HIS DOE, HIS DAMNATION (An Erotic Billionaire Romance) novel Chapter 149

Meadow’s POV:

Ingrid Ashford’s presence was still as tall and intimidating as ever. However, I wasn’t in the mood for her shit today.

To my surprise, her hair wasn’t pulled back in the tight bun it usually was–she let it down beautifully today.

“Gives me a migraine,” she said as she noticed where my attention was. “As if having two boys wasn’t enough of a headache already.”

Holy… shit.

Did she just say something light–hearted to me? Did she just try to make a joke?

My gaze narrowed. “Your children are hardly boys, Ingrid. They’re grown men.”

‘And maybe you need to get off their backs,‘ I wanted to add, but decided against it.

“Maybe one day, when you have children, you’ll understand why we as mothers do the things we do and why we’ll always do anything to protect our children even if that means risking our health.”

That was it.

I scoffed, shooting Ingrid a glare. “If this is what you came here for, then I’ll gladly shut the door in your face. I’m already going through a lot without you coming to make things worse.”

I’d already come to the conclusion that Ingrid was a terrible person. It was as simple as that. I was already hurting, and here she was, at my doorstep, still throwing jabs at me. She wasn’t even my mother–in–law anymore, so she wasn’t entitled to my respect.

Why on earth did she come to my apartment?

I began to close the door, but Ingrid stopped it. “Wait,” she said. “Please. I only wish to talk, that’s all.”

I paused, studying the expression on her face. She didn’t seem like someone who came here to fight with me- like she always did. Today, the expression on her face was a bit solemn.

Vulnerable.

“You misunderstood me, Meadow. I wasn’t throwing a jab, I’m only saying it as it is. I understand that my words may come out strong sometimes, but that is not what I’m here for.”

My stomach twisted, brows furrowing as I watched her. Her lips parted, and she stared past me into the apartment and back at me, silently asking if she could come in.

Frowning, I opened the door wider so she could step into the living room.

For a moment, we just stood there, staring at each other as she wrung her hands awkwardly. I was getting impatient.

“What is it, Ingrid?” I finally asked with a sigh, crossing my arms in front of my chest. “Come to gloat about me not being your daughter–in–law anymore? Or about Clarissa reclaiming her position as the woman you thought would give you grandbabies?”

I was referring to that faithful night–the night that she threw that party, the same party I found out that my aunt Yvonne was Alaric’s ex–girlfriend.

Something stabbed at my chest and I let out a bitter laugh. “You must be over the moon right now.”

“No,” Ingrid said quickly, shaking her head. “I…” she looked around, walking over to one of the sofas. And then she gestured at the opposite end of it, giving me a smile that seemed warm. “Please, sit.”

My heart throbbed.

I mean, I knew that, but hearing Ingrid say that with a shaky voice and unsteady gaze, it did something to me. I wondered how it must’ve felt, both to Alaric and to his mother.

Ingrid let out a bitter chuckle, continuing. “Not being able to hug my own son or touch him because he couldn’t feel my touch… I blamed myself for everything. I hated myself for not being able to fix it. I labeled myself a failure, a mother who could never do anything to save her sons even when they were being abused by my own husband. When Clarisaa came along, things got slightly better. She was easy to deal with, a nice girl, and she made him happy.”

My chest throbbed harder. I didn’t like this.

“But then she cheated on him, and that hurt him deeply. After that, he shut us out, he shut ME out. It’s why I was so desperate to get them back together.”

“If all you wanted was for Alaric to feel something, why did you hate me the moment I came along?” I found myself asking.

“Because–like I said earlier – I knew who you were. And I… I didn’t think it was fair that you got to be the one he could feel.”

I scoffed, rolling my tongue over my teeth. Ingrid’s throat bobbed as she swallowed. “But I was wrong. It was foolish of me to think that, especially since I know the way he feels about you. I see it… I see how much he needs you and I…”

“You what?” I prodded.

“I see how much you need him too.”