Page 35 of The Accidental Wife

“No! Stop it, Sam!” I shout, pushing him back. I kneel beside Cole again, my stony gaze on my brother.

“My God. Are you okay?” I ask Cole, and he nods

“I’m fine, sweetheart.”

“Cole, you’re bleeding.” I tilt his head up and take a closer look at his busted lip.

“I’m okay.” He assures me with a smile. I stand up and look over at Sam.

“Have you completely lost your mind?!” I scold him. Sam glares down at Cole and then back at me.

“No, but he fucking has! I don’t give a fuck how rich you are! You think you can come in and disrespect me in my own home?”

“He’s my husband, Sam!” I shout, and he walks over to me.

“And I’m your fucking brother! I’m your blood!” He shouts back, grasping my arm.

“Grow up Sam!” I rip my arm out of his hold. “You had no right to hit him. You’re pissed off with me, I get it, but you don’t fucking touch him. What the hell is wrong with you?!”

“Enough! Both of you.” Sam and I stop shouting when we hear my mother’s voice behind us. I turn and look at her standing in the doorway of the kitchen, glaring at both of us penetratingly, just like she used to when we were younger and got into trouble.

“Mum...” I say, and she looks at me and shakes her head sullenly.

“No. You don’t get to call me that anymore.” She says, looking over at Cole and back at me again.

I feel my heart clench painfully when her green eyes fill with tears. “Mum. I’m sorry—”

“You’re sorry? You think a simple sorry will fix the damage and embarrassment you have caused this family?” She states, staring at me with such disappointment. “Do you have any idea how appalled I was to see my daughter, my Shayla, all over magazines in the arms of some boy, kissing like an adolescent teenager? Not only did you disgrace this family, but you broke our trust.”

I drop my gaze to the ground and try to blink back the tears, but they spill over my cheeks. “Is this how I raised you? To disrespect your family’s honour and bring shame upon your father's name?” She berates me. “I never thought I would live to see the day I would be ashamed to call you my daughter. I’m just thankful your father isn’t around to see this.” I bite my lip hard to keep the sob from escaping. “Is it true? What they’re saying, did he get you pregnant? Is that why you got married so fast and in secret?”

I shake my head and wipe away the endless tears that kept rolling down my face. “No! No, mum, I’m not pregnant. I’m not, I swear.”

My mother looks over at Cole, “This is him? The boy you chewed your family over?” She asks, her voice breaking ever so slightly as she tries to keep her emotions inside. “They’re calling you a gold-digger, Shayla. My daughter, a gold-digger.”

“Mum, I would never do something like that. People are just speculating. It's not true. You and Sam mean the world to me, you know that.” I plead, and she looks up at the ceiling shaking her head.

“But you did Shayla! You chose to run off and marry this boy without consulting us first. I had to hear that my daughter was married by our neighbours. You didn’t even have the decency to call us and explain. You leave it over a week later to show your face. Well, I’m afraid it’s too late for apologies now.”

I shake my head and walk over to my mum and take her hands in mine, but she pulls them away and folds her arms over her chest. “Mum, please, please forgive me. I’m so sorry. I was going to tell you, I swear. I was.” I sob helplessly, and she averts her gaze from mine and stares at the wall, her eyes drowned in tears.

“Mrs Hart,” I hear Cole’s voice from behind me. “I assure you we never intended to hurt you or Sam or for everything to blow up like this. We had every intention of coming here and telling you both about our marriage, but somehow our photos got leaked to the press before we had a chance.” Cole explains earnestly, and my mother looks over at him. “I know you have no reason to believe me, but I love your daughter very much.”

“You love her?” She repeats and shakes her head, disappointed. “If you had an ounce of respect for my daughter, you would have come over here like a man and told us about your intentions and asked for our blessing first. Instead, you fly her off to another country and marry her in that joke of a chapel without her family present, without a priest. Is that the value and worth of your love for my daughter?” She explains, her tone wounded. “Do you have any idea what you’ve taken from me? My only daughter and I didn’t get to see her in a white dress. I didn’t get to see her brother walk her down the aisle. I didn’t get to share the happiest day of her life because you…” She jabs her finger at his chest. “…stole that dream from me. You stole her from me.” She sobs wretchedly. I clamp my hand over my mouth and whimper. “Now take your wife and get out of my house. As far as I’m concerned, you’re no longer a part of this family.” She adds, looking at me one last time before she turns to leave.

“No!” I go after her and fall to my knees in front of her, wrapping myself at her legs. “Mum, please, please, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me, don’t do this.” I sob. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I swear, I didn’t.” I look up at her helplessly. “I love him.”

My mother looks down at me, tears streaming down her face. Cole comes and kneels beside me and looks up at my mother. “Mrs Hart, I’m terribly sorry for everything, and I swear to you, I will make this right. You’re right, I stole something so very precious to you, but it wasn’t intentional. I’ll do whatever it takes to fix this. If it’s a wedding, that can easily be arranged, but please don’t punish her like this. She’s been torn up about letting you both down as it is.” He says, rubbing my back soothingly as I sob on the floor.

My mother looks at Cole, “You want to make this right young man. You do things properly. Bring your parents here to meet us, maybe then; I’ll consider forgiving you both.” I look over at Cole, and he meets my gaze before he nods.

“Consider it done,” Cole says and helps me up to my feet as I watch my mother disappear out of sight. I take one last look at my brother, who watches me with eyes full of sorrow.

“Sam,” I whisper, tears running down my face. He shakes his head, drops his gaze before he turns, and storms out the back door, slamming it shut behind him. I bow my head and cry. Cole steps in front of me; he cups my face in his hands and wipes my tears away before pressing his lips to my forehead. “I’m so sorry,” He whispers woefully. “I’m going to do everything I can to fix this, I swear.”

I close my eyes and whimper. “They’re never going to forgive me.” I cry.

“Hey, look at me.” He lifts my head so I could look up at him. “They will. I will do everything in my power to make that happen. I’ll throw the biggest fucking wedding this world has ever seen if that’s what it takes.” He declares, pulling me against him. “I’ll lay my entire fortune at their feet if I have to. It killed me watching you fall to your knees at your mother’s feet like that.” He says, pressing his forehead to mine.

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