Betrayal, Secrets & Love

A Binding Decision

Choices. Everyone in the world had a choice. It didn't matter what the choice entailed; a person had one even if it appeared insignificant. Sometimes though, choices were forced down upon a person, choices which were able to destroy or derail a life. But what if, even a forced choice got taken away? What did one do when the mind believed in a way out but the heart whispered it impossible?

The reasoning tap-danced inside Milira's skull, replaying like a sick accord. Her mind and heart fought over the choice she supposedly recieved. The irritating need to nibble on her fingernails overwhelmed her as her hand rose to her mouth. Milira cursed, slapping her hand down onto the stone railing of her private balcony. She never understood why her mother had the nervous habit, up until now. Jeez, how she wished she smoked or drank, at least it might numb her mind.

Outside, the indivisible tip of a paintbrush, tinted the sky with tranquil water colors of ginger, reds and blue-purple light. A flock of birds added a pinch of black to the canvas. She wanted to soar with the birds and become unreachable to those on the ground. With a sigh, she leaned forward on her elbows, the cold stone traveling up the length of her arms, cooling her hot skin.

She stood on the balcony until the first twinkle of stars dusted the sky and her mind ached from thinking. She turned and stepped into the room. I need a second opinion. A mother's opinion. Her mother would stand by her regardless of the consequences but she faltered when she reached for her cell. How did she recite her uncle's traitorous actions to her grieving mother when his secrets still rattled her? Maybe she could fake it and tell her mother she fell in love?

Who am I kidding? Mom would smell a rat.

No. She would need to be honest with her mother. At least she could present solid facts to her mother. She considered the pros and cons.

Pros included providing everyone living and working on the Darken Estate a stable future for the next two years. It also included, much to her ire, the settlement of the enormous debt her uncle owed. Her own future would be free from debt, and she could find her niche in life. She would be free from Kelpmonth's clutches and be able to keep the Darken Estate in the family.

The cons were fewer but outshone the pros. She would be forced to be a doting wife who went unloved. Damon Carleton, despite his dashing good looks and magnetic physique, didn't appear pleased with her. Whatever his reasons for agreeing, he didn't do it with high expectancy. She couldn't visualize them greeting one another after a long day and chatting over dinner much less carry out a day-to-day routine together. Dear Lord, what if he wanted to have sex with her? Hell, she would fall into his bed the moment he batted his thick eyelashes at her.

They could learn to get along. Be friends. She huffed and flopped down on her bed, giving her phone another glance. She reached for it and dialled her mother's number before she could rethink the action.

* * *

Two hours of painstaking chit-chat, fact checking, and back and forth was spent with her mother on her cell. By the hour mark, Milira switched to speaker because her cell become overtasked and hot. She listened to her mother taking a deep breath. Her mother searched all the corners of her brain to find a solution but none equalled success. Though, Milira admired her mother trying to shift the world for her daughter. The effort her mother showcased made her realise that she did have someone baking her. She wasn't alone.

Somewhere along the way, the dam wall broke and she began sobbing. Half of a box tissues laid scattered across the floor and duvet. In her room, with her mother, she could be herself and inside the walls, her facade cracked and the realization sunk deeper. She wanted to believe she was delusional and that it was all a dream, but her mother subtlety pushed her to stare reality straight in the face.