8.

I wasn’t watching where I was going, and the next thing I knew, I bumped into someone.

Blonde hair whipped at my face, and I staggered back, muttering an apology.

“Watch it,” came a sharp voice.

I froze.

Riley.

Of course.

My luck. After kissing her twin brother, I have to bump into her.

She stood there, slowly crossing her arms against her chest, her icy blue eyes narrowing as she looked me up and down. Her perfectly styled platinum blonde hair didn’t have a strand out of place, and her lips curled into a mocking smirk that made my stomach twist.

“Running off in such a rush, huh?” she sneered, tilting her head. “What’s the matter? Couldn’t handle the attention you were getting out there?”

“Riley,” I started, my voice low, “I’m not in the mood for this. We just met…and I don't want drama.”

“Oh, but I am, and drama is my second name,” she said, stepping closer. Her tone was sweet, but her words were bitter. “You and your mother really know how to make an entrance, don’t you? Climbing your way into a world where you don’t belong.”

My chest tightened, but I didn’t respond. I had learned by now that engaging with her only made things worse.

Riley didn’t stop.

“Your mum, Lorelei, right? The homewrecker?”

That word hit me like a slap. I blinked, unsure if I’d heard her right.

“What did you just call her?”

“A disgusting…home…wrecker.” She smirked, and it reminded me of Ryder, but that's by the way side.

“No she isn't. Your father was single, that doesn't make her a home wrecker.”

Her smirk grew wider. “Okay nerd, like I give a fuck. Seems you didn’t even know?” She laughed, a sharp, bitter sound that echoed in the hallway. “Oh, this is priceless.”

“Know what?” I asked, my voice shaky as I tried to process her words.

She crossed her arms, leaning slightly closer. “My dad was happily married, you know. We were a complete family. My mum, my dad, Ryder, and me. Perfect. Until your mother showed up and took him away.”

My breath caught in my throat.

Riley’s tone grew colder, her smirk fading into something harsher. “She seduced him, ruined everything. My mum drank herself into a stupor trying to cope. Do you have any idea what that’s like? Watching your family fall apart while someone like her waltzes in and takes it all?”

“I—” I started, but my voice faltered.

She didn’t wait for a response. “And do you know what my so-called dad did after that? He dumped her in rehab, divorced her, and told us she was ‘getting treatment.’ And all the while, he was setting up house with your whore of a mother.”

“Stop,” I whispered, my chest tightening painfully.

“Why should I?” Riley snapped, her voice cutting through me. “You’re just like her. You and your mother ruin everything you touch.”

I stood there, frozen, her words sinking into my skin like needles. I had no idea. No clue about any of this.

Riley laughed again, shaking her head. “God, you didn’t even know, did you? She didn't tell you? I mean how could she. A stripper with no shame. Pathetic.”

Tears burned at the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

Without another word, I turned and walked away, Riley’s laughter echoing behind me.

I didn’t know where I was going, but my feet carried me back toward the main hall. My mind was racing, Riley’s words replaying over and over.

Homewrecker.

Rehab.

Divorced her.

How had I not known any of this? How had my mother not told me?

I finally spotted her in the corner of the room, surrounded by a group of women in designer gowns.

She was laughing, her head tilted back, her champagne glass catching the light.

She looked like she belonged here,like she was born to be part of this world.

Her posture was perfect, her movements graceful, and her smile radiant.

She wasn’t the woman I had grown up with, the one who struggled to make ends meet.

The woman who didn't even finish high school.

She looked polished, untouchable, a high-society woman in every sense of the word.

But all I could see were the cracks Riley had just exposed.

I walked up to her, my heart pounding in my chest. She turned when she noticed me, her smile softening as she greeted me. “Evie, there you are! I was just—”

“Mum,” I said, cutting her off. My voice was quieter than I intended, but it was enough to stop her.

She tilted her head, her smile fading slightly. “What’s wrong?”

“Can we talk?” I asked, my throat tight.

Her expression shifted, her eyes narrowing slightly with concern. “Of course,” she said, setting her glass down. “Let’s go somewhere private.”

As she led me out of the room, I couldn’t shake the feeling that nothing would ever be the same after this conversation.

****

As the door of the study shut behind her, I turned around, my chest heavy with everything Riley had just dumped on me.

