Chapter 51
“Hello, Mama. How are you?”
Elara listened. Her face changed from calm to confused to panicked in the span of seconds. Mimi watched her carefully. Trying to read what was happening from just one side of the conversation.
“What?” Elara stood up. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. What the fuck?”
She ended the call.
Mimi was already asking. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?”
“My mum said my husband is at the hospital.”
“Your husband? As in Marcus?”
“Yes, Apparently. I don’t know how. But I need to go.”
Elara grabbed her bag. Started pulling out her wallet.
Mimi stopped her. “Go. I’ll handle the bill. Just go.”
“Thank you. I’ll call you later.”
Elara rushed out of the cafe. Hailed a taxi. Gave the driver the hospital address and told him to hurry.
Fifteen minutes felt like hours. Traffic. Red lights. Pedestrians crossing everything felt like it was counting backwards. Everything conspiring to keep her from getting there fast enough.
When she finally arrived, she paid the driver and ran inside. Took the elevator to the fourth floor. Down the familiar hallway to her mother’s room.
She pushed the door open.
And saw the most shocking thing of her entire life.
Marcus was sitting beside her mother’s bed. Holding her hand. Talking to her like they’d known each other forever. Smiling. Laughing at something her mother had just said.
“Mama?”
Marcus stood up immediately. He walked over to her. Pulled her into a hug like this was normal. Like he belonged here. Kissed her forehead.
“There you are, honey. Where have you been?”
Honey. He’d just called her honey.
Her mother’s face lit up. “Elara! Why didn’t you tell me you got married?”
Elara moved her eyes to Marcus. She looked at him with pure hatred and anger. The kind that made her want to scream. To hit him. To drag him out of this room by his perfect hair.
14:45 Mon, May 11
Chapter 51
You crazy psycho.
He looked back at her. All innocent. Calm. Like he hadn’t just ruined everything.
“Mama, I can explain. I—” Her voice was shaking. Anger didn’t even begin to cover what she was feeling right now.
“You don’t need to, baby.” Her mother smiled. Warm and loving. Completely oblivious. “Marcus already told me everything.”
Everything?
What’s everything?
Elara turned to face him. Marcus just stood there. Smiling. That small, satisfied smile that made her want to slap it off his face.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” her mother continued. “I wouldn’t have stopped you. You know that. I just want you to be happy.”
There was sadness in her voice. Like she was hurt that Elara had kept this from her. Like she thought her daughter didn’t trust her enough to share something this important.
“I’m sorry, Mama.” Elara’s voice came out shaky. She was almost crying now. Actually crying. Tears burning behind her eyes that she refused to let fall.
She didn’t want her mum to ever find out this way. She deserved better, She was supposed to hear it from Elara. Not from Marcus. Not like this.
And Marcus had stolen that away from her.
“I told her the truth,” Marcus said. His voice is gentle. Unapologetic. Playing his role perfectly. “That we’ve been dating for a while. That I fell for you at work and didn’t want to wait any longer. Plus, I didn’t want a big wedding. So we decided to keep it small. Intimate. Just us.”
Her mother smiled, smiled like this was the most romantic thing she’d ever heard.
“I honestly just thought you two worked together. I had no idea there was anything more.”
“We did work together,” Elara said. Her voice flat as a note. Dead. “And now we’re married.”
“That’s so nice, baby. I’m so happy for you.”
Elara gave Marcus another dead stare. He didn’t even flinch. Just stood there looking pleased with himself.
“Show her the ring,” Marcus said. “And the wedding pictures, my love.”
My love.
Elara’s anger increased. Reached levels she didn’t know were possible. She wanted to kill him. Actually murder him right here in this hospital room.
But instead, she pulled out her phone. Showed her mother the photos from Santorini. The church, the kiss they shared, all the perfect pictures at the beach. All of it.
Chapter 51
Her mother gasped. “Oh my God, Elara. These are beautiful. You look so happy.”
Then Elara stretched out her hand. Showed her the ring.
Her mother’s eyes went wide. “This is absolutely beautiful. Oh my God, look at this diamond. Marcus, this must have cost a fortune.”
“She’s worth it,” Marcus said smoothly.
Elara wanted to vomit.
Her mother looked at Marcus. Her expression changing slightly. More serious now.
“Well, that doesn’t mean I forgive you, Marcus. You made my daughter not tell me about her own wedding. That’s not okay.”
Elara smiled. Finally. Go on, Mum. Fire him.
“I’m sorry, ma’am.” Marcus looked genuinely apologetic. “I’ll keep apologizing until you forgive me. It was selfish of me. I just wanted her to myself for a little while before sharing her with the world.”
Smooth. He was too smooth.
Marcus checked his wrist. His expensive watch caught the hospital lights.
“I have to go now. Work emergency.” He bent down. Kissed her mother’s hand like some gentleman from a period drama. “You’re in safe hands now.”
He looked at Elara. Held her gaze for just a second. Then walked out.
The moment he was out of sight, her mother started gushing.
“He’s so handsome, Elara. Oh my God. And so polite. And the way he looks at you? That man is in love.”
“Mum, please. I’m not discussing my love life with you.” Elara covered her face with her hands.
“Why not? I’m your mother. I want to hear everything.”
“There’s nothing to hear.”
“He seems like a good man, baby. I’m happy for you. Really happy.”
Elara sat down in the chair Marcus had just vacated. It was still warm. She wanted to scream.
“How did he even know you were here?” she asked.
“He called me this morning. Said he wanted to meet me properly. Introduce himself. Apologize for not asking my permission before marrying you.” Her mother laughed. “Can you imagine? In this day and age, asking permission. So old-fashioned.”
“Yeah. Imagine.”
“He brought me flowers. And chocolates. The expensive kind from that fancy shop downtown.”
14:45 Mon, May 11 J
Chapter 51
Of course he did.
$5 vous
“And he sat here for almost an hour just talking to me. Asking about my treatment and how I was feeling. And he also asked about you when you were little.” Her mother’s eyes were bright. Happy. “He’s a keeper, Elara. Don’t let that one go.”
Elara just nodded. Didn’t trust her voice to stay steady if she tried to speak.
Her phone buzzed. A text.
**Marcus:** We need to talk. Come home when you’re done.
Home. Like it was their home. Like they were a real couple instead of two people playing pretend.
She locked her phone. Shoved it in her bag.
“I should let you rest, Mama.”
“Okay, baby. But come back soon. And bring Marcus next time. I like him.”
“I will.”
Elara kissed her mother’s forehead. Left the room.
She walked down the hallway, and soon she was out of the hospital. Into the cold February air.
She stood on the sidewalk. Breathing hard, the anger in her was brewing, he had absolutely no right to ambush her like that.
Marcus had crossed a line. A massive line. And she was going to make him pay for it.
AD
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