CHAPTER 140: BEATING AROUND THE BUSH

I couldn’t help it that every time my mind formed the words, it also conjured up her face filled with joy and glowing with love whenever she spoke of Bennett. Whenever I saw them together, my mother seemed a better version of herself. All my life, I had never seen her so happy to be with someone. She believed in him and trusted him. Most of all, she was truly in love with him.

Once again, I asked myself how I could bring myself to destroy all that. And worst of all, what if, on top of breaking her heart, I was also going to put her in great danger? However, I knew that the choice wasn’t mine alone to make. No matter what I wanted, I knew full well that Rosabella wasn’t going to stay silent. She would probably continue harassing me.

"Is something the matter? You’re uncharacteristically quiet," Raphael asked.

"It’s nothing. I guess just being in the sun made me tired. I’m going to go back to my room," I quickly excused myself before Raphael could say more.

I could feel his eyes on me, but I didn’t turn around. The secret that we shared weighed down on me along with the decision that I had to face my mother. I stared at the text message Rosabella sent as I tried to stiffen my resolve.

...

The next morning, my mother was humming as she enjoyed her breakfast. Bennett sat beside her as he read the morning paper. He looked like such a content retiree, and the two of them looked perfect together. Bennett looked so normal, even gentler than the average man. You’d never guess who he really was and what kind of power he wielded in the shadows.

"Did you sleep well? I bet you’re tired from the trip," my mother asked.

"Yes," I replied shortly, as my throat felt unusually dry. I wanted to just blurt it out right then and there. I just wanted to say it and get it over with.

Mom, Bennett is the head of a Mafia family. You need to break up with him, and we need to get out of here fast.

It could have been so simple, but those words were stuck in my throat. I couldn’t bring myself to say anything. I just sat there as my mother enjoyed a peaceful breakfast together with Bennett while sharing small talk. Once again, my mother looked so happy, and Bennett never failed to make her giggle like a young girl.

I reminded myself that what I was seeing was nothing but lies. There was no way that a relationship could be built on lies. How could my mother fall in love with a man when she didn’t even know the truth about him?

Later in the day, I decided to ask my mother out using the excuse of needing her help to pick some new outfits for work.

My mother followed without suspecting anything. Spending time with my mother alone reminded me of the old days when there was just the two of us. Of course, I was genuinely happy when she married Bennett, but who would have thought that along with her union came so many problems? Bennett was one issue, and Raphael was another set of issues entirely.

"Are you happy, Mom?" I asked a very cowardly question while we were browsing in the clothing store.

"What is this all of a sudden?" she asked before letting out a small laugh.

"I don’t know. I’m just asking," I replied.

"I’m happier than I’ve ever been. For once, I guess I can truly say that you don’t need to waste your worries on me. I know you worry about me sometimes, Abigail, but you don’t have to. With Bennett, I feel so safe," she replied before flashing me a sweet smile.

Safe.

It felt like everything around me faded to black at the mention of that word. The word made my stomach twist and made me think what she would feel if only she knew the truth. My mother tried to make small talk as we continued shopping, but all I could think about was how to get to the point of why I had asked her out. I had thought about asking Raphael for help, telling him about Rosabella’s text, and asking him to protect us from her. But I just couldn’t bring myself to tell him. After all I had witnessed on the trip, it just didn’t feel like the right time to burst the beautiful bubble that we had surrounding us.

As the days passed and the pressure grew heavier, I could feel that Bennett had started to keep a closer eye on us. Whenever we went shopping, he sent drivers and sometimes discreet guards. When my mother’s friends visited, he insisted on having security close by. Understandably, my mother felt uncomfortable, but Bennett was adamant about being safe rather than sorry. My mother just went along with him without noticing or doubting anything he said.

I hated how hesitant I was because it made me feel like such a coward. Although I told myself that I had made up my mind and I knew what I had to do, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it when the time came. As time slipped by without any progress, I slowly became depressed.

"Are you feeling unwell?" my mother asked me one evening.

"Not really. I was just thinking about work and stuff. I think I’m going out to take a short walk to get some fresh air," I said before quickly excusing myself.

I noticed that lately, I had been making excuses to get away from both my mother and Raphael. It wasn’t because I didn’t trust them, but I just felt like I needed time alone to build up my courage. The garden surrounding the mansion was quiet, and for a moment, I felt a little less suffocated. It almost made me believe that I could be free.

"Abigail," a sweet voice called out from behind me.