Mom, Don’t Marry My Father

Chapter 3

My mother sent the guests away and took me out of the hotel.

As I stared at my transparent fingertips, I understood. If she didn't marry Nathan, I would never be born. Stopping this marriage meant ending my own life.

I followed her, watching how straight she held her slender shoulders. If I told her the truth, she would never agree to it.

But I wanted her to feel secure in herself. I wanted her to have a good life, even if she never depended on a man again.

She didn't take me to the Bennett home. Instead, she put me up in a small hotel and bought me a clean change of clothes from a nearby mall.

"Here. Change out of that uniform."

She handed me the clothes, sounding less guarded than before.

"I don't know who you are or how you know so much about me. But somehow, I feel close to you. I can't explain it."

She looked down and rubbed the red cord bracelet on her wrist with a rueful smile.

"But I can't break up with Nathan or cut Vanessa off just because of a few things you said. Nathan is good to me. When I'm sick, he stays up with me all night. He rode his bike halfway across the city just to buy my favorite cake. We met in college. I believe in him. He's not the person you say he is."

Watching her smile, I could picture her in my previous life, making the very same excuses for him. All those supposedly thoughtful gestures had become ways for him to win her trust and deceive her.

Someone knocked. I opened the door to find Nathan standing outside, his eyes red.

He didn't make a scene. He simply set the engagement ring on the table.

"Claire, I handled everything badly today. As for my past relationship... If you don't trust me anymore, I can step aside."

He gave a pained smile, his eyes full of longing.

"I don't want you caught between your best friend and the man you love. But I'll wait for you. I'll wait until you truly want to marry me."

His pain looked so real that even I wavered for a moment. If I hadn't seen those letters myself, I might have fallen for his performance, too.

He turned and left, his shoulders slumped.

Tears spilled down my mother's cheeks as she watched him go. She leaped to her feet and ran after him.

"Nathan, wait!"

I stood by the door and let her go. The harder I tried to stop her, the more she would feel I was forcing her into a decision.

But I also knew this wasn't the only little performance Nathan had planned.