[BL] A Marriage Ruled by Family, Saved by Desire-Chapter 69: The Line She Can’t Cross Again

~Alistair’s POV~

I looked up at him, my expression one of sweet, humble acceptance. I leaned forward and hugged him tightly, burying my face in his neck. "Okay, baby. If that’s what you want."

But inside? Inside, I was soaring. A sense of absolute victory surged through my veins. Finally, I leaned into his warmth, a small, hidden smirk playing on my lips.

Yes... This was exactly how it should be.

I deserved to be treated like a king.

After we finished dressing and pulled ourselves together, the heavy tension from earlier slowly settled into a quieter calm. We stayed in the room a little longer, enjoying the peace, until a soft knock came at the door.

"It’s lunch time," the housekeeper said gently from outside. "Lunch is served."

I glanced at Alex before standing up. Together, we stepped out of the room and headed downstairs.

Alex took my hand, his grip firm and steady, and we stepped out of our room together. We walked down the stairs side by side, heading straight for the dining room.

I could feel the change in the air. The power in this house had shifted completely. As we walked into the dining room, his mother was already seated, the maid having served her ahead of us. She had already started eating, but the usual authority she carried felt... quieter now.

When we reached the table, Alex didn’t just sit. He pulled out my chair, waited until I was comfortable, then gently pushed it in, his hand resting briefly on my shoulder before taking his seat beside me.

The maid served our plates, and we began to eat.

Throughout the meal, Alex’s attention stayed on me. He reached over to cut a piece of meat for me, placing it neatly on my plate with a soft smile, and remained attentive to every little thing I needed. He acted as if his mother wasn’t even there, treating me with a level of care that made me question, is this really Alex?

Across from us, his mother said nothing.

She watched, her eyes following every small gesture, every quiet moment between us, yet she didn’t say a single word.

Once we were finished and the maid had cleared the table, Alex and I began to stand, ready to leave her presence.

"Stop. Both of you, sit back down," his mother said, her voice firm but lacking its usual sharpness

Alex’s expression hardened. He paused halfway out of his chair, clearly ready to ignore her.

I reached over and placed my hand on his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Alex... listen to your mother. Sit down," I said softly.

He looked at me for a moment, then let out a quiet sigh before reluctantly sitting back down. I followed.

His mother’s expression was serious. Her gaze dropped to our joined hands on the table, lingering there for a moment before she finally looked up.

When she spoke, her tone was different.

It was one I had never heard from her before.

"Alis..." she began, her voice softer than I had ever heard it.

"I owe you an apology. A real one."

She paused, as if the words were heavy in her mouth. "For everything I’ve done... for the way I treated you... and for interfering in your marriage," she said slowly. "I was wrong."

Her eyes didn’t leave mine. "I almost destroyed your home," she admitted quietly. "And whether I meant to or not, it doesn’t change what I did to you both."

I stayed silent, watching her, listening as she continued.

"I was just trying to be a mother, in the only way I knew how. I thought I was doing what was best, but I see now that I only caused pain." She looked me directly in the eyes, her pride set aside. "I am truly asking you to forgive me, Alis. Please."

I let the silence linger, allowing her words to settle in the room. I watched her carefully, taking in every detail of her expression.

I knew exactly who this woman was.

She was a master pretender, a skilled manipulator who knew exactly which strings to pull when she needed something. I knew this sudden apology wasn’t just about regret, it was a calculated move to make sure Alex followed her to that party.

But I’ve learned her game. This time, I wasn’t going to let her ruin us, no matter how hard she tried to weave her web.

So I played along, keeping my true thoughts hidden behind a calm, composed mask.

"It’s okay, Mom," I said simply, giving her a small, controlled nod. I even managed a faint, forgiving smile. It was enough for now, enough to keep the peace while I kept my guard up.

Then she turned to her son. Her expression softened instantly, her face taking on a quiet, pitiful look, one that was hard to ignore. It was the kind of look that would make it difficult for him to say no.

"Alex..." she called.

She took a small breath before continuing.

