Chosen By My Mate's Father-in-law
Chapter 42: Stronger Together

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Stronger Together

I was met with silence when I walked into my house. As I crept down the hallway toward my mother’s room, my heart slammed against my chest as I prepared myself for the state I’d find her in.

It was worse than I could ever imagine.

My mom was on her bed, curled up in a ball, facing away from me. At first, I thought she was sleeping. But when I walked around the bed, a jolt went through me. Her green eyes were dull and lifeless. She looked catatonic, like her very soul had been sucked out of her.

“Hi, Mom,” I said tentatively. “How are you feeling?”

She looked up at me, and I bit the inside of my cheek so I wouldn’t gasp. My own mother was looking at me like she’d never seen before.

I took a seat on her bed and tried to get her to respond, but it was no use. My stomach knotted when I saw painkillers on her bedside table. The clear orange bottle was almost empty. Had my mom been forcing herself to endure the emotional stress because I’d been in the hospital, and she felt like she had to be strong for me?

Guilt stabbed at my heart. But I couldn’t allow myself to wallow in my remorse. My shoulders straightened, and determination flowed through me. Now, it was my turn to be strong for her.

“I was able to see Dad today,” I told her, leaving it at that. It wouldn’t be helpful to inform her of the awful condition I found him in.

“Don’t lie to me and tell me he’s fine,” my mom replied in a flat voice. “I wouldn’t be in this much pain if he were alright.”

I gently touched her shoulder. “Honestly, I did see him—”

But a deep, guttural wail ripped from my mother’s throat. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her entire body trembled as she huddled into her blanket.

“Every hour that passes, the pain increases.” Her voice was raw and shaky. “It started in my chest, but it’s spread to my whole body. I can’t see an ending to this pain, and I think that’s what scares me the most.”

With that, she turned away from me.

I stared wide-eyed in shock for a few moments. I rubbed her back as her body shook with silent sobs.

I had no idea how to help her.

Her stomach gave a low grumble. Well, that was one problem I could easily solve.

“I’m going to make some dinner for you, Mom.” I stood up. “Maybe some hearty beef stew will make you feel a little better.”

She didn’t answer me.

In the kitchen, I tied a blue apron around my waist and took out all the ingredients. While I was chopping a long carrot, water splashed onto the bright orange vegetable. Confused, I looked up at the ceiling to see if there was a leak. Then, I realized the water had come from my eyes. I hadn’t even realized I was crying.

I was so distracted from my tears that I lost control of the knife, the sharp metal blade almost nicking my pointer finger.

But a strong hand wrapped around mine, taking the knife out of my hands before I could cut myself.

I spun around and let out a gasp when I saw Elliot holding the knife. That same familiar scent from Isabella’s room invaded my senses, making my wolf stir.

“What are you doing here?” I snapped. “How did you get inside?”

“That’s not important,” Elliot replied. “I’m here to help. I know your mom isn’t doing well.” A concerned frown crossed his face.

I glared at him. “I don’t want or need your help! Get the hell out of my house!” I yelled, taking out all of my frustration on him.

Elliot’s face darkened. Before he could reply, I heard shuffling footsteps coming down the hallway.

Damn it. My shouting must have attracted my mom’s attention. She walked into the kitchen, her hands trembling slightly.

“Jasmine, don’t be so rude to our house guest,” she said and took a seat at the breakfast bar.

My mouth dropped open.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Lowett,” Elliot said. “I know that you and Jasmine are under a lot of stress right now. I can handle a little yelling. Why don’t you two rest while I cook up dinner?”

I wanted to argue, but I saw my mom trembling in pain. With a final glare at Elliot, I untied my apron and threw it at him. Then, I put my arm around my mom and walked her back to her room. As I pulled the comforter over her, she clutched my hand with more strength than I’d thought she had.

“Will you please just think over Elliot’s proposition?" she pleaded, her dull green eyes locked onto mine. “He visited me when you were in the hospital, and he was the one to pay the bill.”

Surprise flowed through me. How could my mother even ask me to consider this? My resolution wavered slightly when I noticed how much she seemed to age since my father was arrested. If I was having a tough time, things were a million times worse for her. The lines on her face were deeper, and her skin was weathered and worn.

My mom sighed. “If your father’s situation doesn’t get better... I don’t know how much longer I can hold on. A life with this much pain... I can’t endure it.”

My head spun, and it felt like I was falling down a deep, dark hole. Just the thought of my mother dying devastated me.

My mom closed her eyes, and I sat in the chair in her room to avoid Elliot. Could I really do as my mother asked and become Elliot’s mistress? My mother’s life was on the line.

An hour passed, and Elliot knocked on the door, saying that dinner was ready. He helped me take my mom to our dining table, and her eyes widened slightly when she saw the salad, stew, and fresh bread he had laid out.

“Oh, Elliot, this looks wonderful,” my mom mused.

During dinner, I was happy to see that she was trying to eat. Elliot cleaned the kitchen until it was spotless and even prepared a bath with Epsom salts for my mother to soothe her.

All the while, I was bracing myself for when he would make his cruel intentions known.

“I feel a little better, Elliot. Thank you,” my mom said before she went back to bed, closing the door behind her.

In the kitchen, I crossed my arms and leaned against the counter as I faced my former mate.

“Why are you really here?” I demanded.

His phone vibrated on the counter, but we both ignored it.

“Come on, Jasmine. You already know why.” He took a step closer. “If you become my mistress, you’ll be safe with me. No Alpha would dare to harass you. I can save your dad, and in turn, that will make your mother better too. I’ll be on your side, like always. Don’t forget we’re fated mates.”

For a moment, I forgot everything this man put me through, and the walls around my heart started to crumble.

“If you’re actually serious about being with me, then you need to break up with Isabella,” I said. “I’m not going to be your mistress. Isabella is a good person who doesn’t deserve to be lied to.”

A muscle in Elliot’s jaw ticked. “No. I must marry Isabella. This is also for your own good.”

I snorted, and my heart hardened. For all his talk about loving me, his thirst for power was stronger. He wanted to be Alpha more than he would ever want to be with me.

“Get lost, Elliot,” I declared angrily, disappointed at myself for even giving him a chance. “I’ll never be with you, Elliot. I know that you had a hand in my father’s imprisonment and that you tried to ruin my chance of getting my scholarship. You want me alone and helpless so that I have no one else to turn to except for you.”

“How dare you accuse me of such things? You have no proof,” he snarled.

“Yes, I do.” I raised my chin and met his eyes defiantly. “You didn’t tell me that every prisoner is allowed one free visit. You wanted to keep that information from me so I would come crawling to you for help.”

Elliot’s eyes widened by a fraction of an inch, and I knew I caught him in a lie.

“Who told you?” he demanded.

Again, his phone vibrated, and I spun around to see who was calling. But Elliot snatched it before I could see.

“That’s Isabella, isn’t it?” I pressed with a smirk. “Because it was your darling fiancé who helped me visit my father without having to pay. She’s a much better person than you.”

Elliot’s face darkened, and he slipped his phone into his pocket.

But my smile slipped and my stomach turned when I remembered Isabella saying that Elliot told her he was busy tonight, and she always felt lonely without him. It was probably the reason she was calling him now.

How could my ex-mate make me ‘the other woman’ in his relationship with Isabella? The last thing I wanted to do was hurt that gentle, kind woman.

I let out a tired sigh. “Just get out of my house and spend some time with your fiancé.” I paused, and a warning glare crossed my face. “If you don’t, I’ll call her and tell her the truth.”

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