Page 65 of The Marriage Negotiation

My mother paled.

"That's a lie!" my father shouted. "My son is not crazy."

"Peter was given a physiological evaluation after he was arrested for trying to kill Zaq. The psychologist who saw him determined that Peter has schizophrenia with strong paranoid delusions. At the moment, he's not even deemed fit to stand trial. Until he is, he will be sent to a mental institution for the criminally insane."

I gaped at Miles. "Seriously?"

Miles grimaced as he nodded. "I called and talked to the district attorney before coming here. I wanted to make sure I had the most up to date information on your case. I don't want you to worry. Peter can't get to you anymore."

My relief was so great, tears flooded my eyes. I reached out and grabbed Patrick's hand, tugging on it. Patrick immediately turned to me and then went down to his knees in front of me.

He gave me a little smile as he reached over to brush the tears from the corners of my eyes. "See? I told you it was going to be okay. You're safe now. Peter can no longer hurt you."

I was more worried about the sadness I could see in Patrick's eyes. I knew deep down inside he truly loved his brother and wanted a normal sibling relationship with Peter. It just wasn't going to happen and Patrick knew it. We both did.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Nothing for you to be sorry about," Patrick replied. "Peter was like this a long time before you came into the picture. I just wished you hadn't been hurt along the way."

I glanced over at his parents. Patrick's mother was crying softly, a handkerchief held to her mouth. His father just sat there with a stunned expression on his face as if someone had hit him with a truck.

"You should probably go talk to your parents."

Patrick grimaced as he turned his head to look at them. "I'm not sure there's anything more to say. I've been telling them for years that there was something wrong with Peter. Now maybe they will believe me."

"You should still go comfort them."

Patrick dropped his head against my shoulder and whispered, "Do I have to?"

I chuckled at his whiney voice. "Yes, you have to. Besides, I need to figure out why my parents are here."

Patrick snorted as he lifted his head. "Good luck with that."

I waited until Patrick got up and walked over to his parents before looking at mine. "So, how come you flew all the way here to visit me? Was it to see all of this or for some other reason?"

My father stood, straightened his tie and then smoothed down the lapels of his blazer before looking at me. "It's time to come home, son. I've already arranged for my lawyer to process the divorce papers. All you have to do is sign them. I've found you someone else to marry." He shot Patrick's parents a scathing look. "Someone of better social standing."

Laughter burst out of my mouth. "Go fuck yourself."

I knew my father had some other motive for coming here.

"Son, it's for the best," my father tried to reason. "This family is tainted."

"And yours isn't?"

"Of course not," my father swiftly retorted. "We don't have crazy people in our family."

I lifted an eyebrow. "Remember Auntie Mina?"

God, I had loved that woman, but she'd been as crazy as a loon.

She wasn't violent, though.

"She doesn't count," my father countered. "She married into the family."

Yeah, whatever.

"I'm not going back with you, I'm not divorcing Patrick, and I am not marrying anyone except him." I didn't think I could make it any clearer than that. "I am happy with Patrick. I love Patrick. I am staying with Patrick."

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