Chapter 89: MOTHER’S HELP

He withdrew his hand and focused on the road, but deep in his heart, he couldn’t help but wonder why she was suddenly so scared of him.

Racking his head for some sort of explanation, he sifted through the last twenty-four hours.

Just after her ordeal with his uncle, he had carried her to his room. There, he promised to protect her.

Granted, she couldn’t have just easily stopped being shaken by her experience, but what did he have to do with it?

Perhaps because the perpetuator of the trauma was a member of his family?

"No," he muttered in his head. She wasn’t the type to punish someone for the sins of the people around them.

She never even punished people that have wronged her.

It had to be something else, but what?

He was leaning towards his initial theory. His Aunt Celine had to have paid her a visit. Probably said something upsetting to her.

But if that was the case, she wouldn’t look so scared around him. He thought she knew he would never purposefully hurt her. Apparently, she didn’t.

"Fay?" He tried calling out to her again, when his mind simply refused to accept the fact that she was deathly scared of him.

She didn’t respond. Through the corner of his lashes, he saw her looking through the window.

Even her side profile was like an Angel. She had hugged Alexander. Probably made the man feel like he had an opportunity with her.

His head snapped back to reality as soon as that thought formed.

"What is wrong with you bro?" He questioned himself, confusion marring his forehead.

The street of his house became visible, but Fay was too deep in her thought to notice.

She was struggling.

On closer inhalation, she realized he reeked of alcohol. While she was having the weirdest dream, he had been eating and drinking his life out.

She wanted to despise him for it, but she just couldn’t.

Partly because her brain still insisted that he owed her nothing. And the other half was because she cared about him.

She had been fascinated with him from the very first day she met him.

First, he called her his wife. Then he saved her from what would have been terrible for her career.

He didn’t stop there. With his help, Gabriel was exposed. To crown it all, he offered her a shit ton of money just to be married to him.

She didn’t know his reason until his grandmother spilled the motive. He wanted to secure his spot as the heir to their company. Another thing she couldn’t fault, because who wouldn’t?

All of these were valid, but it still didn’t subdue the fear she felt.

If she hadn’t seen that diary, she should have called his grandmother before the three day ultimatum, now down to two days, expired.

But she had to think carefully. Did she want a man who could perceive those kinds of thoughts to love her?

The car stopped, and she still wasn’t aware.

A screech of excitement filled the air, as Marilyn and Alice dashed towards the car.

Ace stood beside her door he had opened, wondering why she was not making any attempt to come out.

He was about to call her name when Marilyn and Alice arrived, screaming in unison.

"Mrs Fay!"

She didn’t respond immediately.

Alice and Marilyn exchanged glances, before throwing Ace a curious gaze.

"I don’t know." He shrugged.

They scrunch their faces as they return their eyes to the mistress.

"Mrs Fay?" Marilyn gently touched her shoulders.

The sudden touch made her jerk, and shudder.

"Are you okay, Mrs Fay?" Alice asked.

She blinked, realizing they had arrived at the house. On closer observation, she saw Ace, Alice and Marilyn standing together.

"What is it?" She asked when they kept staring at her with a puzzled expression on their faces.

"You seemed lost in thought," Marilyn was quick to say.

"Oh." Her lip pursed.

"Do you want something to eat? Are you cold? Do you want to freshen up? Tell Marilyn everything you want," Marilyn said.

"No thank you. I just want to be alone," she said to the surprise of everyone.

Again, the duo looked to Ace for help. He looked just as confused as they were.

She was acting way different than usual. The Fay he had taken for dinner to his family house, wasn’t the Fay that returned home with him.

"What’s going on?" He heard his mother’s voice, and whipped his neck around.

"Mum? You’re still here?" His eyes squinted as he regarded her.

"I am. Couldn’t leave without ensuring your wife is fine."

"And Sophie?" Fay suddenly snapped. "Is Sophie going to be fine?" She asked in a shaky voice.

Marilyn and Alice moved for Gabrielle to go through. With a smile on her face, she bent so she was leveled with Fay.

"Can I hold your hands, Fay?" She asked the woman who she was very glad had come into their family.

"O–okay," Fay answered, a little unsure.

Gabrielle’s smile broadened as she held onto her hand. "You came back, and the first thing you do is worry about little Soph. That’s how I know you’re a wonderful person. I’m honored to have you as a daughter in-law. Sorry for the shit show you witnessed last night. I promise you that henceforth, I’ll do everything I can to protect you. No one will hurt you the way I was hurt, just because we pose a threat to the imaginations in their heads. Okay?"

Fay felt a sudden lift in the burden she felt. It came to her now. The reason why she was so conflicted concerning Ace, and her feelings towards him.

She wanted to see beyond the monster, and his mother had just made that possible.

If she was this good, and kind, her son could also be.

Her heart was certainly settled now. For the first time in her entire life, she dared to dream of something bigger than her. Something unachievable for her status.

"Thank you," she said.

Those two words were so simple, yet so impactful on Ace.

He couldn’t explain the feeling it gave him, but it was a good one. One he had a feeling would forever be concealed in his memory.

"No Fay, thank you. So I made something delicious for you. Told Alice to leave the kitchen and allow me to handle it. Would you like to taste my cooking, Fay?"

She blushed heavily. "I’m just afraid I’d never be able to return the gesture. I’m a horrible cook," she confessed.

"Oh that’s nothing," she waved a dismissive hand. "You’re married to a rich man. You can work your way around that," she jested, making Fay laugh out.

It was so hearty and pleasing to the ears. Marilyn couldn’t help but chuckle alongside her laughter.

Alice smiled.

And Ace, Ace nodded his head. Something had shifted, alright. That thing made him overwhelmed with guilt for what he had done with Reign.

Not because it was with Reign, but because it had the possibility of hurting Fay if it was ever discovered.

He was ready to admit it to himself now. He didn’t ever want to hurt Fay.

Fay was led into her room by her mother-in-law.

"Marilyn told me you can’t enter your bathroom because of the PTSD," she said.

"Yeah," Fay replied shyly.

"But there are so many rooms around. Why don’t you pick one?" She asked.

"Ace chose this one for me. I don’t want to come off as ungrateful."

"Nonsense!" She said from the door, while watching the girl at the other side of the room, going through her closet. "Why are you even in separate rooms? You should be sleeping together. Kids these days and their weird way of doing things."

Fay’s heart suddenly doubled. Things were progressing a little too fast. Sleep together? Hell no!

"Think about it. I’ll go bring your food for you," she said, and turned around to leave.

But the door opened just a few minutes after.

"You’re back already?" Fay asked as she turned around.

Her mouth thinned, when she saw Ace instead of his mother.

Looking down at his hand, she saw he was holding some clothes.

She lifted her head back up curiously, but was met with him coming closer.

"Uhmmm—" her words faded as he stopped by the foot of the bed, and dropped the clothes on it.

"Wear that," he said.

"But I have clothes in my closet."

"It’s cold, and considering the fact that you were out in the rain, you should wear something thick."

"I’m already wearing something thick. I plan on wearing it again after I shower."

"No!" He said a little too quickly, and passionately, startling her.

"Why?" She asked, her face contorted with confusion.

He took a deep breath, hating that he had to do something so awkward. But the alternative was even more annoying.

"Because mine is thicker, and smells better. It’s more expensive. I don’t want to perceive something that cheap in my house. Wear it." He turned around and quickly walked away, leaving Fay even more confused than she initially was.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read