As the maid opened the door, the room grew silent when they saw Mrs. Reed stepping in gracefully. She looked around the room and immediately asked one of the maids to get her bags from the car and take them to her room. Nathan, visibly surprised to see his mother, sighed and then smiled, already suspecting who was behind this sudden visit. Trying to remain composed, he greeted her, "Welcome, Mom. I already knew you would come."
Aria, who had been sitting quietly, started to fidget and shiver as Nathan's sharp gaze turned toward her. She knew she had been caught, and her brother's piercing look made it clear that she was in trouble. Mrs. Reed, unbothered by the tension, smiled at Nathan and replied, "Thank God you know, Nathan."
As her gaze shifted to Elena, Mrs. Reed moved toward her with a seemingly warm smile. "Oh, Elena, how are you doing? I didn't know you were here."
Elena stood politely, greeted her, and smiled back. "I'll be staying with Nathan for now until I fully recover. I had an accident a few days ago."
Mrs. Reed's expression didn't change much as she replied, "Yes, so sorry about that. Aria already explained everything to me. I think my daughter cares about you a lot."
At this moment, Aria, knowing she was busted, dramatically pretended to faint on her chair, hoping to escape Nathan's wrath. Nathan noticed her act and smirked, though his serious look said it all. She nervously avoided his gaze, knowing she had just made her situation worse.
Mrs. Reed, unfazed by Aria's antics, turned back to Elena and continued, "Since you need someone to take care of you, I'll do that—"
Before she could finish, Nathan interrupted sharply, "Mom, you don't need to bother yourself. I'll take care of her. You should just go home, Mom."
Mrs. Reed turned to one of the maids and casually instructed them to handle her bags carefully. Then, she turned back to Nathan with a calm but firm tone, "I'm here to take care of Elena. I have plenty of free time, and you have a company to run, Nathan. You should focus on work."
Nathan's expression hardened as he replied, "Mom, I'm perfectly capable of balancing work and taking care of Elena. I have my secretary, manager, and director handling everything at the office when I'm not there. It's my company, Mom, so I don't need you to worry about it."
Elena, sensing the tension between Nathan and his mother, stepped in to defuse the situation. "Nathan, please stop," she said softly. "I don't want to disturb you. If I had known I was causing so much trouble, I wouldn't have come here in the first place. You can focus on your work, and I'm sure your mom and Aria can take care of me."
Nathan's expression softened, though he still seemed reluctant. "It's okay, Elena," he said gently. "Don't worry about any of this. I don't want you to stress yourself because of your health."
He reached out to rub her back reassuringly before adding, "Just focus on recovering."
With that, Nathan sat back down at the table. Mrs. Reed joined them for breakfast, though the tension lingered in the air.
As they ate, Mrs. Reed suddenly turned to Elena and asked, "Where are your parents? How come they didn't know you had an accident?"
Nathan immediately tried to intervene. "Mom, stop asking questions like that—"
But Elena placed her hand on Nathan's arm, stopping him. "It's okay, Nathan," she said with a small smile. Turning to Mrs. Reed, she calmly answered, "I lost my parents when I was ten. I was raised by my aunt."
Mrs. Reed feigned surprise and sympathy. "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that," she said in a soft voice.
Nathan's frustration grew, and he turned to his mother with a warning tone. "Mom, enough with the questions. Let Elena rest."
But Mrs. Reed insisted, her tone remaining light. "I just want to get to know her better, Nathan. Is that such a bad thing?"
Elena, not wanting to cause more tension, smiled at Nathan and said, "It's fine. I don't mind, really. I'm actually enjoying the conversation."
Though Nathan didn't say anything, it was clear from his tense posture that he was far from comfortable. The breakfast ended on an uneasy note, with Mrs. Reed smiling as if she had accomplished something, while Nathan remained wary of his mother's intentions.
Mrs. Reed continued her conversation with Elena, her tone deceptively kind yet slightly probing. "So where is your aunt? She should know about this accident," she asked, looking directly into Elena's eyes.
Elena shifted uncomfortably in her chair but managed to reply with a soft smile, "I don't want to stress her. I know she won't be able to focus on anything if she hears about this."
Mrs. Reed didn't seem convinced. "At least she's the only family you have. You should let her know about this, Elena. What if something worse happens to you?"
Elena returned a faint smile but kept her resolve. "Thank you for your concern, but I still don't want to tell her."
Mrs. Reed's eyes narrowed slightly before she threw another curveball. "Do you have a boyfriend, Elena?"
Elena's heart skipped a beat at the sudden question. She was taken aback but quickly recovered, answering with a nervous laugh, "No, I'm single for now."