My mum stood in front of me, looking elegant and poised in her designer gown, the picture-perfect image of a high-society woman.

But I couldn’t see her the same way anymore. All I saw were the cracks Riley had pointed out, the parts of her I didn’t understand, parts she had hidden from me.

“Mum,” I began, my voice trembling. “Riley said…” I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet her eyes. “She said you ruined their family. That Alexander was married, and you—”

My voice cracked, and I bit my lip, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill. “You promised me. You promised you wouldn’t ruin anyone else’s marriage.”

Her face softened, a shadow of guilt flickering across her expression. “Evie…”

“How could you?” I asked, my voice rising despite myself. “How could you do this to someone else? To their family?”

“Let me explain,” she said quickly, reaching out for me.

I stepped back, shaking my head. “No. You don’t get to explain. You don’t get to justify this. I told you, Mum. I begged you. Find money legitly, not by ruining people’s lives.”

Her lips tightened, and for a moment, I thought she might snap back. But then she let out a sigh, her shoulders dropping slightly. “It’s a dog-eat-dog world, Evelyn. We do what we must to survive.”

“That’s not an excuse,” I said, my voice trembling with anger.

“It’s not an excuse,” she agreed, her voice firm. “It’s reality. I owed money, Evie. A lot of it. Would you have rather watched me suffer? Would you have been okay if I couldn’t cater to you? If I couldn’t give you the life you are about to have now? A house without a leaking roof? Sleeping without fearing of debt collectors.”

I opened my mouth to argue but stopped.

I hated that I didn’t have an answer.

She stepped closer, her voice softening. “I spent so much to be who I am today. I sacrificed, I fought, and I clawed my way up from the bottom. Do you think this was easy for me?”

I swallowed hard, my throat tightening.

“And Riley’s mother…” she hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line. “She wasn’t the victim you think she is. She was cheating on Alexander. I took my chances. And he loves me, Evie. He does. Can’t you see that?”

I blinked, my thoughts swirling. My mother rarely spoke with this much vulnerability. She was always so sure of herself, so put together, and hearing this raw honesty left me reeling.

“You don’t have to believe me,” she continued, her voice steady. “But don’t listen to Riley. She’s angry. She’s bitter. And she’s wrong about a lot of things.”

I shook my head, my heart heavy. “Mum, this doesn’t feel right. It just… doesn’t.”

She moved closer, wrapping her arms around me before I could step away. Her embrace was warm, familiar, and I hated how much I needed it in that moment.

“Evie,” she murmured, her voice soft. “You are my entire world. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you. You may not agree but know it. Know that I would die for you. I carried you in me for nine months, even when your father's wife hurt me everyday. I didn't mean to ruin their marriage. I wanted to aim high and he lied to me. A high school dropout who knew nothing. You know that and you suffered with me for that decision I made for being with a ma ay older than me because of money. You don’t have to agree with my choices. You don’t have to like it. But please, don’t hate me for it. Right now, I have met my type. So please…please support me. Be happy for me.”

I closed my eyes, a tear slipping down my cheek as I rested my head against her shoulder.

“I could never hate you,” I whispered.

And it was true.

No matter how much I wanted to be angry, no matter how much I wanted to yell and scream and push her away, I couldn’t hate my mother.

Because she had been there for me when no one else was.

Because she had sacrificed everything, her dignity, her pride, her sense of self, to make sure I had a chance at a better life.

Because, despite her flaws, she had always loved me in her own way.

And because deep down, I knew that even if her choices were questionable, they were made with me in mind.

She pulled back slightly, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “I know you’re upset,” she said softly. “And I know this isn’t what you wanted. But I’m happy, Evie. For the first time in a long time, I’m truly happy.”

I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t.

“Promise me you’ll give this a chance,” she said, her eyes pleading. “Promise me you’ll try to see that this is good for us, for both of us.”

I swallowed hard, nodding reluctantly. “I’ll try.”

She smiled, a small, hopeful smile that made my chest ache.

“Thank you,” she said, pulling me into another hug.

As she held me, I couldn’t help but wonder if Riley was right, if my mother’s happiness had come at the expense of someone else’s.

But for now, I let the questions fade, leaning into the comfort of her embrace. Because no matter how complicated things were, she was still my mum.

And I still loved her.