Page 94 of Savage Vicious Heir: Part Two

“Mum, come on,” I plead, desperate for the truth. “You deserve more than this.”

Sadness washes through her features. “I made my decision, Elliot. I knew what I was signing up to all those years ago.”

“Did you?” I blurt. I find it hard to believe that she could have fully known what kind of man he was back then. Hell, he possibly didn’t know either.

They were young. Kids. Not that much older than me.

I squeeze my eyes closed and think of Abigail. I can’t imagine there ever being a time when I’ll feel differently about her.

Is that why Mum is still here? Does she truly love him?

“Things aren’t always as simple as they seem,” she confesses cryptically.“No marriage is perfect, sweetheart. But your father has given us so much.”

A bitter laugh erupts from my throat.

Ain’t that the fucking truth.

“What’s on your mind?” she implores, sensing that something is wrong.

I suck in a deep breath, desperate to let the truth flow free but equally as terrified to do so.

“I… I’ve met someone,” I say, holding her eyes. They instantly light up with excitement in the way every parent should when a child says those words.

Warmth spreads through my body at the sight of her being happy for me.But without saying another word, her excitement peters out.

She knows.

She knows that whoever it is isn’t who it’s meant to be.

“You’re not talking about Lauren, are you?”

“No,” I confirm.

Her eyes bounce between mine as she patiently waits for me to tell all.

“He’s not going to accept her, Mum. He’s not going to accept any of it. But I can’t walk away from her because of him. I won’t.”

She sucks in a deep breath, considering her response.“Who is it, Elliot?”

Silence follows her question. Only the loud ticking on the great grandfather clock out in the hallway can be heard as I prepare to confess the truth.

“Abigail Bancroft.”

She doesn’t react for a few seconds. It makes me wonder if she already suspected. If she’s overheard something, maybe from the night at the pub with Scott. Or maybe it’s just some freaky kind of mother’s intuition.

“Abigail is a sweet girl,” she finally says. “But I must admit, she’s not the kind of girl I thought you’d go for.”

I can’t help but laugh. “We have a lot in common actually.”

“Ah, my sweet boy,” she teases, probably thinking of all the things I’ve done over the years that were anything but sweet.

“It’s her, Mum. She’s the one,” I admit, my heart pounding against my ribs. “I’m not giving her up. I don’t care what it costs me. I’ll walk away from everything if it means I get to be with her. Nothing else matters.”

“Oh, Elliot. You always were my soft, sweet boy.”

Yeah, and it made my father hate me.

She lays her hand on my cheek. “It’s not going to be that easy, you must know that, Son.”

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