Mrs. Reed's smile widened, but her next question hit harder than the first. "Are you in love with Nathan?"
Elena froze, her face turning pale as she struggled to process the question. Before she could reply, Nathan stepped in. He had been quietly observing from the side, and now he took Elena's hand firmly but gently. "Elena, let me show you to your room," he said, his voice calm but with an edge.
Mrs. Reed watched the exchange with a confused expression as Nathan led Elena away.
When they arrived in her room, Elena looked up at Nathan with a worried expression. "Nathan... does your mom not like me being here?" she asked cautiously.
Nathan sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "No, Elena, it's not that. My family is just... complicated. They're all funny in their own ways, including Kelvin and Aria. Don't overthink it."
Elena let out a small sigh of relief and nodded. "Alright, I'll try not to." She lay back on the bed, closing her eyes to relax.
Nathan stood for a moment, watching her. "You rest. I need to go talk to my mother," he said softly.
Nathan returned to the sitting room, but his expression had darkened. He found his mother seated calmly, sipping tea, as if nothing had happened. Without hesitation, Nathan grabbed her arm and led her to the library, shutting the door behind them.
"What are your plans again, Mrs. Reed?" he said coldly, his voice barely masking his anger. "Don't tell me you're here to destroy my life again, just like you did with Katrina. Don't you dare come near Elena, let alone hurt her!"
Mrs. Reed's eyes widened in shock, but her expression quickly turned into one of anger. Without warning, she slapped Nathan hard across the face, tears brimming in her eyes. "You are nothing but a fool, Nathan. I was trying to protect you, but it seems like you don't need me in your life," she said, her voice breaking.
Nathan, his cheek red from the slap, screamed back, "YES! I don't want you in my life!"
Aria, who had been secretly watching the argument from a corner, burst into tears and ran into the room. "Nathan, stop!" she pleaded, her voice trembling.
But Nathan ignored her. His anger had taken over. "You keep destroying me every time! Didn't I tell you I don't want to see you again in my life? But you keep coming back! I'm an adult—I can take care of myself!"
Mrs. Reed's face crumpled at his words, her entire body trembling. She was too shocked to respond.
Allision, one of the maids, had been watching the argument along with the other maids from around the corner. Unable to take it any longer, she whispered to Aria, "Call Elena. She might be able to calm him down."
Aria hesitated but finally nodded. She rushed upstairs to call Elena, who was lying on the bed, still resting. When she explained the situation, Elena immediately rushed downstairs.
As Nathan and his mother continued their heated exchange, a loud voice cut through the tension. "Nathan, STOP!"
Nathan froze, his body stiffening as he turned to see Elena standing in the doorway. Her face was a mix of confusion and concern.
Without a word, Nathan stormed out of the library, his anger still evident in his posture.
Elena moved to follow him, but Aria grabbed her arm and stopped her. "Elena, it's better if you leave," she said, her voice filled with frustration. "All of this started because of you. My mother and my brother usually argue, but this is too much. Ever since you came, things have only gotten worse. Please, just leave."
Elena stood there, stunned and heartbroken. Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned and walked back upstairs
In her room, Elena tried calling Mia, but her best friend didn't pick up because she was busy at work. Left alone with her thoughts, Elena couldn't shake Aria's words. She felt like an intruder, the cause of all the tension in Nathan's family.
With a heavy heart, she began packing her belongings. She was determined to leave, even if it meant hurting Nathan.
As she opened the door, ready to leave, she found Nathan standing there, his hand raised as if he was about to knock. He froze when he saw her bags.
"Elena, where are you going?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
Tears streamed down her face as she replied, her words tumbling out in a rush. "Nathan, I know all of this is because of me. I don't want to come between you and your family. Please, just let me go."
Nathan grabbed her arm gently, pulling her back into the room. "Elena, don't say that. You're not causing any trouble. My family has always been like this. Please, don't leave."
But Elena was firm in her decision. "Nathan, you've done so much for me already. I can't let you keep fighting with your family because of me."
After several minutes of back-and-forth, Nathan finally relented, though his heart was heavy. "Fine," he said quietly. "But let me drive you home. I can't let you go alone, not in your condition."
Elena hesitated but eventually nodded. Nathan helped her carry her bags to the car.
As they drove to Elena's house, the car was filled with silence. Nathan kept glancing at her, his heart aching with every passing moment. When they arrived, he helped her carry her bags to the door.
"Elena," he said softly, his voice almost breaking. "Please, take care of yourself."
She nodded, avoiding his gaze as she stepped inside. As the door closed behind her, Nathan stood there for a moment, staring at it as if willing it to open again.
He got back into his car and drove away, his mind racing with thoughts of how to fix the mess his family had created.