Chapter 134: Chapter 134

Her mood dipped so rapidly within the span of a few minutes with that call. In fact, that morning had been turbulent for Shelby in terms of her emotions. Shelby started the morning startled because of Geneva’s ruckus, but then it had shifted to feeling very fulfilled.

It was true that the final step of their relationship, if she could call it one, was never done because of the children’s sudden ’visit’ the night before. Nonetheless, she was happy when she fell asleep with that company and woke up in a similar mood.

Shelby had a sense of growing closeness to Ian that had not been necessarily present during the first few days or weeks when she had arrived. At that moment that morning, she felt as if she had known him all her life.

Shelby wouldn’t mind baring her whole self to him and trusting him wholeheartedly with her life if such a situation did present itself! Such thoughts were still a bit of a stretch, but that was how she felt. She had even started initially resenting herself for feeling that way until the topic of the blood oath came into play.

Shelby did not have sufficient knowledge of that, other than what had been told her, but if she were to be a judge of it, she would trust Ian’s words in their entirety because Shelby knew Shelby best!

By her own standards, she was behaving in a really abnormal way with Ian, and the only narrative that fit the out-worldly scenario was that of being guided by an invisible force that bound them. How else could she explain this? She was not herself, but she felt at home and one with him!

After that explanation or rather narration from Ian, she had tried not to let her mind dwell much on that, as if she wanted to protect herself, even though her actions were not one that she could control.

Looking up at him from that seated position on the bed that morning, her heart swelled up, and she let herself go for once or for the nth time with Ian.

Then her emotions changed again as she fell into an amusement phase of seeing Ian’s jealous side. ’How could he be jealous of the kids!?’

With that thought, she made a mental note to check up on them later, as Ian just wanted them gone from her room. She didn’t have as much time as she would have wanted with them that morning. It was very obvious from his actions.

Just as she watched them leave, he sucked her mouth into a toe-curling and fierce kiss, plunging her into a lusty phase that same morning, with her mind reeling from that kiss and her body seeming floating above herself.

She smiled in contentment just as his words got to her,

"You don’t have to stay away from your family on my account. If you want to talk to them or even visit, go ahead."

That was so random, and nothing had prepared her for that. Even though Shelby had a good night’s sleep despite her hidden guilt from what had gone on the day before, she still had a mind to worry about her family.

If she frankly asked herself, Shelby did not have an ounce of sympathy or pity for James. However, that was a secret that Shelby would keep to herself. Only she knew the extent of what she had gone through in his hands.

Her only worry was her mother; however, Shelby knew that, temporarily, Rocky had that covered. She worried about Clara day and night but was inherently scared of the words she might hear if she chose to call her. In fact, after Shelby got married, she had picked up her phone several times but hesitated to call Clara.

This was because Shelby knew that Clara would never understand her sentiments then, and that was why she had resorted to only talking to Ava, the one person who had her back no matter what.

With each day that passed, she had wondered, ’Why is Mum also not interested in me? Why did she never call once!’

Shelby also knew that she was somewhat scared that Ian and, more particularly, Geneva might not like it if she called her family.

Yes, Shelby did tend to overthink things sometimes, but she had learned over the years to curl back in her shell or not to touch things that did not need to be. Also, she was not blind to her parents’ antics, and she had then been under contract!

One thing that Shelby knew for sure was that,

’Ian must have touched James because of me!’

That guilt also stayed with her. But she found herself replying to Ian,

"Really? I can do that?"

He smiled at her and rubbed her hair. That was all the confirmation that Shelby needed. At that time, she felt touched in a way that she had not felt in a while. Shelby found herself feeling cherished and touched by things that her husband did for and to her in many ways.... And she barely knew him, in essence!

That was when the contract annulation crossed her mind, and she closed her eyes tightly, willing her mind not to go there.

’I have been liberated. I am not bound by anything anymore, but he still takes care of me!’ All these thoughts fought for attention in her mind as Ian turned to leave.

She closed her eyes and dove under the duvet, taking in a deep breath.

His manly aftershave left a minty-like scent behind and in the sheets. It was mild and not overpowering, and she loved it! She scooted to the side of the bed he had been in and rolled over and around several times, enjoying and immersing the lingering remnants of himself left behind.

Just then, she remembered that she might have company! The supposed invisible person that Gabriel called Murray.

’Shoot!’ She paused and then straightened herself, stepping out of the bed like a dignified young lady and not one who had just behaved unscrupulously, at least in her view. She then grabbed her phone, steeling herself for the conversation to come.

Shelby dialled her mother’s familiar number and then crossed her fingers. She was still hesitant to call her mother, especially as trouble had just occurred in the family but she knew that she had to. Shelby was just sceptical, but she knew that her mother loved her in her own way. However, she never expected that response, never!

She waited as the phone rang and rang till the very last second until Clara’s familiar voice came over. Shelby was sorely surprised if she had expected an exchange of pleasantries. Clara’s almost furious voice snapped.

"Who is your mum? Did you now remember that you have someone who could be addressed this way?"

"M-um, how could you say that? I-"

"How long has it been since you got married, Shelby?"

"After that lavish wedding, did you forget that you have a family? Let me ask you this. Were you the one who instigated your husband to lock up James?"

"M-um, h-ow cou-ld you th-ink like that?"

Shelby could not understand her mother’s words even though they were speaking the same language. It was true that she had been sceptical about the call, but she usually had a harmonious relationship with her mother except for those days after her biological father had passed. Even though she had been still a toddler at most, some things still stuck strongly with her and were as fresh as when she had experienced it years prior.

This was partly why she wanted Clara to stay with James. Clara was her best naïve self with her partner, but she was a nightmare without one! Shelby knew or rather suspected that sometimes, her mother was intentionally that way, evoking the care of all around her when she did not need it, but it was something that she could never confirm.

At that moment, her mother’s tone, voice and everything, even over the phone, was like back then. Shelby was glad that she did not have a face and an expression to attach to the hostile voice she heard.

"Stop with the pity party, Shelby! I am more than used to you on this! Why are you doing this to me? If you did not instigate your husband, why are you not helping James in this? What did James ever do to you?"

’What did he ever do to me?’ Shelby wanted to scoff but she did not have the will even to do that. James? Of all people?

"When we had nothing, it was him! He was the only man who stood up and helped us out of those gutters, and this is how you repay him?"

"Mu-" she started to say as she choked on her words.

Shelby was genuinely baffled. This was not what she had expected at all. Then, her mother uttered those strange words.

"You useless girl! Wasting all that beauty for nothing! That should have been me! It was supposed to be me! You hoarded all that and do nothing with it! Why are you not helping your ’father’ with it? No man can resist that, so what the fuck are you still dilly-dallying around with."

Shelby gasped as she tried to blink back the tears. Her mother continued raging on, but the thing was that this was the second time in her life that her mother was speaking about this! And she had no idea what that meant!

’... or was it because of that? No, that can’t be! But then ...’

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