Chased by my Ex Husband

Tristin

"You did the right thing." Mom says, stepping ahead to fix my shirt's collar.

"Why do you dislike her?" I wonder. " we have common enemies. She shouldn't bother you like she does."

Mom's soft eyes flicker towards my neutral gaze. I sigh, taking a step back and turning towards Luca so he can fix my collar instead.

"I need to meet with the shareholders before they cause a commotion over my absence. Carlos has been plotting for some time. He will get out of hand if I don't put him into his place now. "I grit my jaw as the injuries on my back and chest stretch, sending a wave of pain down my whole body. "He is your cousin. Be kind to him. "Mom sighs.

I press my lips in a thin line. I can always count on Mom to judge every person wrong.

Once, she thought Lily was an angel. I told her she was a devil under that sweet smile but no one listened.

Now she thinks Grace is terrible, and she is wrong again.

To think that she is taking the side of my so-called cousin in front of me without knowing how he was cooperating with that sweet Lily to expose my family secret...

Anger flares to the surface but I push it back.

"I don't dislike Grace as a person, my son. You know that." Mom squeezes my shoulder.

"I am not-"

"The way you look at her, at a woman who recently got divorced, is Lily's sister and Ethan's ex-wife...I can not tolerate it. I will not let you follow Seb's steps. " Her voice drops, becoming moist before she sniffles.

I release a heavy breath, ignore the pain in my body, and turn around to face her. Tears are rolling down Mom's cheeks as she tries to wipe them away and hide them from me.

"Mom. "I grab her shoulders and make her look at me. "I am not dying. I am right here, and I will be for a long time. "

"I... "Mom sobs, pressing her head to my chest. " They...called to tell me that my son got into an accident, and...I thought I would follow my child this time. I can not lose one more son. I can not. "

"Mom. "I sigh, rubbing her back.

She's losing her calm after all this time of composure. This means she has been holding it all inside and pretending to be better the last few days.

"I had to see you like that because of that Lily! She paid that driver to kill you, Tristin. And you love her sister? How could you? The Whitlocks are murderers. Grace proved it when she attacked her ex-husband and tried to kill him. Don't you get it? They-" "Mom. " My voice turns harsh as I pull her head away.

She is panicking. I can see it in her eyes, and the way she rants.

"You need to calm down, Mom. "I lower my voice and stare into her wide, terror-filled eyes.

"You are not denying it." She mumbles, shrugging my hands away. " You are not denying what I said!"

I run my fingers through my hair and glance at Luca from over my shoulder. He nods, before leaving me alone with Mom.

"You asked me to send her away and I did, didn't I, Mom? She came to see me and I asked her to leave. " I assert, staring at her.

"But you...my son... " Her hands rise towards me, then lower and clench into fists." You didn't deny it when I said you love her. "

My shoulders stiffen. I try to form words, but my head goes blank.

When someone else says those words to me and attaches her name in the end, I find myself unable to even comprehend what's wrong with it. When I see nothing wrong with it, how do I deny it?

"How can you love the sister of the woman who killed your brother and tried to kill you?! Have you gone mad?!" She yells, losing the usual calm that I am used to seeing on her face.

I think so too. I have gone mad.

Out of all the girls in the world, girls less complicated, and more bright...my heart has decided to like the one woman I shouldn't even think about.

Something twists inside my chest as

I remember the call I received from

her but didn't take because I was angry the night when I walked away from her. The next moment, when the truck collided with our car, I regretted not hearing her voice for the last time.

It's stupid that I didn't even regret not taking my revenge. I didn't recall my family, my friends, my memories...

I only thought about her.

I thought about what Ethan might do to her, or how my family might hurt her, or how she would live all alone in this fucked up world. It hurt more than having the metal wedged in my chest, in my back. "Tristin!" Mom hisses in my face and finally, I snap back to reality.

"I did what you wanted. Now tell me where you have kept Lily, Mom. " I come straight to the point and ignore the itch in my fingers.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

I need to go after Grace, to tell her that I don't want her to not see me ever again. I want her to stay because I don't think I can abandon her.

"She will meet her end-"

"She has that video, Mom. "I snap. " come back to your senses! She knows your secret and I do not know who else she has told about it."

Color drains from Mom's face as her mouth opens and closes several times. My chest heaves, with pain, with longing, with exhaustion. "What..." She swallows. " what secret?"

"She knows what you did, Mom, and if she somehow manages to bring the truth to the world, you can imagine what Ania will go through. "I hiss, losing control over my nerves.

Since the time I woke up, Mom has been busy making me lose my mind over the fact that she took Lily to some secret location to get rid of her. No matter how I try to make her understand that she is making a mistake, she just doesn't understand.

But in the end, she made a deal with me. If I send Grace away and don't see her, she will let me know where Lily is.

Now it seems to be a lie so she needs to know the fucking truth. "How...when..."

Why else do you think I was not crushing her to death, Mom?! Why else do you think I was patiently watching her move in life instead wringing her neck and ending her life? "My voice becomes cold. It's because she has the power to destroy my family more than she has already done. And I need to get that video before I get rid of her, Mom."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Her hands start shaking.

"Because you will do something foolish again." I blink, moving past her to reach the door. "I am telling you...getting rid of Lily before getting her under control will be a mistake. You will destroy your daughter's life while trying to avenge your sons.

Tristin, do something and-"

"I will. "I pause in front of the door." That's why you need to tell Luca where she is. He will bring her to one of my locations."

I don't wait to hear what else she has to say. The itch in my hands is growing. The surprise and hopelessness in Grace's eyes are killing me.

I shouldn't have thought that I would tell her everything later. I shouldn't have asked her to leave at all or told her all those hurtful words back then. She was already hurting so much and I just-

But she won't do something rash, right? She is brave and the strongest woman I have met. She will never give up or give in to the harshness of this world. "Where is she?" I ask Luca as he comes to walk beside me.

"On the rooftop. "His answer has me freezing in my way before I sprint down the corridor, disregarding the pain in my body and the looks I receive from my men.