MARRY ME, UNCLE DMITRI (ENGLISH)

3.MOTHER

I cried myself to sleep.

When I woke up, my eyes were swollen and sore. Night had already fallen.

The persistent ringing of my phone was what pulled me out of my sleep.

I'd turned it off earlier, and I hadn't even plugged it in to charge. Someone must have come into my room while I was asleep—probably our housekeeper—and placed it on the charger.

Still sitting on the floor beside my bed, I picked up my phone and glanced at the screen.

Magnus.

The moment I saw his name, the pain I'd been trying so hard to suppress came rushing back.

Magnus and Susane had been friends long before either of them met me.

When we were old enough to date, Magnus pursued me instead.

At first, I wasn't interested.

But he was persistent.

He poured his heart into winning me over until, eventually, I fell in love with him too.

For four years, I believed every sweet word, every thoughtful gesture, every promise he'd ever made.

Now...

I found myself questioning whether any of it had ever been real.

The phone stopped ringing.

A moment later, a message appeared.

Magnus: Let's talk, Louella. Please think about the consequences if what you saw at my condo gets out. I know you're angry right now, but don't let your emotions control you. It was just a mistake. We never meant for it to happen. Don't throw away everything we've built over the years because of one mistake.

Another message followed almost immediately.

Magnus: I love you, Louella. I can't lose you. Please forgive me. Let's forget everything that happened.

Forget?

No.

I could never forget.

Did he really think it was that easy?

The image of him and Susane together kept replaying in my mind like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.

It made me sick every single time.

Another notification lit up the screen.

Magnus: Louella, please. Stop being childish. Instead of talking to me and working this out, you've been ignoring my calls and messages. Is this really how you're going to handle this? You're acting immature.

"Immature?" I snapped, unable to contain my anger.

"You've got some nerve."

"You have the audacity to call me immature?"

Another message arrived.

Magnus: If you refuse to talk to me, I'll decline your father's request just so you'll have to come and see me.

So that was his plan.

He wanted to force me into seeing him.

And somehow...

I'd end up looking like the bad guy.

With Magnus and Susane telling the same story, who would believe me?

Even if I was the one telling the truth.

Another message appeared.

Magnus: Fine. Don't talk to me. I understand. But don't come begging when I refuse your father's request. I'll also stop communicating with the specialist you wanted to examine your mother.

I stared at the message.

Disgust churned in my stomach.

Was this really the man I had loved?

Damn it.

Women used to envy me because Magnus Miranov-Vash was hopelessly devoted to me.

I had been proud to call him my boyfriend.

Now I could finally see who he really was.

He disgusted me.

Was this the kind of man I had fallen in love with?

He was no different from my father.

A cheater.

My mother had given my father everything, and he'd repaid her by betraying her.

The only difference between my mother and me...

I had never given myself to Magnus.

I wasn't ready.

And I already knew what excuse he'd use.

His needs.

What a pathetic excuse.

If s*x was all it took to destroy our relationship, then he should've broken up with me long ago and found someone willing to give him what he wanted.

I'd always believed that intimacy belonged after marriage.

If a man truly loved me...

He would wait.

My phone started ringing again.

Magnus.

I ignored it.

Then another call came in.

This time, it was Nurse Jen.

I answered immediately.

"Miss Louella, would you be able to come to the hospital tonight?" she asked.

My heart lurched.

"Why? Did something happen to my mom?"

Nurse Jen sighed softly.

"She's been crying nonstop. We managed to calm her down earlier, but when she woke up, she started crying again. We haven't been able to comfort her."

"I'll be there right away," I said, already getting to my feet. "Just give me a few minutes to get ready."

I ended the call and hurried into the bathroom.

After taking a quick shower, I changed into comfortable clothes before rushing out of the house.

Fortunately, I managed to hail a taxi almost immediately.

I gave the driver the hospital's address.

The entire ride felt endless.

As soon as we arrived, I hurried through the hospital, almost running toward the VIP ward where my mother was staying.

