[BL] A Marriage Ruled by Family, Saved by Desire-Chapter 86: I Will Never Divorce Him

~Alistair’s POV~

Alis reached out, his cool fingers closing gently around my trembling hands. He looked up at me, his expression softening into quiet, weary calm.

"It’s okay, Alex,"

"You know, Mom," I started slowly, my voice calm and steady. "In the past, I would have cried. I would have run away, accepting your cruelty because I thought it came from a place of love for Alex. But I realize now that this has nothing to do with his happiness. You don’t want him happy; you just want to control him."

She blinked, clearly stunned that not a single tear had escaped my eyes. I leaned in, my gaze unwavering.

"Only a mother who truly wants her child’s happiness has the right to stand in front of me and try to push me out of her son’s life. I chose to go back to my parents’ house for my own peace of mind, not because you won. And if you think I’m going to divorce your son now... then you must be joking. A very funny one, actually... because I’m not going anywhere."

I took a slow sip of water, letting that sink in before continuing.

"Think about it. You have two children, so where is the first? You drove your daughter away because she married someone you considered ’beneath’ her. Now she’s far away, happy, building her own life, and she’s never asked you for a single cent. And then there’s Alex, the only one you have left. The one you’ve been trying to turn into a puppet."

I shook my head, a quiet, sad smile touching my lips.

"I have been nothing but respectful to you. I haven’t gone against you or disturbed your life. Yet you want to destroy ours because you think I don’t ’benefit’ him?

You said the same about your daughter’s husband. But did it ever occur to you that we love your children?

If I didn’t love Alex this much, do you think I would stay here and endure all of this?

I have options, Mom. My family is doing well. I was living my own life abroad when I met your son. I don’t need his money. I don’t need your status." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

My voice dropped, becoming more of a lecture than an argument, a quiet education for a woman who had forgotten how to be human.

"Alex hasn’t been happy since you started troubling us. Do you know he wakes up in the middle of the night pacing? Do you know he cries? Even now, upstairs, he was shaking with anxiety until I had to calm him down."

"Do you want to break your son the same way you pushed your daughter away? You don’t want children with feelings; you want actors who follow your script."

I stood up slowly, looking down at her as she sat frozen in her chair.

"You brought them into this world, Mom, but you don’t own their lives. You’ve done your job by giving them life; now let them live it. My parents love me, and I am loved in my home. If you want Alex to stay in yours, I suggest you learn the difference between a mother and a warden."

I leaned in slightly, making sure she caught every word.

"If you don’t want me for your son, that’s your choice, but you don’t get to choose for him. He’s an adult. A man who loves and respects you more than you realize. My Alex isn’t weak, he listens because he doesn’t want to hurt you. But what’s truly unfair is that his own mother doesn’t give him that same care in return. If you truly loved him, you would value his happiness more than your need to control him."

I held her gaze, then said softly, "I love my husband. Please... just let me have my marriage."

Her mouth opened, her regal composure finally cracking as she prepared to snap back at me, but I didn’t give her the satisfaction.

"I’m not telling you to stop trying to tear us apart," I cut in, my eyes flashing with a final warning. "But understand this, I’m never leaving him. I will never divorce him, no matter how hard you try. With or without your approval, my husband isn’t walking away from this marriage. And if I ever did... I would break him. He’s been far too good to me for me to leave him because of you."

I didn’t wait for her response. I simply turned and walked back toward the stairs, leaving her alone in the hollow silence of her own dining room.

By the time I reached the hallway, my legs felt weak.

I leaned against the wall, my body trembling.

I had been shaking the whole time I was speaking.

But... I said everything.

And for once, I didn’t regret it.

A thought crossed my mind.

What if she tells Alex? What if she tells his father?

I let out a slow breath.

It didn’t matter.

No matter what happened... I wasn’t leaving my husband.

I smoothed down my shirt, forced my hands to stay still, and walked back into the bedroom. Alex was done with his work, sitting propped up against the pillows, scrolling through his phone.

"You’re back," he said, his eyes lighting up as I climbed onto the bed.

I crawled onto the bed and rested my head on his lap, closing my eyes as the tension slowly slipped away.

He brushed a strand of hair from my forehead. "What took you so long, baby?"

"I was taking my time," I murmured, keeping my voice calm. "I didn’t want to come back and distract you while you were focused. I didn’t even realize you were done."

"That’s fine," he said.

His fingers continued to move gently through my hair.

"Baby..."

"Yes, love?" I replied.

"Before dinner, is there anything you want? Anything I can get for you... Or anywhere you’d like me to take you?"

I looked up at him, my heart swelling. "Yes."

"What? where?" he asked, leaning down.

"You," I answered simply. "I just want you to cuddle me. Tell me how much you love me. Tell me how much you care, and how special I am to you."

A soft, tender smile spread across Alex’s face. He leaned down and gently tapped the tip of my nose.

"That’s easy," he said. "You’re more than just special to me, Alis. You complete me. When I’m with you, I feel whole. Without you... it feels like something important is missing."

He held my gaze.

"I don’t just love you... I need you."

He continued whispering sweet, grounding promises into the quiet of the room, his words acting like a balm to the bruises his mother had tried to leave on my soul. I was just starting to relax, lost in the safety of his arms, when a sharp knock hammered against the door.

Before Alex could even speak, a voice called out from the hallway.

"Alexander? Please come out for a moment."

It was her.

My heart started racing, a cold knot forming in my stomach.

What is she going to tell him?