"I know I’ve done wrong," she said. "I crossed boundaries I shouldn’t have crossed. I interfered in your marriage like I had the right, and I didn’t listen when you tried to set limits."

Her eyes stayed on him, "I hurt you," she said quietly. "I pushed you away more than I ever should have. I was so focused on what I thought was right that I didn’t stop to think about what you wanted... or how much I was hurting you."

"You’re my son, Alex. I was supposed to protect your happiness, not make your life harder. I’m sorry. Truly sorry. I don’t expect you to forget everything... but if you can, please find it in your heart to forgive me."

I watched Alex closely as he looked at her. The anger in his eyes softened, though it didn’t disappear completely.

"Mom, I understand you want the best for me," he said, his voice calm. "But you went too far. I never said you couldn’t advise me, but what you did... it crossed the line."

His hand tightened around mine under the table.

"I didn’t set boundaries to hurt you. I just wanted you to accept me for who I am. To love my husband the way you love me. To accept my partner without trying to tear us apart. You almost succeeded back then... and I know I was weak."

His gaze hardened slightly.

"But that’s not happening again."

He leaned forward, his eyes locking onto hers. "If you truly want me to forgive you, you have to accept Alis as my husband properly. I’m married, Mom. I don’t need anyone else. I’m happy with him, and I need you to be happy for me, too. Stop trying to tear us down. If you can do that, then I can forgive you."

His mother nodded quickly, her eyes damp. She promised she would do it, that she would finally accept us, but then she immediately pivoted. "Then please, Alex... forgive me and consider coming to that party with me. It would mean everything."

Alex let out a short, frustrated breath. "You still care about the party? Mom, what is wrong with you?"

"It’s important, Alex," she insisted, her voice pleading. "That’s why I’m asking." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Alex looked at me, then back at her. "Fine. On one condition."

"What condition?" she asked eagerly.

"Only if Alis comes with me," Alex said firmly. "If you expect me to follow you alone, that’s not happening. Honestly... I don’t trust this, Mom. I don’t know if you have something else planned behind my back. We go as a pair, or I don’t go at all."

His mother’s mouth dropped open as she stared at her son, clearly shocked that he still didn’t trust her intentions. After a long moment of silence, she finally sighed. "Fine. Let Alis come with you."

"Fine," Alex repeated. He didn’t actually say the words I forgive you yet, but I could tell he wasn’t ready to let her off the hook completely. He stood up and pulled me with him. "If that’s all, Mom, excuse us."

"Baby, come with me," he murmured, his fingers interlaced tightly with mine.

As we climbed the stairs, I couldn’t resist stealing a glance back at the dining room. His mother was still sitting there, looking completely stunned. She looked smaller, somehow, shocked that her son had not only stood his ground but had made me his absolute condition. She looked like she couldn’t believe the power she once held had finally slipped through her fingers.

The moment we stepped inside the room and the door clicked shut, Alex walked straight to the mirror. He ran his hands through his hair, his chest heaving with the remnants of his frustration. The mask of the "composed son" was finally cracking.

I walked up behind him, wrapped my arms around his waist, and rested my cheek against his back. "Baby, calm down," I whispered. "I know how you feel... but don’t hold it in. Look at me. Let out all that frustration on me."

Alex paused, his hands falling from his hair as he turned to face me. A small, tired smile touched his lips. "Why would I do that, Alis?" he said softly. "You’re not the reason I was angry."

I looked up at him, my gaze intentional and bold. I reached up, my thumbs tracing the line of his jaw. "I’m offering myself to you because I want your mom to hear exactly how much you love me," I murmured. "I want it loud, Alex. I want to be loud. Now that we’re finally getting our freedom, we don’t have to be quiet just because she’s around. I want us to be loud so she knows exactly what we do without us having to hide anymore."

Alex’s gaze darkened, the frustration in his eyes shifting into a sudden, hungry heat. "You really want that?" he rasped, his hands sliding down to my hips.

I nodded, my pulse racing. "Yes. I want to be loud."