Chapter 56: Chapter FIFTY-SIX: The Son Who Stood With Me
Sameen’s POV
The words had barely left my mouth when Lauretta’s lips curled into a laugh that was both mocking and sharp.
She clearly didn’t believe what I said as she looked at me with a smug expression.
"You?" she scoffed, her heels clicking against the marble as she stepped closer.
"Do you actually think you can scare me with your pathetic bluffing? Raymond would never ever do something so foolish because he knows better than to risk everything he’s worked for all these years." she said with a mocking voice while sneering at me.
Her voice echoed in the quiet room and I hated how smug she looked, like a queen standing above a beggar.
But I didn’t flinch, I will never give her the satisfaction of seeing me scared.
My body still trembled, my mascara still streaked down my cheeks from all the crying earlier, but there was rage inside me that hadn’t been there before and I clung to it like a weapon.
I tilted my head, forcing a bitter smile onto my lips.
"Oh, but he did, Lauretta. He told me himself" I said but she still refused to believe me and I didn’t want to reveal all my cards and put my life in danger by saying what really happened.
"One night... he drank too much and couldn’t keep his mouth shut, he ended up telling me everything." I added and I finally saw a slight change in her expression.
Her smile faltered for just a second, and there was a flicker of doubt in her eyes but she quickly replaced it with a sneer.
"You’re lying." she said coldly as her smug expression had completely vanished at this point.
"Am I?" I whispered, taking a step closer.
"Do you really want me to prove it? Should I tell your father? Should I watch his face when he realizes that the daughter he was most proud of and trusted made a deal so filthy it would disgrace the entire Black family name?" I asked her with a smirk and her eyes narrowed, the mask of perfection she was always wearing slipped just slightly.
"Do you think your precious Kendrick can survive that storm? Do you think he can protect you or himself when his grandfather finds out?" I asked her with a lopsided grin as I watched her unable to refute me.
The silence that followed was so heavy I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears. Lauretta’s jaw clenched and her hands curled into fists at her sides.
And then she laughed again, but this time it wasn’t mocking, it was sharp and venomous.
"You ungrateful bitch," she spat.
"You think you’re so clever, don’t you? But let me remind you of something, Sameen. Everything Raymond has, every penny, every property and every ounce of respect was given by me. I made him and put him where he is today." she said with a vicious expression that sent chills down my spine.
She stepped closer, so close I could feel her breath on my face, then she just stared into my eyes.
"And if you dare open your mouth, if you dare breathe one word of this to anyone.. I will tear it all away. I will drag both of you back to the streets where you belong. Don’t test me, because I will do it without blinking." she threatened me and I tensed up.
Yes, how could I have forgotten that everything belongs to her and the Black family.
Raymond was just a poor man that got lucky and she could really throw us out if she wanted.
But what was she waiting for?
Her eyes burned into mine, daring me to challenge her.
I swallowed hard, my nails digging into my palms until they almost drew blood. My body screamed at me to flinch, to back down, but I didn’t.
I didn’t want to look weak and easy to bully.
Lauretta gave a cold, satisfied smile at my silence.
"That’s what I thought," she said softly.
Then, with one last vicious glare, she spun on her heels and stormed out, the sound of the door slamming echoing like a gunshot in the silent room.
And just like that, the suffocating weight that shrouded me, finally lifted.
For the first time all night, I could breathe.
I leaned against the wall for support as my knees were weak and my heart was pounding.
My entire body shook from the confrontation, but at least she was gone and wouldn’t bother me for now.
I closed my eyes, pressing my palms against my face, trying to steady myself.
The silence was deafening after all the shouting, and for a brief, fragile moment, I let myself believe I had won something tonight.
Knock knock!
A sudden knock on the door shattered that fragile peace, followed by the sound of the door being pushed open.
"Mother."
Curtis’s voice.
I froze, my eyes snapping open.
The door creaked open, and there he was, my son, the only support system I have.
But tonight, he didn’t look like my boy. He looked older and colder with his eyes filled with questions as he stared at my sorry state.
He closed the door behind him and walked toward me slowly, his gaze never leaving my face.
"Tell me the truth," he said flatly without any of the usual pleasantries and small talk.
"Is it true? Is Celeste really carrying Father’s child?" he asked me through gritted teeth.
The question stabbed me right in the chest.
I opened my mouth, wanting to protect his feelings by lying But I couldn’t.
Not with the way he was staring at me with a demanding gaze.
My lips trembled, tears burning behind my eyes.
"Yes," I whispered.
"It’s true." I said amidst sobs.
The silence that followed was so thick that I felt suffocated.
Curtis’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. For a moment, I thought he might scream or break something. But instead, his voice came out low and terrifyingly calm.
"Then we cannot allow that child to be born." he said coldly and his face didn’t hold any emotion.
It seemed more like he was talking about the weather.
My eyes widened but then I sighed.
I never wanted him to get his hands dirty, so I had always taken care of the dirty things but now it seems like he was no longer the innocent boy in my memories.
He stepped closer, his gaze blazing with a cold fury that sent shivers down my spine.
"Do you understand, Mother? That child will ruin everything. It will take Father from you and will take our family’s place. It will destroy everything you have sacrificed for. I won’t let that happen.... I won’t let anyone take your position." he said with a determined tone.
My heart broke and swelled at the same time.
Tears finally spilled down my cheeks as I stumbled forward, throwing my arms around him. I buried my face in his chest, sobbing as he held me.
"My son," I choked out, my body shaking.
"My sweet boy... you’re all I have left." I cried.
He wrapped his arms around me tightly, strong and unyielding.
"You’re not alone, Mother. I will protect you and I will protect what’s ours, I swear it." he swore while gently stroking my back.
I cried harder, clinging to him like he was my last anchor in this drowning storm. For the first time tonight, I felt a shred of comfort and a flicker of safety in his arms.
Slowly, my sobs began to calm, my body relaxing against him. He held me until the tears finally slowed, his hand gently rubbing my back.
And then, when my breathing had steadied, he spoke again.
"There’s something else," he said quietly.
I pulled back slightly, wiping my swollen eyes, looking up at him. "What is it?"
His eyes were sharp and calculating now.
"Christy," he said then paused to look at me
"We need her on our side," he concluded.
I blinked in confusion.
"Christy? The same Christy that I know?" I asked him with a frown.
He nodded.
"Yes, think about it. She’s important to him and she’s smarter than most people realize. If I can get close to her, and make her trust me, then we’ll have leverage. Having her by our side will give us an advantage we can’t afford to miss." he explained calmly.
Having Christy on our side would automatically mean that the Lancaster family are on our side.
I stared at him, stunned by the cold brilliance of his plan.
"Curtis..." I whispered, my voice trembling with both fear and admiration.
"You will really do that?" I asked him.
He gave a small, ruthless smile.
"For you, Mother? For us? I would do anything." he said with a determined tone.
And in that moment, as I stared into my son’s determined eyes, I realized something chilling.
Curtis was no longer just my little boy.
He was my weapon.
My partner.
My salvation.
And together, we would burn anyone who dared threaten our place.