~Alistiar's POV~
There was a long silence as he listened to her response. I couldn't hear what she was saying, but from the way my husband was speaking, I could tell his mother was telling him not to bring me to the conference.
Finally, he let out a sharp, weary exhale. "Fine. I hear you. I'll know what to do."
I pulled my hand back from the handle for a second, taking a breath to steady my own frustration before I decided to walk in.
When I stepped inside, my husband was already on the bed, lying flat and facing the ceiling, quiet and still.
I turned to drop the items I had fetched, along with my phone, onto the dresser. As soon as I turned back toward him, Alex murmured, "Come here."
I climbed onto the bed and slipped under the covers beside him, resting my head on his chest. I could feel the tension in his body. He stayed silent, and I understood why. He couldn't bring himself to tell me what his mother had just said, not after he had practically begged me to go with him and I had finally agreed. It was too humiliating for him to admit that I was no longer invited.
But I couldn't let it sit between us. If his mother didn't want me there, I had no intention of going somewhere I wasn't welcome. I decided to break the silence.
"Babe?" I said softly.
"Yes, honey?" he answered, his voice thick with unspoken stress.
I chose my words carefully. "I was thinking... maybe it's better if I spend the weekend at my parents' house while you go to the conference. It might be easier."
Alex immediately tensed up. "We already talked about this, Alis. You already promised you would come with me. Why are you changing your mind?"
I looked up at him, realizing there was no point in dancing around the truth. Alex hated lies, and I wasn't going to start now.
"I heard your conversation with your mother, Alex," I said softly. I quickly added that I wasn't angry, wanting to ease the guilt I saw swimming in his eyes. We talked it through, the awkwardness, the tension, and the reality of the situation.
Alex apologized profusely for his mother's actions. "I don't know why she's like this," he muttered, looking defeated.
"I understand," I said softly, "but for everyone's peace, let's do it my way. You go there, and I'll spend the time at my parents' place."
Alex hesitated, holding on to me as though letting go would cost him something, but finally he agreed. Deep down, I knew it was the right choice. Staying back was a small price to pay to avoid the soul-crushing drama his mother always had waiting for me.
Once everything was finalized, he pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me in a tight, protective cuddle. He buried his face in my hair, holding me as if he were trying to make up for his mother's coldness.
Eventually, the exhaustion of the day took over, and we both drifted off to sleep, clinging to each other in the quiet room.
The next morning, we went through our usual routine and headed to work. I worked alongside Alex in one of his father's companies, one that was conveniently close to home. The week passed in a blur of work, meeting up with friends, and going out together in the evenings.
Finally, the weekend arrived, and Alex packed his bags to visit his parents. That morning, he said he'd probably be back the next day and asked me to return early from my parents' place as well. Of course, I knew how these visits usually went. His mother always found a way to keep him longer. So I agreed and left it at that. After he left, I drove to my parents' house to spend some time with them.
That evening, Alex called to update me on everything, how the conference went, how things were with his mother, and all the little details. We stayed in touch like that, and the next morning, I headed back home early, expecting him to return before noon.
But when he didn't show up, my friends invited me out to relax and hang out. I decided to join them since I was just sitting at home. I went out in the evening, figuring Alex might end up staying another night with his mother.
It was close to ten p.m. when Alex finally called, his name lighting up my phone. He asked where I was. I told him I was out with friends, then asked about him in return. He said he was already home and waiting for me.
"I'm on my way," I told him without hesitation. "You'll see me soon."
I turned to my friends. "I'm leaving. My husband is back."
A chorus of groans followed. They tried to convince me to stay, to relax a little longer, teasing me for rushing back just because Alex had returned. One of them laughed and said I was a lover boy.
I only smiled, shook my head, and stood up. I couldn't blame them. Most of them weren't married. Some weren't even in relationships. They didn't understand what it meant to be committed.
I hurried home.
When I arrived, the shock hit me immediately.
Alex wasn't alone.
My mother-in-law was there too, an unexpected presence that made my steps slow as I crossed the threshold, my heart sinking with the quiet realization that the night was far from over.
The first thing she did was scold me for coming home late, demanding to know where I had been and why a married man would stay out so late. I stood there, stunned, not just by her words, but by her presence.
Alex hadn't warned me she would be there. I already knew the judgment in her eyes, and a familiar wave of frustration washed over me as I realized exactly how this night was going to unfold.
Alex tried to speak up for me, but his mother cut him off before he could even finish a sentence, silencing him with a single look. He didn't argue after that. He simply went quiet.
I was just about to apologize, already forming the words in my mouth, when the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs stopped me cold. I looked up, confused. The few staff members who lived with us all had their rooms downstairs.
Then I saw her.
Clara.
She was coming down from the upper floor.
The shock hit me so hard I turned immediately to Alex. He couldn't meet my eyes. He looked away, his silence suddenly heavy with meaning.
That was when his mother spoke again, her tone calm and deliberate.
"Have you settled your things?" she asked, turning her attention to Clara.
For a second, I thought I had misheard her.
Settled… where?