Substitute Wife for the Mafia King R18-Chapter 234: Paranoia

“I see...” I murmured as I wondered what it was that I was really seeing.

I guessed that Bradon no longer considered me his responsibility. The times when I head out to meet the prince as Dahlia, I would no longer be his contract bride and it probably made sense that he didn’t need to be responsible for keeping me out of harm’s way. Although I knew that this was how things were supposed to be, I couldn’t help the sinking feeling in my chest.

“Of course, if you would like a driver or an escort, I would be happy to escort you,” Zain offered with a kind smile.

“No, thank you. I am not going out today...” I replied before turning on my heels and walking back into the mansion.

Little did I know back then that my decision to stay in the mansion on that day would lead to an unexpected encounter. It was early in the evening and there were no signs of Bradon returning home. I had gotten used to waiting for him to come home late into the night although I knew that I shouldn’t be waiting for him at all. While waiting for the prince to contact me with our next move, I had nothing to do but laze around in the mansion.

When the door to the sitting room opened, I half expected it to be Bradon. It was absolutely unusual for us to have guests at the mansion. In fact, since our wedding, the only people who set foot into the mansion as guests were my parents and Prince Desmond. That was why I was quite shocked to see a middle-aged woman being pushed into the sitting room by a nurse with graying hair.

I quickly stood up from the sofa with the thought of offering my greetings. The switch in my head flipped and I entered automatically into Diana’s mode of playing the perfect host. Although I had no idea who the woman was, I was certain that she must be Bradon’s guest. The fact that she managed to make it into the mansion without being shot in the head was enough proof that she was welcomed.

“Good evening...” I greeted her with a polite smile.

“Oh, you must be Lady Diana. You look much more beautiful in person than I imagined,” she replied with a smile.

“You are too kind. Please let me offer you some tea...” I offered as I gestured toward the sofa.

“That won’t be necessary. I’m not planning to stay very long,” she replied.

“I see. In that case, please wait here for a moment. Unfortunately, Bradon hasn’t arrived yet. I’ll call him right now to let him know that you’ve arrived,” I said while continuing my polite act.

Despite the hints that I’ve dropped, the woman did not bother introducing herself to me. I wasn’t sure if she was being intentionally rude or if she didn’t see that there was a need for me to know her identity.

“There’s no need to call him. I would rather talk with you until he comes back. I’m not in a rush,” she replied curtly.

“I see. In that case, I’m glad to keep you company until my husband comes back,” I replied while making sure to keep on smiling.

“You look tired and troubled. Are you perhaps feeling stressed?” she inquired suddenly as her brows drew together.

“Oh...not at all...” I quickly denied.

“Are you sure? You know, you don’t have to hold back. You can tell me anything. I’m sure being married to my irresponsible son has been nothing but a pain for you,” she said before heaving a sigh.

Irresponsible son?

I could barely control my shock when I was forced to realize that her words could only mean one thing. The woman sitting in front of me must be Bradon’s mother. I had to say that I wondered what kind of person she is like ever since Jenna spoke of her while she was teaching me how to cook. The woman who spent time and cared to make home cooked meals for Bradon was now sitting in front of me; however, her harsh words and sharp tone as she spoke of him didn’t quite match the image that I had in mind of her.

She must be joking or she is simply just teasing me...

“He treats me quite well. I apologize for not recognizing you right away. You must be Brenda, Bradon’s mother,” I replied while making sure to maintain my perfect smile.

“It is my fault for not introducing myself. I have always wanted to meet you ever since the wedding but I couldn’t find the chance. By the way, you don’t need to lie to me. Just be honest,” she said as she stared at me.

“I am being honest. Thank you for worrying about me,” I replied smoothly.

After having the time to focus on her face, I could tell that Brenda must have been very attractive in her prime. Similar to her son and the head of the Vulkan family, she had blonde hair and blue eyes. That being said, Brenda no longer retained much of the beauty from her younger days. Her face had prominent lines that made her look older than what I presumed would be her real age. The lines between her brows were especially deep and that was clearly from her habit of frowning and glaring.

Her looks aside, Brenda had an air about her that made me feel uncomfortable. She felt restless and seemed anxious almost all the time. It was as if she was waiting for something bad to happen or for someone to turn up. If I had to describe her in one word, the word I would select would be paranoia. Her hands fidgeted on her lap and her eyes often darted all around the room. Just looking at her made me feel like she was a time bomb that was ready to explode at every moment.

The woman wearing a white nurse uniform who accompanied her also looked slightly on edge all the time. I sat up a little straighter and smiled a little brighter as I wondered why Brenda had come here and what business she had with her son.

–To be continued...