to interrupt,” Kaiden’s voice came from the doorway, calm and collected, his gaze cool as it landed on Mom. “Pet Dad’s looking for you.”
“Oh,” Mom straightened, and within a split second, her face softened, transforming with an unsettling ease into a gracious smile. The change was so sudden, it made my chest tighten. “I’ll be right there, darling,” she said, her tone sweet as honey. With forced elegance, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, gliding towards the door with that saccharine smile as if the past few minutes hadn’t happened
Put Kaiden didn’t move from the doorframe. He stood firmly in place, watching her with an expression that sent a chill through the room. Just as she reached to brush past him, his gaze flicked to my cheek, and his hand shot out, gripping her arm just enough to halt her.
“And, Mrs. Sterwalt,” he said, his voice low, each word delivered with icy precision. “We don’t tolerate violence in this house. Be careful from now on.” His fingers tightened slightly, just enough to make her smile falter under the weight of his words. “I don’t like anyone ruining my family’s peace–regardless of the reason.”
To be continued…
