Page 198 of Night's Fall
I could feelAleksei, but more, his beast, responding to this, soIhad to shut it down.
“Fine.I’llattend a reconciliation meeting,”Iconceded.
Aleksei’s fingers bit into my waist.
I kept talking.
“You can assert to the adjudicator what great parents you were.AndthenIcan share my medical records.Ican askMr. andMrs.Truelockto testify regarding how oftenIwas at their house becauseIcouldn’t bear being around you and your constant arguments with each other that you never hid from me, and the ugly things you said to me.Ican comm theVinestrongs, and they can tell tales of how you never came to the school playsIdesigned the costumes for, and sometimes didn’t even bother to pick me up after rehearsals and performances, so they had to take me home.Ican askCatto share the loving story of howDadlost it and shouted at me for half an hour right in front of her whenIaccidentally dropped my school tablet, and he had to buy me another one.I’msureGaylewill be happy to tell the delightful tale of you ripping mySummerSolsticegown to shreds, not because of anythingI’ddone, but because you were angry atDadfor the seven millionth time.I’ddesigned that gown.I’dstitched it with my own fingers.Yourefused to give me the money to buy the materials to replace it, so in the end,Ihad to borrow something fromCatto wear on my date.ShallIgo on?”
“Excuse my interruption,MistressLaura,”Allaincalled.
Everyone looked to him.
He had hisPalmturned our way and there was a male’s face on it.
“Please note,” the male’s voice came from thePalm, “theMinistryofLawandJusticeconsiders this a reconciliation meeting, and any request to reject the no contact order has been denied.”
“Thank you, minister,” the queen called.
“Your majesty,” the male said, andAllainturned thePalmback to himself.
“This is a travesty,”Momdeclared.
“Again,Mom,what do you want?”Iasked.
“We have a rightful place in your life,” she stated.
“What you mean is, you have a rightful place as parents of a princess of the realm,”Iamended.
“That is what you’ll be, and that is who we are,”Momdeclared.
“All right,I’llask a different question,”Ireturned. “Howon earth can you think you deserve that respect with the disregard you used in raising me?”
My mother’s face twisted. “Ididn’t want to do this, coming here.Ternhas been riddled with guilt since you left…”
My gaze darted to my father to see his riveted to the step of the dais.
Mom kept talking.
“Losing her, it twisted something in him.Itwas like he thought you’d be her, born again.Andthen when you weren’t, he blamed me.”
“He also blamedLaura,” the queen pointed out.
“Whatever,” my mom returned. “That’swhatIlived with all my life.Ahusband who wanted someone else.”
“So you came here because you thought you deserved to get something out of the fact that you…you…decided to marry a man who had lost his mate, and whatever you were expecting to get out of that didn’t come to fruition, so you acted like a bitter cow to everyone around you, including your own daughter?Isthat whatI’mhearing?”Iasked.
“I thoughtIcould make him love me,”Momsnapped.
“Newsflash,Mom, acting like an absolute bitch all the time isn’t really loveable,’Ishot back.
I heardAleecestifle a laugh.
The king stood.
“Laura, have you said your piece?” he asked.
I opened my mouth, butMomgot there before me.
