The Hockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife (Blair and Grayson) novel Chapter 265

Chapter 265

~LORETTA~

My mother shut the study door so hard that I jumped a little.

“What is your problem?” she demanded.

Where did I even start with that question?

“You were late. Hours late. I made excuses I should not have had to make. Then you walked in and looked at that boy as if he had brought an illness into the house. You did not sit when I asked you to. You did not apologize. His mother spoke to you and you disrespected her. And now you demand privacy, as if the Bellandis have never been taught respect!”

“Mama-”

“I am not finished.” She set her hands on the back of the chair. “Rico has been patient. His mother has not. I told them you were delayed, not rude. Do not make a liar of me in my own house. Say what you need to say, and then you will go back out there and repair it. Look at the mess you’ve created for me to clean up. I am very disappointed in you young lady.”

“Mama, there is something I need to tell you.” I repeated. “I know you’re upset but this is important. I did not want to announce it in front of Rico and his mother.”

“Then tell me.” Her mouth thinned. “Hurry up. They are waiting.”

I took a breath that did not go deep enough. Then I lifted my hand and showed the ring, in case she hadn’t seen it already.

The stone caught the lamp. It looked even nicer in this room than it had in the car.

My mother frowned.

“What is that?”

“It’s a ring, Mama.”

“I can see that.” She did not touch it. She looked at it the way she looked at a bill she had not approved. Where did you get it?”

“From a man named Marco.”

She went still.

The clock in the hall kept going. I watched the color leave her cheeks.

“A man?” she asked. “Why is a random man giving you a ring?”

“Because we are married, Mama.”

Silence Then a short, disbelieving laugh.

“No”

“Marna-

‘No You have lost your mind, or you are messing with me, and I do not have time for either” She straightened “You did not get married. You were in this house earlier totally single You have not been gone long enough to marry anyone You would not do it without speaking to your father You would not do it without speaking to me That is not how this family works”

“I did ”

“You did not Her eyes flicked to the ring again, angry at it for existing Take it off if this is a joke about Rico, it is in poor taste. If some boy put that on your hand to upset me, give it back We will deal with him after you have apologized”

“He didn’t put it on my hand as a joke ” My voice shook, which I hated “There was a wedding Everything is done. We both signed and are now husband and wite

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She narrowed her eyes, still in denial. “You are exhausted. You missed lunch. You are saying ridiculous things because you do not want to sit next to a suitable man.”

“I am saying them because they are true.” I said again.

When would she finally take me seriously?

“They are not true.” She took one step closer. I smelled her perfume, the expensive one she used whenever important guests were around. “Married women tell their mothers everything. They don’t choose to tell their mother after the wedding. Who is his family? Where was this done? When?”

“Today.”

“Today.” She repeated it as if the word stabbed her. “You married a man named Marco today. No parents involved. No priest I know. And you expect me to believe you. What is his surname?”

Damn it. I did not know it.

“I don’t have it,” I said, and the admission sounded worse out loud. “I didn’t ask. We fell in love and didn’t bother finding out our last names. The first name was enough.”

What was I saying? What else could I say when I had no clue what his last name was?

Her laughing got worse.

“Listen to yourself. You do not know his name. You are not married, Loretta. You are frightened of a future you did not choose, and you are inventing a scandal so I will send Rico home. I will not. Take off the ring. Wash your face. Go back out there.”

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