Chapter 15

"Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns." -Leigh Bardugo "Ryan, your dad-" "Good afternoon to you too mum." He greeted her, his mother, who was fidgeting with her black gloves and the small handbag gripped tightly in her hands. As usual Mirena Thorpe was looking as exquisite as ever in a black skirt suit and black kitten heels. Black stockings covered the entirety of her legs, from her knees, down her calves to the toes that were peeking out from the little openings at the front of her open-toed pumps. Her blonde hair was short, cropped, and as yellow as the blonde locks on her son's head and beneath the bangs were a pair of startling blues that Ryan must have inherited. "I wish we had the luxury of that, but your father-" "I know mum." Ryan cut her off. "He plans on cutting me off and to be honest, I do not care." "Don't talk like that! With Lennita in Veterum, you are our only heir and I can't afford to lose you too." "That would have to be your choice mum. Tell me, do you support him?" He questioned her right there on the doorstep. It seemed that her son was not ready to allow her in. "I...I..." His mother stuttered. "I see." She could feel the accusation ridden in his voice and for that, she protested. "Ryan...you don't understand!" "Then make me." His mother fumbled for words and a moment Ryan almost felt like he had to cut in again. That is until she opened her mouth in the most unexpected of fashions. "Don't you care about your son? I thought you said that you loved her?" "And why does that matter anyhow? Why now? Aren't you tired of making me make a fool of myself? I for one, I am." He retaliated with the same fire she had attacked with. "It's rather disappointing though that you would rather support your husband on this, even when you know that he is wrong." "Ryan! He's your father too." "And I am grateful for the life he gave me, but it is time I behaved like a man and a father too. Not that he is any of that." "Ryan!" His mother gasped at his upward commentary. "I won't fault you for marrying him, but in the same way, you must learn to respect my decisions. Let him cut me off if he wants to. I think it is time I stand on my own any way." "Surely, you don't mean that?" "I do and I intend to work things out with Katrina. As for Malisha-" "You mean that Veterum General's daughter?" "The same one. Now, I do not intend to start a war between our two countries. So I would advice you to advice dad to stop pushing me on this matter." "What of your son? Plus you know that when your father sets his mind on something he never listens to anybody." "This time he better. She is not just a General's daughter." "What do you mean? What else did you withhold?" "Lennita didn't tell you?" Ryan laughed. "She must resent you that much, as much as I do then. I guess, she never really got over that arranged marriage you forced her into." "Don't be absurd. We never really got down to talking-" "So you tell yourself. Anyway, if that is all mum...I have to go. I have a guest to attend to." His mother hesitated for a moment then turned around to walk back to her waiting car. She had hoped to warn her son and in doing so, gain his favor, but as things had turned out, the boy was rather adamant. Then there was that thing about his sister. Was she that mad at her? At her mother? "What did I do?" Hot tears dripped down her rosy cheeks. Her family was in shambles and it seemed that things were about to get much worse. First, the Maracheli's then this and Lennita, why was she so quiet? Had she truly wronged her daughter so much? But what could she have done differently? She, like the others, had just followed her husband's bidding and it seemed now that that same bidding was wrecking everything and every meaningful relationship in her own life. What's more, she was lonely in her marriage. Not that her husband cheated, for his affairs were beyond that of other women. His was an affair with power, the mistress that even she, the beautiful Mirena, the most attractive and influential socialite of her time could not compete with. No. She would not let him ruin her and the only meaningful relationships she had left in her life. She had lost friendships because of him, including Alice her best friend due to her son's treatment of the woman's stepdaughter. It became worse when Marcus sent Ryan to Veterum and the family took Katrina away. What she wouldn't give to be happy again and now to learn that all along Lennita had been resentful of her? What kind of a mother was she? She berated herself. She wished she could do something. Go back, turn the hands of time, and maybe chose a different husband. Or maybe what she had needed to do was to have been firmer about their children. Didn't he marry her for her influence? Hadn't he used the same influence to incite a relationship with the Maracheli's? Mirena sniffed. Wiping away the tears that were now staining her face. Her life was so full of regrets and she found herself wondering if there was anything that she could do to remedy them. As she thought about her own life, her mind went back to Ryan and the words he had just spoken to her. What did he mean by war? Surely her grandson's family was not that powerful? Maybe it was, but to go to war over such a matter? She shook her head. Either the boy was delusional or there was something he was still not telling them. Yea, that was the most probable thing seeing how he had deflected it with that issue of Lennita. Yes...that boy was sneaky. "And I really have to stop referring to him that way." Mirena thought even as she directed her driver to drive back to her son's house. Katrina's thoughts churned at what her ears had heard. She did not know what to make of it. One thing was clear though that Ryan's family was as messed up like hers, if not worse. Did he mean what she had heard him say? Was he giving up on that boy? She did not know much about the Phaedras of Veterum, but they were a ruthless lot. How Malisha got entangled with one, she did not know, but who was she to judge her when her father and father-in-law were not any better? Did Ryan giving his son up make him a coward? She could not decide especially after learning that his parents had