Chapter 248


    Chapter 248: The Matriarch


    Edrick


    Within an hour, Moana and I were nervously walking up the front steps to my parents’ mansion.


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    We left E with Selina just in case we walked in on anything sinister. The house was mostly


    dark, which was out of the ordinary. As I slowly opened the front door, I felt my heart catch in


    my throat.


    “Hello?” I called out, holding Moana’s hand as I stepped into therge foyer. “Mom?”


    There was no answer. Moana and I exchanged nervous nces and walked in a little further.


    “Verona?” Moana called, cupping her hands around her mouth to make her voice travel further.


    “Are you there?!”


    Still no answer. We decided to head into the sitting room, where my mother often liked to be


    during her free time, but it was dark and empty. At this point, I was starting to get even more


    nervous.


    “I swear, if that bastard did anything to her…” I growled, “I’ll—”


    Moana gasped. “Look!” she said, pointing behind me. I followed her finger to see what looked


    like a small fire outside.


    The two of us quickly ran out the patio door toward the fire, then across the garden. As we ran,


    we saw a lone figure standing by the fire.


    It was my mother. She was standing by the fire pit, in her dressing gown, and was tossing what


    looked like pieces of paper into the mes.


    “Mom!” I eximed, running up to her. “You’re alright!”


    “Oh, darling!” my mother replied. She grabbed my face and kissed my cheeks, then did the same to


    Moana. “I was so worried about you…”


    “What happened?” I asked. “And what are you doing?” I nced down at the papers in her hand, only


    to see that they weren’t papers at all. She was holding photographs. I snatched the stack out of her


    hand and flipped through them. They were all pictures of my dad.


    My mother simply shrugged and poked the fire with a long rod. “I’ve been wanting to do that for ages,


    darling,” she said, shing a vibrant smile as she watched the photos burn. “It feels good to do it.”


    I let out a sigh and tossed one of the photographs into the fire myself. It did actually feel good to see


    my father’s face burn to a crisp.


    “Did he hurt you?” Moana asked, taking a step forward with concern written across her face.


    My mother shook her head. “No. Although he did threaten to hurt you two, as well as E. He tossed


    my phone right in the fountain, if you’ll believe it! And then he just took the car and drove off without a


    word!”


    My eyes widened. “So when I called you—”


    “He heard me,” she replied with a nod. “That was when he took my phone. Said that I should learn to


    mind my own business for once. Hah! As if I’d ever do that.”


    I couldn’t help but smile at seeing my mom still being as witty as ever despite what had happened. She


    tossed the rest of the photographs into the fire all at once, and the three of us watched in silence as the


    mes jumped up into the sky, devouring the paper within seconds.


    “Well then…” My mother turned to face the two of us. “Tea?”


    Moana and I followed my mother inside, where she put the kettle on the stove. “Where are the


    servants?” I asked.


    My mother simply shrugged. “Your father sent them away not too long ago. It was a shame, really. I


    don’t know exactly what he was up to, although I think I have a pretty good idea.” She paused and


    looked over at Moana with nothing but sympathy in her eyes. “Once I can get my phone and my things


    in order, I’ll call them back and give them all raises for the trouble. It has been nice having the ce to


    myself, though, I must say.”


    While the kettle started to heat up, the three of us sat around the kitchen counter. Finally, I started to


    exin everything to my mother… From the very beginning.


    …


    When I was finished with both my story and my tea, my mother stared down at the leaves in her cup


    without a word.


    “I’m sorry, Verona,” Moana said quietly. “This is my fau—”


    My mother suddenly jerked her head up with a wild look on her face and gripped Moana’s hand tightly.


    “Don’t you dare finish that sentence. None of this is your fault. If it wasn’t you, then it would have been


    someone else. He already took that prostitute’s life all those years ago… He has a penchant for


    causing destruction.”


    There was a silence, filled only by the sound of the crickets chirping through the open window.


    Finally, I licked my lips and spoke. “He’s going to prison, mom,” I said. “Will you be okay?”


    My mother nodded vigorously. “Of course I’ll be alright, dear. Mywyer and I have both been waiting


    for this day. And trust me when I say that I’ll certainly be getting the fortune and the house in the


    divorce. A man behind bars for crimes like that doesn’t deserve a penny.”


    I couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. “You’re never one to pity yourself,” I said, patting her hand. “Moana


    and I are here if you need anything.”


    My mother simply nodded, then finished off the rest of her tea. Suddenly, I heard her voice ring out in


    my head.


    “You’ll marry her?”


    I tried to hide the fact that my eyes wanted to widen, and coughed slightly. “Y-Yes… I think so. Do I


    have your blessing?”


    “Moana,” my mother said, turning to face her with a smile, “could you do an old woman a


    favor?”


    “Sure,” Moana replied. “What is it?”


    My mother smiled. “Could you go up to my bedroom and get my pocketbook for me?”


    Moana nodded and disappeared with a smile, without a moment of hesitation. A few moments


    after she left, my mother turned to face me and took both of my hands firmly in hers.


    “Of course you have my blessing,” she whispered, giving my hands a squeeze. “I’ve been


    hoping for this moment. I’ve always liked her, even when she was still a human.”


    I felt my face go a bit red, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, mom,” I said. “That means a


    lot.”


    My mother’s grin widened. “I’m giving you my mother’s ring,” she said. “I think Moana will love


    it. My mother was a lovely woman… She would want you and your bride to have it.”


    Suddenly, I felt ovee with emotion. Without a word, I stood and walked around the counter


    to meet my mom. I pulled her into my arms and hugged her tightly.


    Moana returned a few momentster while we were still hugging, slightly out of breath from


    rushing through the massive house. “I’m sorry, Verona, but I couldn’t find it,” she said. “You


    said it was in your room?”


    My mother just smiled and shook her head. “That’s alright, dear. I don’t need it.”


    A little whileter, Moana and I stood at the door to head home for the night. In a few days, we


    nned to return to the penthouse. But for now, we just wanted to enjoy the mountain estate


    without any fear for once.


    Just before we left, my mother sneakily slipped the little velvet bag containing my


    grandmother’s ring into my hand. She curled my fingers around it and patted my hand, gazing


    up at me with a smile that only a mother could have for her child.


    Even with my father and Ethan both in prison, I knew that this was just a new beginning for all


    of us.


    And I couldn’t have been more excited.