The moment I stepped inside her room, my heart tightened.

She was sitting alone in the corner.

Crying.

Her eyes were swollen, proof that she'd been crying for quite some time.

"Mom?"

I tossed my bag onto the couch and rushed over to her.

She didn't respond.

It was as though she hadn't heard me.

I sat beside her.

"Mom... I'm here."

I reached for her hand.

She slapped it away.

I froze.

When she finally looked at me, anger blazed in her eyes.

I'd never seen my mother look at me like that.

"Don't touch me!" she snapped.

My heart sank.

"Mom... it's me."

I forced a smile despite the ache in my chest.

"It's Louella."

"Are you mad at me?"

The words barely left my mouth before tears threatened to fall again.

I was already carrying more pain than I thought I could bear.

The one person I believed would never hurt me...

Didn't even recognize me.

"I don't know you," she said.

My breath caught.

I looked toward Nurse Jen, who appeared just as shocked as I was.

"Mom..."

I gently reached for her hand again.

"It's me."

"Your Ella."

This time, she didn't pull away.

Instead, she stared at me in confusion.

"E-Ella?"

She sounded startled.

As though she couldn't believe I was standing in front of her.

I nodded.

She cupped my face with trembling hands and studied every inch of it.

"My daughter?"

"You're here?"

"Why... why didn't I recognize you?"

Her eyes filled with tears.

She looked more heartbroken than I did.

"I'm sorry, Mom."

I smiled through my tears.

"Your Ella's been busy with work."

"I missed you."

That part was true.

My father entrusted me with almost everything he could, and I accepted every responsibility because I wanted to learn.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," my mother sobbed.

"I'm sorry I didn't recognize you."

"What kind of brain do I have?"

"It's so useless..."

She kept repeating those words, blaming herself.

Watching her struggle broke my heart.

The doctors had already told me surgery was far too risky.

One wrong move...

And we could lose her much sooner.

"Louella..."

"My Louella..."

She repeated my name over and over, as if saying it enough times would keep her from forgetting it again.

"Come on, Mom."

I helped her to her feet.

"Let's sit on your bed."

"Nurse Jen said you've been crying all day."

"What happened?"

Once she was settled comfortably, she looked at me with tearful eyes.

"I don't know why I'm crying, Ella."

"I just feel so sad."

I wrapped my arms around her.

"Just remember one thing, Mom."

"Your Ella loves you very much."

I wanted to cry in her arms.

I wanted to tell her everything.

But I couldn't.

I still remembered the day she forced herself to let me leave with my father because she believed I'd have a better life with him.

I'd never forgotten the way she cried as he took me away.

It had broken her heart.

If I told her what Magnus and Susane had done...

It would break it all over again.

"Ella," she asked softly.

"When are we going home?"

If only we could.

If only it were that simple.

The moment I left my father's house for good, he'd cut off every bit of financial support for both of us.

I had a job.

But my salary wasn't enough to cover my mother's treatment.

My father had promised to find the best surgeon for her.

Magnus had made the same promise.

If I walked away from both of them...

How was I supposed to save my mother?

"Ella?"

She gently touched my swollen face.

"Are you all right?"

"Has someone been bullying my daughter?"

"Why are your eyes so swollen?"

I forced another smile.

"It's nothing, Mom."

"I just missed you."

"I love you."

I hugged her tightly, hiding my tear-stained face against her shoulder.

"I love you too, my Ella."

"When we go home, your daddy will be so happy to see us."

"Let's bring home his favorite pancit."

I slowly pulled away.

Confusion washed over me.

"Mom?"

She smiled innocently.

"I've been here for so long."

"Your dad must miss me."

"He can never sleep well without me beside him."

I looked at Nurse Jen.

She quickly lowered her eyes, avoiding my gaze.

My chest tightened.

What was Mom talking about?

She and Dad had been over for years.

Oh, God...

Did she think they were still together?