Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Marcus ended the message before he could say too much. It wasn’t that he meant to hide more things from Anneke – that was no longer in the cards – but if he were to speak the unvarnished truth about his life, he preferred to do it in person.
Following a restless night in the waiting room, a nurse soon came to wake Marcus to let him know that his mother’s operation was successful. He went immediately to Raquel’s room, and his mother’s gaze swung towards him the moment he entered.
Her eyes were filled with antagonism as she watched him, but he was no longer fooled by it. Loving Anneke had changed him, had opened his eyes to the truth that for so long he hadn’t allowed himself to see.
And that was that for better or for worse, Raquel was just as lost as he once had been.
Taking a deep breath, he asked, “How are you feeling?”
The older woman’s lip curled. “If you’re waiting for me to thank you for saving my life,” she sneered, “don’t hold your breath.”
“I’ll take that as affirmation that you’re feeling better,” Marcus answered evenly.
Raquel scowled. Something was...different about him. She could feel it, could almost describe it, but the words refused to reveal themselves completely to her. She watched him take the seat next to her bed, and an unexpected jolt of terror struck her. Why hadn’t he left yet? Why couldn’t he take a goddamn hint like he so easily did before?
“I wanted to tell you something—-”
Raquel cut him off with a jeering laugh. “Darling. What makes you think I’m interested in anything you have to say?”
Marcus’ jaw clenched at her words, but instead of leaving, he remained on his seat, his gaze still on hers.
Shit. How could she make him understand she despised the very sight of him? “This is getting a little too tedious. So if you don’t mind, can you please fucking leave?”
“I will, as soon as I—-”
“Didn’t you hear me,” she hissed. “When I say I don’t give a damn, I mean it. I don’t fucking care—-”
Marcus interrupted her, saying calmly, “I’m going to tell my wife the truth about us.”
Raquel whitened, the rest of her words dying in her throat. “You’re a fool,” she spat shakily. “You’re a goddamn fool—-”
“That’s all I came here to say.” Marcus’ tone was tight. He didn’t know what he had expected. Or perhaps he did. Perhaps there was always one thing he had foolishly hoped to receive from this woman, and no matter how cruel she was, no matter how many times she ended up failing him – maybe it was time to accept that he would always want it.
And that was love – because she was and would always be his mother.
Raquel began to shake uncontrollably when it became clear to her that Marcus had indeed made up his mind, and her skin crawled at the knowledge that another person would learn about her despicable past.
Her gaze flew to her son as he turned away to leave.
And it was his entire fault!
“Why couldn’t you just keep your mouth shut?” she demanded shrilly.
Marcus stilled.
“Why did you have to tell someone else about the past? Why?”
Turning back slowly to face her, he said flatly, “Because Anneke needs to know the kind of man she’s married to—-” Raquel’s wild laugh cut him off.
“Then you’re even a greater fool than I thought you were,” his mother snapped. “Anneke de Konigh would never want a man like you if she knew the truth. You—-”
“Are nothing like my father,” Marcus said sharply.
“Oh, Marcus.” Raquel’s tone was filled with pity. “Why do you still insist on lying to yourself? I was there, too. I know the truth. To be perfectly crude, I’ve seen all thirteen goddamn inches of truth—-”
Marcus flinched.
“So believe me, darling. You are your father’s son—-”
“That’s what he wanted me to think,” he bit out stoically, “but no more. I will no longer let that man continue controlling me to from the grave.”
“Bullshit. You are your father’s son, Marcus! YOU ARE! How can you not be, when you had your own dick out and you were coming at seeing me being fucked?”
But Marcus didn’t even seem to have heard her at all. “He wanted me to be like him, but I’m not and I’m doing this to prove it to him – to myself—-”
Raquel began to laugh crazily. “You’re insane.”
“I’m also doing this,” Marcus said tautly, “to prove him wrong about you.”
Silence.
Marcus’ fists clenched against his sides. “Because he was wrong about you, too.”
“Spare me the bullshit.”
But he ignored this, saying tautly, “He tried to destroy you the way he tried to destroy me. That’s why—-” He inhaled sharply. “I want you to know I’m not blaming you for anything that happened. None of it was your fault.”