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“Enough!” my mother snaps, refusing to accept the truth laid before her. “You don’t know her like I do.”
“Maybe not,” Hudson concedes, his eyes never leaving hers. “But I see her for who she really is, not who you want her to be.”
His words echo through me, resonating with a fierceness I didn’t know I possessed. For the first time, I feel truly seen and understood. My heart swells for this man who has become an unexpected source of strength in my life.
“Thank you,” I whisper to Hudson, my voice cracking with emotion. I squeeze his hand, silently promising that we’ll face this storm together.
“You don’t know the truth, do you?” She laughs bitterly.
I know exactly where she’s taking this story. “Mom, don’t.”
“Don’t you know about the last man who tried to love her? Here’s some Christmas jolly; she cheated on him.”
“You only known Ian’s side of the story!” I correct her. Who knows all the lies he told people to try and explain why I left him? To make sure he doesn’t look like the bad guy where the media is involved?
“There’s only one side of the truth.”
“You’re wrong.” I let out a breath. Wait a second…is she the reason he knew where to find me? “Did you tell him where I was?”
“A man should know how to reach his children, Harper,” she nags at me, and I feel a weight inside of myself. So all this time, it was her? She’s the reason that I lost my bakery, that I lost everything?
If she knew the truth…
“What? Are you on his side?”
She glares at me. “How can I not be when I know how you can be?” Her gaze turns to Hudson. “Harper stole my man!” she hisses, glaring at me with contempt. “She’s nothing but a dirty liar.”
My stomach churns, and I bite my lip to hold back tears. I can’t believe that after all this time, my mother still clings to this vile lie. She’s so blinded by her own jealousy that she refuses to see the truth.
“Mom,” I say quietly, trying to keep my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. “I didn’t steal Ray from you.” The memory of that unwanted touch makes my skin crawl, but I force myself to continue. Hudson watches me with concern, his eyes dark and stormy. I meet his gaze, drawing strength from his unspoken support.
“Ray forced himself on me, and I pushed him away. I would never do something like that,” I plead, desperate for her to understand.
“Ha!” my mother scoffs, her eyes narrowing into slits. “You always were good at playing the victim, Harper. But I know better.”
Her words sting like a thousand needles, piercing through my fragile defenses. But I refuse to let her break me. My hands tremble, but I ball them into fists, clinging to the last shreds of my resolve.
“Believe what you want, Mom,” I reply, my voice quivering. “But I won’t let you poison Hudson or my children with your lies.”
As I speak, I feel a fierce protectiveness rising within me. I may not be able to change my mother’s mind, but I can shield those I love from her venomous words.
“Your children?” she snorts, her disdain evident. “What kind of role model are you for them, Harper? I mean, come on, you’re taking them away from their grandmother to live in a house with these men that you barely know, and you want to call yourself a good mother?”
That hurts. And usually, I’d agree, but these aren’t just any men. They’regoodmen, ready to protect us, which is more than I can say for her.
“Enough,” Hudson interjects, his voice like steel. He steps forward, placing a protective hand on my shoulder. “I’ll be damned if I let you tear her down any further.”
I swallow hard, my eyes brimming with unshed tears. The air around us crackles with tension, each breath filled with my mother’s venomous accusations. I can feel the familiar tightening in my chest as I struggle to keep my composure.
“Harper, you always want what you can’t have,” my mother sneers, her eyes narrowing dangerously. “And now you’re dragging innocent children into your twisted, disgusting world because you can’t help yourself. You’ve always had your father’s lack of restraint.”
I flinch at her words, feeling the sting of her judgment like a slap across my face. But I refuse to let her see me falter. I’ve come too far to be broken by her cruel taunts.
“Mom, just stop,” I beg, my voice barely more than a whisper. “You don’t understand?—”
“Understand?” she interrupts, her voice dripping with scorn. “Oh, I understand perfectly. You couldn’t resist the temptation to steal my man, and now you’re trying to play the victim. Pathetic.”
My heart hammers against my ribcage, threatening to burst from the pressure of her relentless insults. But before I can defend myself, Hudson steps in again, his presence like a protective shield between my mother and me.
