A Ruling Passion – Chapter 1539

Mark’s action had been slight, but Shelly noticed it. For a split-second, despondence flitted across her eyes, and then it was no more, gone before anyone could catch it.

All that was left instead was her voice turning as sharp as a knife when she bristled. “What did I tell you? I’ve told you, you cannot be the sort of simpleton who lets a woman lord all over him! What she’s doing right now is just beyond the pale! This house belongs to the Tremonts. And she? She’s just an orphan adopted and raised here thanks to your magnanimity. How dare she treat you like this? She can put on airs around me, but she has no right to do that to you. Honestly? I’ve been putting up with her for your sake all this time, but she thinks she can do whatever she likes because Mr. Tremont loves her soooo damn much, isn’t it? Well, enough’s enough! I’m gonna teach her a lesson, if someone has to sleep in the guest room tonight, it’s gotta be her and not you!”

Mark deadpanned. “Aunt Shelly, stop. This is how we live with one another. All you see is me doting on her, but you’re blind to the many other things she has done out of her consideration for me, too. People complement one another in a relationship, that leaves no room for external intervention. You forcing your hand in is only going to damage the equilibrium we’ve achieved. In my honest opinion, I don’t feel wronged for sleeping in a guest room. If anything, the fact that she was angry enough to lock me outside tells me that she felt more wronged than me."

“Look, I don’t know what transgressions forced you to put up with her, but I can tell you, this is just her nature. It’s not something that can be ‘fixed,’ and it doesn’t bother me, personally,” he continued. “Frankly, I don’t think you need to worry about it so much, considering the fact that your stay is only temporary. After you move out, she’ll be out of sight and out of mind to you, no?"

“And one last thing. You’re right that she was an orphan I took in, but that was before. Now, she’s my wife, the love of my life, and the mother of my son. I think you should go back to bed, Aunt Shelly. She’s probably already fast asleep, too, so please don’t disturb her at this hour,” Mark finished.