Chapter1
1030 Words
Misery
Ariana's POV
I still remember Charles's words to me that everything would be okay after the marriage, and that I would be accepted. But this was definitely not what I was expecting.
Lilian Allen was dressed like something out of a regency romance book. Looking all regal and too important for any other human.
Her look was disapproving, the same one she wore since I walked into Ethan's house as his wife.
"Is there a problem, mom?" I took the courage to ask.
She hissed. "Don't call me mom. Where's the person who's supposed to call me that?"
I was shocked but didn't say anything.
"Where is my son?" she asked raising her voice.
My husband walked towards us then and hugged his mother. "How was the trip, mom?"
"I'm jet lagged."
"Ariana will show you to your room then," Ethan offered.
"I prefer one of the helps. I can take their presence."
I watched Ethan. He didn't seem disturbed by what his mother was saying about me. I watched them leave then walked upstairs to our room and sat on the bed. Ethan walked in a couple of minutes later.
"Why did you leave the door open?" he asked.
"Isn't there something wrong with the way your mother talked to me earlier?"
"Are you ignoring my question in lieu of yours?"
I stood up. "Which is important?"
"Mine is. I'm the man here. I asked you a question. You get to answer mine before spewing yours out."
"Spewing?"
"Yes."
"I am your wife. And I am asking if you didn't see anything wrong in the way your mother talked to me earlier?"
He looked like he wanted to remember that episode. "Of course not."
"What?"
"I didn't see anything wrong with the way she spoke to you."
It wasn't funny but I found myself smiling. "This is ridiculous."
He shut the door himself. "What?"
"Your mother told me not to call her mom. And told me that she preferred one of the helps to show her to her room. Do you know how belittling that sounds?"
"Sure you didn't say or do something to make her say that?"
"Why do you think I'm the one at fault, Ethan?" I demanded.
"I didn't say it was your fault. I only asked a question."
I rubbed my temples at the frustration. "One that implied my rudeness. When you should be pointing it the other way."
"Come to think of it, she did say she was jet lagged. So, I'm sure that explains that. Right now, I need to make some calls." He picked up his phone and left the room.
"This isn't fair, Ethan," I called out after him.
And it wasn't. He was acting as if there was some logical explanation for his mother's behavior towards me when it wasn't even the first time she had done such.
Lilian Allen was the mother in law I wished I never had.
**
I prepared dinner myself. Since my marriage to Ethan was one of convenience, I made myself do everything in the house. The ones I could anyway. The helps were helpful but I always tried to tell them that it was my family now.
It was her favorite dish. Lobster Thermador with Truffle mashed potatoes.
Charles, who was Ethan's handyman, brought the chilled Chardonnay wine just before dinnertime. He was wearing a black monkey jacket over white sleeves. And he was also my father.
"Thank God you came on time."
"I'm always on time," he said, checking his watch. "The lioness isn't out of her den yet."
"And you won't even hear her coming when she stalks."
"Hmm." We were in the large kitchen. "I'll help set the table."
"And we need to talk."
"We'll talk while we work," he said.
The table was ivory. Long, dark, with twelve chairs, most of which were useless. So we set four places.
"What is it, dear?"
"The marriage," I said.
"What about it?"
"I feel like... I made a mistake."
"You mean we made a mistake?"
I remembered his words to me. "Ethan is detached and his mother is a pain in my ass."
"Give it time. It's just a month. And Ethan is a busy man."
"I should not be bothering you about my personal life, dad, but s*x is important. And romance."
"Huh. So you're saying that your husband doesn't have s*x with you and isn't romantic?"
Gosh, I wished I was talking to mom instead. I remembered when Ethan told me he was horny, made me take my clothes off, thrusted inside of me just twice and told me he had lost interest.
I felt like a rotten tomato then.
"He just doesn't care, dad. How am I supposed to love a man who doesn't even show it? How am I supposed to do that?"
Before my dad could answer, Lilian walked in dressed in a red robe. She was escorted by one of the helps. "What are you two crickets chattering about?"
"Glad to have you back home, Madame Allen," my father said and bowed.
She took her seat, and inhaled. "I doubt this would taste good."
"It's your favorite," I told her.
"Exactly. No one makes my favorite better than I do."
Ethan came downstairs and handed his coat to Charles, which meant he was going out that night.
We took our seats and Lilian said a prayer. I moved to dish her plate but she held out a hand and called for the help. I immediately switched to Ethan and Charles.
"You know I really wondered why you got married when you did, son. If only you had just waited, you would have found a better better-half. Not someone beneath our family."
Ethan said nothing, just dug in. I told myself that I wasn't going to cry or lash out. He was supposed to stand up for me. But Ethan was so nonchalant, I wondered if he secretly put his mother up to it sometimes.
The cutlery dropped loudly against the plate, making me jump.
Lilian's face looked disgusted. "Throw this to the dogs, such waste of ingredients," she told the help and walked out.
- Writer
