Bound by lies, Trapped by Desire - Chapter 108: Chapter 108

Elena’s POV:
“You don’t have to hide it from me, you know?” Aunt Rose continued, leaning forward on the plush sofa, her eyes twinkling with a mischievous knowingness that made me slightly uneasy.
“I know you’re bisexual, darling. And I’m sure that Trixie won’t mind it either. It’s always better to have a wife than a husband, in my humble opinion. She’ll be understanding, empathetic, loyal, probably knows how to cook a decent meal and definitely won’t starve you if you’re temporarily unable to take care of yourself. And also, most importantly of all…” she paused for dramatic effect, winking conspiratorially, “…no one can pleasure a girl better than another girl.”
I gaped at her, my mouth hanging slightly open, a strangled sound escaping my lips. My mind struggled to process the sudden, unexpected turn in the conversation. Aunt Rose, offering me relationship advice that… involved women? It was so out of left field, so utterly unexpected, that for a moment, I was completely speechless.
“Aunt…do you have a girlfriend?” I finally whispered, leaning closer. The question felt audacious, a crossing of a line I wasn't sure existed until just this moment.
And she sighed dramatically, her gaze drifting towards the window, a hint of melancholy softening her sharp features. “I almost did, you know? There was this lovely woman I met in Paris… a pastry chef with the most incredible hands…” She trailed off, a wistful smile gracing her lips, then shook her head, the dreamy expression fading.
“But I ended up marrying that mongrel of a husband instead because back then, people weren’t so open-minded, darling. Society had a rather… limited view on such matters. You don’t have to suffer the same societal constraints as I did. Not to mention…” her eyes flickered back to me, a shrewd glint in their depths, “…if you have a wife, taking care of a kid becomes infinitely easier. Trust me on that one.”
She looked me up and down with a considering gaze, a knowing smirk playing on her lips, and suddenly, my initial amusement vanished, replaced by a knot of unease in my stomach.
Okay…so I had fully expected Mom to tell Aunt Rose about the internship in Maxcester City. But not everything. The specifics of my… marital arrangement was already going a little far, and now… even my pregnancy? It felt like my entire life had been laid out for public consumption.
“She…told you?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper, the sense of betrayal, however illogical given their close bond, pricking at my composure. Aunt Rose simply rolled her eyes, a gesture that spoke volumes.
“Darling, I’m practically your second mother,” she said, her tone laced with a familiar blend of exasperation and affection. “If your own mother doesn’t confide in me, then who will be there to talk some sense into that stubborn little head of yours?” She sighed, taking a sip of her coffee, then leaned forward conspiratorially. “Your own mother is too much of a mush head to be able to properly scold you when you need it—”
Her words went unsaid, the rest of her intended lecture abruptly cut short by the sharp, insistent ring of the doorbell.
I glanced at the time displayed on my phone. It was probably mom. Before I could even begin to push myself up from the floor, Aunt Rose was already on her feet as she made her way towards the door.
I could hear the immediate gasp of my mother from the living room after the door opened, followed by the muffled sounds of an emotional greeting. They were probably hugging after being apart for so long. But I zoned everything out, the sound of their reunion fading into a dull background hum. My mind was far away, lost in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions and a growing sense of frustration.
Aunt Rose would never have spoken to me so frankly, offering such personal and unconventional advice, unless Mom had given her the green light. Mom always, always, set aries for me, no matter who it was. Even Dad, during my teenage years, had to go through Mom if he wanted to implement any new rules or restrictions. Which meant… Mom had basically told Aunt Rose to ‘set me straight,’ to steer me down a path she deemed more sensible. I rolled my eyes at my own lame attempt at humor, the irony of the situation not lost on me.
But beneath the surface of my amusement, a wave of anger was beginning to swell. Mom had told me she’d step back, that she’d accept my decision and not tell Nikolai. That basically meant agreeing right?
Only for her to treat me with this passive-aggressive distance all week, and now, enlisting Aunt Rose as her secret weapon. I had naively thought she was simply upset, needing time to process my decision. But no… she was basically conspiring against me, plotting with Aunt Rose to manipulate me into doing what she thought was best.
And if there was one thing I had learned from my childhood, it was that this dynamic duo – Mom and Aunt Rose – had an uncanny ability to make me do anything they set their minds to. And I mean anything. I vividly remembered the time I’d completely missed all my highschool classes for an entire year due to that unexpected surgery. I had been utterly unmotivated to catch up, the thought of facing my studies feeling overwhelming. In my teenage logic, I figured it would make more sense to simply lag behind, maybe even take another year off to recover fully.
But no. Absolutely not. Mom and Aunt Rose had somehow talked me into studying at a breakneck pace, cramming in four semesters’ worth of coursework in a single year. The ingenious blackmail they’d used? The promise that I would be able to get my coveted part-time job earlier if I didn’t fall behind in my studies. Which, in my fiercely independent teenage mind, basically translated to no pocket money, a prospect that was utterly unacceptable since I’d been partly financially independent from a relatively young age.
And that was just one of the many examples of their combined persuasive (and sometimes borderline coercive) tactics. Not to mention that one time they’d arranged a completely unsolicited blind date for me when I’d turned nineteen. Mom had been inexplicably upset that I hadn’t even entertained the notion of a boyfriend throughout my entire high school career, viewing it as some sort of personal failing on my part.
The blind date, surprisingly, had been with Fiona’s cousin, Joshua. He was a genuinely nice guy, and we’d had a pleasant enough evening, but there was absolutely zero spark between us. We’d both politely acknowledged the lack of chemistry at the end of the night and left it at that. But I still hadn’t been happy with their blatant decision to lure me to that restaurant under false pretenses. I had thought it was going to be a simple mother-daughter dinner date, a rare opportunity for some quality time. Not an actual, capital-D Date Date.
Damn it! The realization hit me with the force of a physical blow. I was either going to lose this baby, lose my incredible internship opportunity, or lose whatever remaining respect Nikolai might still harbor for me if I stayed here and subjected myself to their well-intentioned but ultimately suffocating interference.
Without another thought, I pushed myself up from the floor, my muscles protesting the sudden movement, and ran out of the living room, ing up the stairs two at a time, completely ignoring my mother’s surprised and slightly panicked voice calling out my name from below.
This was it. The first time I had truly, consciously rebelled against her direct wishes. She’d always boasted to her friends with a proud smile, that her daughter had never been a rebellious teenager. Unfortunately for her carefully constructed narrative, it seemed I was just a little slower on the uptake than most.
Reaching the relative privacy of my bedroom, I slammed the door shut behind me and leaned against it for a moment, catching my breath. Then, with renewed determination, I pulled up my laptop and opened the draft email to Legacy Motors. My fingers flew across the keyboard, finalizing the reply of acceptance, reiterating my gratitude for the opportunity, and requesting more information regarding onboarding and necessary paperwork.
With that crucial task completed, a sense of relief washed over me, quickly followed by the cold, hard reality of my impending move. I pulled up a new browser window and started frantically checking rental spaces near Legacy Motors in Maxcester City.
Now that Aunt Rose was here. I wouldn’t feel guilty leaving mom here, since she wouldn’t be alone.
My brows shot up towards my hairline as the search results loaded, revealing the exorbitant rent for even the tiniest studio or one-bedroom apartments in the downtown city area. The numbers seemed to mock me from the screen, each listing more eye-wateringly expensive than the last.
“That’s fucking half my salary!” I groaned, falling back against the soft pillows of my bed, the initial excitement of the internship acceptance now overshadowed by the daunting practicalities.
What should I dooo? I’d already accepted. Without even thinking to check the astronomical cost of living in that area.