ric’s POV:


    “Is there a reason you summoned me instead ofing to the house to see me like a normal son would?<b>” </b>My mother’s irritated tone carried through the atmosphere as she stepped into my office.


    I didn’t turn away from the window I was looking out from. Days ago, I hade into my office to see her in this exact same position, and <b>now</b>, she was the one meeting me like this.


    “After the stunt you pulledst night, you’re lucky I’m even speaking to you, Mutti.“


    Meadow was avoiding me. When we got back homest night, she’d stepped out of the car hurriedly, not looking back at me as she walked into the house. She only stopped when I called out her name, and when she did, the only thing I could say was “Goodnight”


    She didn’t respond, of course. But I wasn’t expecting her to. I’d fucked up by kissing her, and right now, all I needed was something to take my mind away from the guilt I was feeling and channel that into anger.


    Because I knew my mother. And I knew that she must’ve either said or done something to Meadow to


    make her upset even before the announcement.


    And I wasn’t going to stand for <b>it</b>.


    “And what…. stunt might you be referring to, Mein Herz?”


    My jaw clenched hard. She only called me ‘my heart‘ when she was either annoyed with me or trying to sweet–talk her way out of a situation.


    “What did you <b>say </b>to her?” I asked, cracking my fingers behind my back.


    “To who?” She was feigning ignorance. And even if I didn’t already know it, the high pitch of her voice would’ve given it away.


    “Meadow.”


    “Who is Meadow?”


    “Mother.” <b>I </b>gritted out, finally turning around to look at her. I stepped toward my desk.


    “Oh, <b>you </b>mean your little whore?” She smirked. “I thought that’s all she was?”


    I mmed my fists down on the desk, hard enough to make my mother jump<b>. </b>


    “Call her that again,” I said, keeping my voice calm. “And you will never see me again. Not at another party, not during holidays. Not even at your own funeral, Mutti.*


    Ingrid was silent for a moment, and then her cheeks reddened–in anger or embarrassment? I wasn’t sure.


    <b>“</b>You would threaten your own mother, ric?” she seethed, stepping closer to me. I straightened so I was


    looking down at her.


    “Yes, I would,” I replied without hesitation.


    “I brought rissa for you, son. I was doing you a favor! You deserve to be with someone who can-”


    “Touch me?” My blood was boiling, but somehow, I still <b>managed </b>to remain calm. I loved my mother, but she could be so fucking infuriating at times


    All the time.


    “If that’s what you’re worried about, then allow me to inform you that I can feel my wife’s touch.”


    She scoffed, arching a brow. “Still going with that story, I see?”


    “What story?” My gaze narrowed to slits.


    She shook her head, a scowl turning her lips downward. “That doesn’t matter. What matters is that rissa is back, and she still cares about you.” Her gaze turned worried and she took my hands in hers, knowing I couldn’t feel her. “I saw it in her eyes. And she-”


    “Is a fucking cheater,” I cut in. “In case you forgot that part, mother. The reason I let her go was because she cheated on me. And it’s been over ten years but you can’t stop-”


    “Exactly!” My mother snapped. “It <b>has </b>been over ten years, and she still feels terrible about it. It was a


    mistake, was it not?”


    I snatched my hands away from hers, sneering at her. “A mistake, huh? Then again, why am I not surprised?” I scoffed. “You used to make the same excuses for Father, even after he put you in the fucking psych ward!”


    Her eyes shed with hurt as a gasp escaped her mouth. But even though guilt wed at my chest, I couldn’t bring myself to apologize to her.


    I would say it again if I had to.


    Ingrid’s eyes watered, and my eyes zoned in on her <b>shaky </b>hands as she brushed off invisible lint from her


    dress.


    “Well, then,” she whispered. “I suppose the hypocrisy runs in the family. You chose to forgive your brother <b>for </b>sleeping with the love of your life but you can’t forgive rissa?”


    My jaw clenched so hard<b>, </b>I could feel a vein pop. “Excuse me for wanting to keep the family you worked so hard to bring back together. Would you like me to cut ties with Nn, Mutti? Because from the behavior he’s been exhibitingtely, he’s fucking asking <b>for </b>it–fuck!” I cursed, turning away from her and back to the window.


    <b>20 </b>


    “I am not asking you to hate your brother, ric. I’m asking you to show rissa the same grace <b>you </b>showed to him.”


    I closed my eyes, trying to rein in my <b>anger </b>by taking in a couple of deep breaths. And when I spoke a minuteter, my voice was calm again. “Let it go, Mother,” I said firmly. “I have a wife. And even if I didn’t, there’s no way rissa and I would ever be a quarter up thedder to fucking friendship.”


    Her heels clicked against the floor as she approached me. I didn’t turn around. “Ric, there’s something you need to know.”


    “No.” I spun around to face her. “You humiliated my wife, sprung rissa on us, and made a mockery of my marriage like you had something to prove. The only thing I want to know right now, Mother, is what the fuck you said or did to my wife in the bathroomst night.”


    Ingrid swallowed, running a hand through her hair anxiously.


    “If you’re not ready to talk, you might as well walk out of here and nevere back.”


    Her eyes widened. “Mein Herz, please, I…” she paused when she saw the expression on my face. And then she sighed. “I saw you respond to her touch, so I used her of telling lies.”


    I arched a brow. “And?”


    “I wanted to know how much you paid her to pretend to be your wife because I didn’t believe… I still don’t believe that you married her out of love.”


    My jaw clenched. She was right about that. But I knew that wasn’t all.


    “What else?”


    “That is all.” She looked away from my gaze, and that was all I needed to know she was lying to me. My eyes narrowed.


    “You know, I never thought of it this way before, but for some reason, Meadow wanted to protect my rtionship with you, so she didn’t tell me any of this. But I promise you, Mutti, I’ll find out the truth from her no matter what. And trust me, you don’t want me to do that.”


    Tears welled up in my mother’s eyes and she choked out: “Why are you being like this, ric? What does that girl even mean to you?”


    Everything.


    She meant everything to me.


    Letting out an annoyed sigh, I checked the time on my watch. “Clock is ticking.”


    “I pped her,” she finally gritted out. “On her face. I pped her face.”


    My stomach twisted, the anget making its way up to my ribs, my chest.


    My mother pped Meadow. <b>And </b>then I kissed her for selfish reasons. She was hurt twicest night because of me. Thrice, even


    1 heaved a shaky breath, and then I stepped <b>toward </b>my mother so there was <b>only </b>a few inches of space between us. And then I reached my hand out to her blond hair, running my hand through it a few times. even though I couldn’t feel the perfectlyid strands.


    And then I gave the only warning I would ever give her concerning Meadow.


    “You don’t have to like her, Mutti. But you will respect her.” My voice dropped lower. “Or I’ll make sure you regret every breath you waste on trying to tear her down.”


    A sharp gasp escaped her mouth, but before she could start her emotional ckmail, the door to my office slid open


    And in walked my bodyguard, Trip.


    And I <b>could </b>tell that something was wrong.


    “<b>Sir</b>,” he breathed. “I’ve been trying to reach you”


    “What is it?”


    “It’s your wife, sir She’s not anywhere near the vicinity of the house.”


    My blood ran cold.


    Trip continued. “<b>And </b>Mel didn’t see her <b>leave</b>.”