Page 37 of Grumpy Bossy Billionaire Enemy

“He swore he had gotten rid of her when we got married. He swore that he wasn’t going to see her anymore. But a few months into the marriage, he saw her again and again.”

Mother took a breath. “I realized that I couldn’t do anything to stop them. I accepted my fate and watched him love her the way I wanted to be loved.”

I heaved a heavy sigh, leaning against the kitchen wall to prevent myself from falling. My knees felt so weak that I feared I couldn't take the next step.

“You knew!” I stuttered. “You knew all along and you stayed.”

“I had to…” Mother answered, “stay for my family’s sake. Then I got pregnant with you. I couldn’t leave because I wanted to give you a secure life with a stable family.”

“My sisters were doing well with their families. I didn’t want to be the odd one.” Mother leaned on the kitchen counter.

“No,” I replied, “you stayed because it gave you status in society. You stayed because you want this lifestyle.”

“Do you think I don’t want to be loved like your father loved that woman?” Mother’s voice rose. “Do you think I crave intimacy so much that I rely on a vibrator to fulfill my sexual needs?”

I felt light-headed listening to Mother talk about her strained relationship with my father. I didn't know which was sadder: knowing my parents hadn’t been intimate for years or knowing Mother missed it so much that she relied on a vibrator.

Mother continued, “I stayed because I wanted to punish your father. So, I made him get stuck with me. If I can’t be happy, he won’t be happy either.”

“Out of everyone, I expect you to understand.”

Of course, she expected me to understand because I had a similar story. I was married to Henry because my family demanded it; and in a few months, Henry’s feelings toward me might change just like Father’s had.

I feared witnessing that day – the day Henry would look at me like my father looked at Mom. I feared the day he was going to have a better place to be than with me.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” I sighed. “I’m sorry you've felt this way for a long time.”

Mother took my hand to say, “I know you are scared this will be your story, but it won’t. I’ve seen the way Henry looks at you. He does care about you.”

“So did Dad.” I turned to leave, but Mother stopped me.

“I’ll be fine,” she reassured me. “Everything will be fine.”

I walked back to the living room, where Nolan seemed to be getting along with Henry. Henry looked up at me, and my expression told him that it was time to leave. He stood up and announced the need to go home. The ride home was quiet. Henry kept stealing glances at me, wondering what was going on in my head.

“Do you want to talk about how you feel?” Henry asked.

It was quite sad that I was experiencing a lot of emotions right now. I couldn’t point to how I felt when I was in my parent’s house. But now that Henry asked about it, I felt the emotions issuing from my pores.

“Can we talk about this later?” I pleaded. “I don’t know how I feel about everything yet.”

“Of course,” Henry replied, “whenever you are ready.” Henry started to walk into the room when I tugged at his shirt.

Being with Henry at this moment seemed to be the only great thing about my life.

“I’m angry,” I began, “because I feel betrayed by everyone I’ve ever cared about.”

Henry pulled me down to the sofa, and we sat facing each other.

“I grew up being told I have to sacrifice for my family. I did everything my parents wanted. I wore whatever they told me to wear, ate whatever food they suggested, made friends with whoever they liked, and even–”

“Married the person they chose for you,” Henry completed my sentence.

“Yes,” I responded. “I just feel so sad that…” My throat went dry.

“That everyone you sacrificed for eventually betrayed you?” Henry finished up again.

He looked at me with so much empathy, like he could feel what I felt, like he could get into my head and see what’s going inside.

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