Paris's Pov

"Paris?"


I let go of my mother's hand when she said my name and watched as she turned to look at me in surprise, "what are you doing here?" she asked, and I could tell she was truly shocked to see me,

"I could ask you the same thing, but I seem to have an inkling already."

"you're here to see this brat. Tell me it's to give her a good whooping."


"a good whooping? Mother, you have got to be kidding me. But you aren't, are you? Seeing as you were just about to take such measures into your hands. Tell me, who gave you the right to touch her? Who told you that you could come here and harass here willingly and freely? Or were those three years with her not enough?"

"What manner of lies has this witch fed you?"


"No lies, mother. And I only just witnessed your malice. Why were you just about to hit her?"

"She spoke out of turn?"

"and how many times has your beloved daughter, Christina, done that? Worse even. But you think it's okay to hit another's child for doing the same thing. How hypocritical of you."

Her jaw dropped open and she blinked at me in confabulation, "You would side over this tramp over your own flesh and blood?"

"This isn't about taking sides, Mother. This is about recognizing what is right and wrong, and living for what is right. I'm tired of constantly having to explain that to you. As of yet, you're too stuck in your head, in your terrible manner of thinking, worshipping blood and status, rather than embracing what is good, pure, and true. And I am sick of it."

"I don't care what pathway of redemption you think you are on, but there is nothing right and pure and true about this girl. She's literally the worst thing that could have happened to you. And see now, just look, my daughter is nowhere to be found and it's no one's fault, except hers."

"That's where you are mistaken, mama. Because the only one responsible for what has happened to Christina is no one else but Christina. And the one who you are so hell-bent on pinning as the cause is only a victim. How is that so hard to acknowledge? How blind are you that you've refused to see?"

"I won't stand here and entertain your insults. You have been bewitched. That's it. This girl found a witch to enchant you."

"enough mother. If you don't want to entertain my insults, then go back home. But let this be the last time you come so near to Ember, or the next time, I won't stand here and have a conversation with you ."

"Then what would you do? Try to imprison me like you did to your sister."

Her words cut deep for some reason, but I didn't allow the wound to show, "Whatever happens then, happens. But I'll advise you not to let us get to that point." I said quietly and she looked at me angrily, then turned to Ember.

"damn you, insufferable brat." she spat, and walked away from the both of us.

We watched as we left, and I felt a whole lot of emotions as I watched her go. No matter how much I disagreed with her, she was still my mother, so to butt heads with her left me feeling uncomfortable.

But sometimes, the uncomfortable thing was what had to be done.

It was Ember who turned to me first, and she looked up at me with wide eyes,

"I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"it was you who just had to go against your own mother," she said quietly,

"maybe. But perhaps I should have done this ages ago. Seeing her now, seeing this now, makes me wonder at all of the things you had to endure prior to this moment. All of those years in our marriage."

Ember shrugged, and sighed, "She never could bring herself to like me, I suppose."

"That's not enough."

"It seems to be for her." she was quiet for a moment, looking out the path my mother had followed, and I wondered so much what she was thinking,

"I always wondered, how it would look like, to see you stand up to our sister or mother for me. Just once. If only once. I wanted it so much all those years. And now that I've seen it, I'm both thankful and saddened."

"Why such a mix?"

"because to me, it isn’t right that you should go against the ones you love for me, that saddens me. Deep down, it has always saddened me, the idea of it. But still, I'm thankful. Thankful because it's a lot, and you would do that for me."

I ran a finger down her cheek, feeling some sadness of my own. It didn't have to be this hard. But for her, it has always been hard. And I was the one who had always meant to defend and protect her. And I had failed, massively.

"I should have done it from the beginning." I said intently and made up my mind there and there, "I will do it every day from now. As much as I can."

She pressed her lips together and nodded, "thank you." she said and stepped away from me, "I should be heading home now. I wouldn't want to be late."

I nodded, "you should."

Her brows furrowed as she thought of something and looked up at me, "but, what did you come here to do in the first place?"

I froze.

Nothing. I hadn't come to do anything. The people who watched her had contacted me and told me my mother was there. Knowing the woman, I knew her reason for coming here, could never have been a good one. I rushed over as soon as I could.

But I certainly could not tell her all of that

"I actually wanted to just see you." I improvised. Which was not too far-fetched. I always longed to see her.

She nodded again, "Well, I'm glad you did. Seeing as it helped so much. Well, " she said, retreating to her car, "you have a good night. Perhaps we could have a team meeting at the end of the week."

"Perhaps. Goodnight, em."

I watched as she started the engine, and waited till she had driven off before I started to leave.

Perhaps my mother coming here wasn’t; so bad after all.

Ember's Pov

I thought of Paris, all of the way home. But what else could have been expected when the man took the time to be there for me in the one way I needed him to be while we were married?

Perhaps he was about five years late, but even after all the time that had gone by, it actually still mattered to me.

"ah, Paris." I sighed as I drove through the gates of my home, "whatever am I going to do with you?"

But thoughts of whatever I was going to do with him were lost on me when I found my brother sitting on the porch, and by the way, his eyes followed me from the moment I got out of the car, I wondered if he had been waiting for me.

"Welcome home, stranger," he said, rising when I climbed up the steps and I smiled at him,

"Am I safe?"

"I believe I should be asking you." his response gave me pause, and I had to wonder what he knew,

"When were you going to tell me you were attacked?"

I heaved out a breath and smiled at him, "Never. Because it's under control."

"under control?" Axel thundered, "It's not under control until I make to bleed any man who dared to lay a finger on my sister."

"But, I'm okay. Axel. Really. I knew you'd worry, that's why I didn’t tell you. Paris-"

"Paris?" he asked, flabbergasted, and I nodded, unsure how this would end,

"Paris got the men who did it and imprisoned them. But it was his sister who sent them, and imprisoning her proved to be a hassle as she managed to get away."

"Christina did that to you?" Axel asked, astounded and I nodded. Honestly, though, I don’t know why he was so surprised. The girl is an outright witch.

"she did. "

"and she got away?"

"yes."

"which means she can try again?"

and as for that question, I chose to keep quiet.

"ember."

"I don't know, okay. She actually might. Maybe not right now. I don’t know." I said, suddenly wary. I just needed all this to end.

"No sister of mine is going to live in fear."

"I'm not."

"And you shouldn't. I'll get her, don't you worry."

I went to him and wrapped my arms around him, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, I just didn't want you to worry."

"I'm your brother, Em. Of course, I'm going to worry. It's kind of my job."

"one hell of a job. And you do it so well."

He kissed the top of my head and then I let him go. But when I looked up at him, he cocked a brow,

"Now tell, what is all this about Paris getting the men and trying to imprison his sister for you? Is he trying to get you back?"