Page 244 of Vexatious Queen

“Not me. Not me! You want me to be calm and civil when you tell me you willingly married the son of a monster tying us to that tyrant forever. A man who⁠—”

She stopped, and her whole body visibly trembled.

“Mum…Nash is not his father, just like you are not Vadin. He has worked really hard to destroy Lawrence, and he would’ve pulled the trigger and killed him, himself if Blake hadn’t knocked him out. But that’s a much longer story.”

I stepped away from Nash and slowly walked toward her like I was trying to calm a wild animal instead of my mother.

Dad said something had changed her, but right now it looked more like something had broken her, and my heart cracked at the thought. How did you turn the kindest soul into this? What happened?

Tears pricked my eyes.

“I can’t believe you would do this.”

She pointed at Nash like he was Satan’s spawn. At one time, I would’ve agreed with her, but she hadn’t seen what I had over the last year. She hadn’t learned what I had, and she certainly didn’t have the right to insert her opinion on anything to do with our relationship.

I had to find a way to reach her. As much as I loved her, I was now my own woman, and she needed to see that.

“Well…not to be a bitch, but newsflash, you weren’t here.”

Every word bit with sarcasm. The room went silent. No one moved.

“I thought you were dead, because you let me believe you were.”

I took another step toward her.

“So let me be very clear. You do not come into my room or my life now and tell me who I should or shouldn’t have married. You know nothing about Nash or what he has lived through.”

My hands balled into fists.

“You have no right to judge him, let alone be his jury and executioner. And you most definitely do not get to look me in the eyes and tell me…me, that I’m making a mistake without looking in the mirror first.”

“Ren, it’s okay,” Nash said, touching my shoulder.

“No, it’s not,” I said.

I never took my eyes off my mother, even as emotion threatened to clog my throat. I’d never yelled at her that I could recall, and it physically hurt to do this.

“Ren…he’s a Collier, don’t you see? He was probably working with his father the entire time. This was Lawrence’s plan all along. He wanted to bind you to him and his family,” she said, still shaking.

“Stop! Lawrence didn’t want Nash to marry me. He wanted to marry me, and Nash protected me from him. And now, Lawrence is dead. Do you hear me? He. Is. Dead. Whatever he did to you, he can’t do anymore. He can’t hurt any of us, and that includes Nash.”

She stopped, and I could see the anguish in her eyes. She bent over and clutched at her stomach. Nash’s suspicion was on point. Lawrence had hurt her. She didn’t need to tell me. I knew how vile he was. Lawrence and Owen were sick, and I hoped they were both burning in Hell. The things I’d learned between Nash and Myles were enough for anyone to have nightmares.

“I thought Dad would’ve told you about, Lawrence, and me and, Nash,” I said softer. “Look at me, Mum,” I said. Her eyes slowly lifted to mine. I walked over and took her hands. “I need you to hear me. You saying Nash is like Lawrence is the same as saying all children are their parents. You’re nothing like Vadin.”

I took a deep breath, and when she didn’t try to dispute me, I continued.

“You’re talking like you’ve been here and seen what I’ve been through. What Nash has been through. Whatever line of gossip you were getting couldn’t even begin to describe what we’ve endured. I may not have known about the marriage contract to start, but I chose to stay when Nash offered to let me out of it.”

“Wait, what? How…how did he get a marriage contract past you? The only way—” She stopped as the truth hit her. “No…Eddie wouldn’t do that,” she said, and stumbled back, but I held her hands tighter, keeping her upright.

“Mum, you keep focusing on the wrong things. If you want the whole story, I’ll tell you. But my point is that I’m an adult, and I chose to remain married to Nash because I love him. Do you hear me? I love him.”

“No, no, no. I can’t believe this,” she said.

I let her hands drop.

“And I can’t believe you let me think you were dead, but here we are.”