Chapter 121 Cracks under the sky
The only sound in the house was the faint ticking of the old clock that hung in the grand hall.
The evening light flickered dimly on the chandelier above the marble floor. Despite not being able to see the garden, Carson stood by the large window with his hands in his pockets gazing out.
His jaw was clenched.
All evening he had been anticipating this exchange. Softly, the door behind him opened.
Victoria asked in a calm but firm voice “Carson you wanted to talk to me?”
He made a slow turn.
“Yes mom. We should talk” he said.
Victoria entered the room at full length. She moved to sit on the white couch, her silk robe lightly brushing the floor.
“You seem sincere” she remarked neatly crossing her legs. “What is it this time?”
And he stood.
“It’s about Bridget,” he stated.
She raised her eyes. “How is she doing?”
He let out a sharp breath through his nose.
“Mother, I can’t do this,” he said.
“What do you mean you can’t do this?” She asked
“This union. The whole arrangement” he stated. “It seems wrong.”
Victoria’s flawlessly formed eyebrows raised.
“Wrong?” she inquired. “You’re telling me it’s wrong that you’re engaged to a woman from a respectable family?”
“Yes,” he said firmly. “Bridget is not who you believe her to be.”
Victoria sighed.
“And who specifically do you think she is Carson?” She asked
“She is a woman who spends her nights in clubs, who drinks excessively and who doesn’t care about anything serious.” He said.
He spoke in a sharper tone.
“You ought to have observed her behavior when she’s with her friends.” He said
Victoria reclined on the sofa.
“She enjoys having fun,” she remarked jokingly. “Dear that’s not a crime”
“Fun isn’t the point,” he said. “Character matters. It’s about who she is when no one is looking.”
She waved a dismissive hand
“Oh please. Don't begin with your moral lectures. You’ve always had a very high standard for people” she remarked.
“I’m particular because I’ve seen what pretending leads to. I can’t marry someone I don’t love.” He said
Victoria hardened her eyes.
“You’ll get married to her,” she declared.
His jaw tightened.
“No.” He said
Her mouth opened a little then closed.
“You seem to forget who you’re speaking to.” She said
“I haven’t forgotten. But it’s possible that you have forgotten who I am. I am your son, not your puppet.” He fired
On her lap her hand twitched a little.
“Don’t speak to me in that manner,” she said.
“Then stop making decisions for me in my life.” He said
She remarked icily “You’re behaving like a child.”
“No,” he said, “I’m behaving like a man who knows what he wants.”
“And you want to destroy everything we’ve created because you believe your fiancée attends a few parties?” She asked
He moved closer and said “Mother she doesn’t just attend parties. She lives in them.”
“Bridget is young. Once she gets married to you she will change.” Victoria said
He laughed bitterly.
“You genuinely think that?” he inquired.
“I do.”She stated firmly “ You love her and she loves you too. That’s what counts”
He averted his gaze once more to the window.
“Love?” he murmured. “She loves the attention, the money and the name.”
“You are acting stupid.”she muttered.
“I’m telling the truth,” he said. “You once told me that honesty is more important than anything else.”
“Indeed but not if it ruins everything” she remarked.
His head twisted.
“What do you think is everything, Mother? Our family name, our reputation, a newspaper headline?” he inquired.
“It’s what keeps us standing. You think you can just disregard that?” She asked
“I think I’ve been standing for years pretending that matters. But it doesn’t.” He said
Slowly Victoria stood, her robe glinting in the light.
“You sound just like your father.” She said bitterly.
His gaze locked with hers.
“Perhaps that’s not such a bad thing.” He said.
She took a deep breath.
“Your father was destroyed by his stubbornness. And if you continue doing this it will destroy you” she said.
“I would rather be destroyed than live someone else’s life.” Carson said
She narrowed her eyes and stared at him for a while.
“You have no idea what you’re saying.” She said
“I do,” he muttered.
Sharply she said “You’ll learn.Carson marriage isn’t about love. It is a matter of survival”
“That’s your belief not mine.” Carson said.
“In one month there will be a wedding,” she said. “This nonsense won’t continue.”
“You can’t make me do anything.” He said
“Oh but I can.”She replied
Carson turned around but he stopped. He left the sound of the door closing reverberating throughout the spacious deserted mansion.
Under the chandelier, Victoria stood by herself the light flickering at the gold walls. She reached for the edge of the couch, her fingers shaking.
“You'll do what I want, Carson.” She muttered to herself.