Chapter 56 Adeline
Adeline's POV
"What's that supposed to mean, Lucia?" Instead of answering my question, she nods at my laptop.
"You’re working so hard. Don't you have assistants for this? Or junior associates?"
"I am a junior associate, and this is my job."
She huffs and vaguely gestures at my screen. "It’s just, you're doing too much for the future wife of the law firm's owner. Shouldn't you be focusing on helping your husband build connections and alliances?"
"My career builds the alliance," I say sharply, closing my laptop with a little more force than necessary. "I earned my spot at the firm. I didn't marry into it."
"Oh, I know! And I think the world of you for that. I'm just worried about you with the expectations and all that." She lowers her voice, leaning in. "I just know what it is like to not live up to the standard, you know?"
"Thank you for your concern, but I think I can take care of myself."
"I'm telling you, marrying an Akilov is so much more than..."
"I love Percy, and he loves me, so I think that's enough..."
"Love is what they use to..." She can't finish the rest of her sentence because the elevator dings, meaning Percy is around. In a flash, she’s back to being the sweet, doting mother the minute Percy spots us.
He looks exhausted. There are dark circles under his eyes, and his tie is loosened. He’s been pulling double shifts dealing with some stiff at work, but his shoulders relax when he spots us.
"Mom," he says, surprised but pleased. "I didn't know you were coming over."
"I just wanted to help Adeline with the house plans," Lucia beams and hurries over to kiss her cheek. "Her ideas are just so bold and distinctive."
"She’s got great taste," Percy says, not picking up on her snide tone. He walks over to me to kiss the top of my head. Ordinarily, it would make me feel better, but not today, not with his mother watching. "How’s the merger going, baby?"
"Fine," I say, pushing the laptop away.
"That's good."
"Lucia was just telling me how difficult it is to manage a household like this," I say, testing the water to see whose side he takes. "She thinks we need a staff."
Percy laughs as he pours himself a glass of water. "We’re two people, Mom. We don't need a butler when we can barely keep track of our own schedule."
"You think you don't need it now, son, but you have a whole empire, and I know you won't rest until it becomes a dynasty. By then, you will see the importance of a staff."
"I don't see..."
"You know what Richard always says about preparing for the life you want, not the life you have."
Percy stiffens at the mention of Richard, and he nods slowly. "She has a point, Adeline," he says, turning to me. "Once the brownstone is finished, we will be entertaining partners. A housekeeper isn't such a bad idea."
I look at him, hoping he can feel my betrayal.
"We talked about this, Percy. We said we would keep our privacy," I say, my voice rising.
"And it will be a home, but you have to see that Mom has a point, too." He's trying to placate me, but it's only making me mad, especially now that he's calling her Mom.
I have to commend Lucia for how quickly she planted herself so Percy now listens to her. She has managed to become the voice of reason, while I'm now the petty, unreasonable girlfriend.
"I’m just here to support you. I don't want to intrude or start any arguments," Lucia says softly, and I almost snort at her. Of course, she picks this moment to leave.
She walks to the elevator and pauses at the doors to look back at me. "Think about the staff quarters, Adeline. You don't want to be scrubbing floors when you should be running an empire. It’s beneath you." With that, she's gone.
"She’s right, you know," Percy says, walking over to the bar to pour a drink. "She’s actually been really helpful. She sent me a list of contractors today for the security system. Saved me an hour of vetting."
"She’s manipulative, Percy," I say, the words rushing out before I can stop them.
Percy turns to me, frowning. "What?"
"She’s subtle in the way she talks to me. It's passive-aggressive." I grasp for words as I struggle to explain how exactly she made me feel.
"Adeline, I think you're projecting," Percy sighs. "She’s just trying to connect because she feels guilty for leaving me. She’s overcompensating by trying to be useful. She’s not attacking you."
"She told me I wouldn't fit in," I argue. "She said marrying into your family would be too much for me, and she called my career unnecessary."
"I'm sure she doesn't mean it that way. Like I said, she probably thought she was being helpful." He dismisses my words as he rubs his temple.
"Percy!" It's all I can do to not throw a tantrum right now. He calmly hands me a glass of water, and because I'm suddenly thirsty, I down it all in one gulp.
"Look," he says gently, taking my face in his hands. "I know she’s a lot. She’s dramatic and a bit loud, but she’s my mother, and for the first time in my life, I'm finding out what that's like, so can you just... try? For me?"
I look at him, and when he puts it like that, I can't deny him that, and I know pushing this further will only make me look like a difficult girlfriend, so I force myself to smile.
"Okay," I lie, forcing my muscles to relax under his touch. "I’m sure I'm being too testy because of all this drama."
"Thank you, baby."
Two hours later, Percy is in the shower, and I close my eyes to let the sound of the water soothe me, but nothing gives me relief, not today.
The view from his room is one I'd ordinarily marvel at, but tonight, it only makes me more restless. My phone buzzes on the bedside table, and I jump. I check to see it's a text from Tiny.
"No movement on the trace so far. He's deep underground because there's no chatter. He's probably moving locations."
"Keep looking. He’s waiting for us to relax." I type back before putting the phone down.
Ilya is out there, somewhere in the dark, waiting for me, while Mason is probably wishing me death with his every breath. I should feel safe in here if not for Lucia’s presence in my life.
I walk back to the kitchen island to find the binder Lucia was using to make notes still there. I open it and look at the notes she made, especially the many circles she made around the guest room. She jotted down a lot of her opinions, which is really weird seeing as she won't be staying there with us.
It was then that it occurred to me that she might be here to stay, and I can't have that.