been the ones to push him. Did that mean that he was sincere? Was she being cruel, selfish by wishing that he had only eyes for a child? Did it make her a terrible person for being glad that he would no longer go after her? She had been her friend and Katrina had betrayed her, but Malisha was now happy. Didn't Katrina deserve the same? "What am I even thinking?" Katrina shook her head to rid herself of the thoughts even as she descended the stairs to join Ryan in the kitchen now that his mother was gone. He would not like it, she knew that. If he had his way he would have her confined to bed and with nothing to do, but she refused to live like an invalid. He would protest she knew also, but gone were the days when she allowed others to dictate her life for her. She was now living her own life and to its fullest at that. As she crossed the hallway into the living room the doorbell sounded and Katrina smiled as she heard Ryan grumbling to himself in the kitchen. "I will get it." She told him even as she moved towards the said door. A round of protests followed from the kitchen, the banging of a pan, then footsteps at which she bolted towards the door before he could stop her. "Katrina!" "Too late." She laughed even as she swung the door open to reveal the shocked face of her mother-in-law. "Katrina?" The stunned woman muttered even as she made her way into the foyer. Dazed, Katrina did not think to stop her. Instead, she gave way and allowed the woman into her son's living room. "Mother? What are you doing back here?" Ryan came in from behind them having just exited the kitchen. A frown was firmly etched on his face, put there by his mother's continued presence in his house. "She is here?" Mirena whispered pointing to the visibly glowing girl that was standing before her. "Dominic will kill you!" "I assure you mother. My father knows exactly where I am." Katrina stepped in to answer her. For all of Ryan's mistakes, Mirena had always been good to her and she felt that she owed her that courtesy if not her respect because of her position. "And he allowed you to be here? Do you want to get my only son murdered?" It seemed that the woman was not feeling the same way. "You are exaggerating. My father may be many things, but he is not yet a murderer. That said, my life's choices are no longer determined by him." She answered firmly not cowed by the tone of Mirena's voice. "So this means that you two are back together?" "Mmm..." Ryan fished around for an answer. An appropriate answer would tell his mother what they were, seeing that he was not sure of the right word to describe their present relationship. What could he tell her that would not offend Katrina? "Yes." Katrina answered for the both of them, swiftly taking out the matter from Ryan's hands. " As you are aware,we have a child to raise and we are going to do it together." "We are?" Ryan whispered just as his mother questioned. "You are?" She directed the question to her son. "Yes." He straightened up to answer her. He needed to look convincing even though even he was questioning the statement. Did it mean that she had forgiven him? Or had he misunderstood her words? All in all, it sounded too good and Ryan was afraid that in his pr sent state, sticking around with his mother about, would eventually ruin things especially now that they seemed to be steadily improving."And now you have to excuse me. My food is about to burn." With that, he dashed off into the kitchen leaving Katrina with her estranged mother-in-law to talk things out. What to do? Katrina mused. Well...she thought dismissively. Might as well invite her to stay. It's my son's house after all and I am the stranger here. "Please do sit down." She said pointing out at one of the black leather sofas that congregated around a painted white round coffee table. "I am quite sure that he is cooking enough for three, so the food will surely be enough." She smiled, laughing inwardly at the pun and the fact that Ryan would definitely try and do so. Cooking for three that is, especially now when everything he did was done with the baby in mind. "Well...thank you. I really don't deserve your kindness." The woman told her after a moment of pause reflecting on the words of the one whom they had treated so terribly. "And I am sorry too. For everything." She added as an afterthought. "You didn't do anything to harm me so I do not see why you should apologise. Your husband on the other hand..." Katrina trailed off. She did not need to say it though as they all knew it. Of the crimes that have been brought against her and despite the feelings she still harbored against the man, his wife Mirena did not try to defend him and it made her wonder how things were now within the Thorpe family. If ever there was a dysfunctional family then this family was one and top on that list too. She knew that her own family had issues but unlike Marcus, Katrina knew that her father was acting out of love, stifling and misdirected as it was and for that, she could never fault him. Either way, she needed to establish her independence and thus, the actions she was were necessary. "You are wrong. I should have done something." Mirena paused. "And because of it I have already lost a grandson, but no! It won't happen again." She added with a new resolve shining in her eyes. "I will do everything in my power to make sure that this grandchild is not lost." Of course, that issue would come up again. Katrina was only too aware that the reason why even Ryan wanted her around was because of the baby and a small very paranoid part of her worried, wondering to what lengths this family would go to keep this child. Would they try to take him? No. She would not allow it. She could not put it past the Thorpes to try using underhanded tactics though. They had done it before and would probably do the same thing now that they had set their minds to it and to keep safe, Katrina knew that would have to be clever. She would have to make sure that she was always several steps ahead of them, to play the game right and come out on top. At the moment, the ball was in her court, and the fact that this family greatly underestimated her would go a long way in playing things out for her benefit.