Chapter 13 Cut Ties With Mom
Leaving the hospital, a sudden urge to see Nicholas propelled me forward. I vaguely remembered the route Mason used to take, and with the GPS as my guide, I found myself facing a charming, old-fashioned house.
My heart started racing. I wasn't sure if Nicholas would be up for helping us out. Taking a deep breath, I rang the doorbell.
A few moments later, the door creaked open, and a butler-like guy let me in. We walked through a quiet courtyard and ended up in a spacious study. Nicholas was behind a desk, scribbling something. When he looked up and saw me, he seemed a bit surprised.
"Diana, is that you?" Nicholas took off his reading glasses and came around the desk, eyeing me.
I nodded quickly and said, "Hey, Nicholas. Long time no see. How've you been?"
Nicholas sighed, "Well, let's just say I'm closer to the finish line than the starting point."
I couldn't quite read his tone.
"You wouldn't just drop by for no reason. What's up?" Nicholas sat down and poured himself a cup of coffee.
"You were a close friend of my father's," I began, deciding honesty was the best policy. "The Cooper Group is in serious trouble, and I was hoping... maybe you could help us."
Nicholas took a sip of his coffee and asked, "Why do you think I'd help you?"
"I was supposed to become your goddaughter back then, but stuff happened, and I missed the chance. Then Mason passed away suddenly. Just seeing you today is a big deal for me. Even if you don't help, I'm grateful," I said, hoping to strike a chord with him.
"You're smart! I've heard about the Cooper Group's problems. It's not hard to fix, but how can I help you in a legit way?" Nicholas asked.
I understood his implication. I bowed my head slightly. "Godfather," I said, the word feeling strange yet hopeful on my tongue, "would you consider helping your goddaughter?"
Nicholas looked at me, nodded slightly, and seemed a bit pleased.
"Very well. Since you've claimed your title, I won't let you face this alone."
I felt a mix of nerves and hope.
Nicholas's face turned serious. "But this won't be fixed overnight. I'll use my connections and resources to help, but you need to understand that for the company to really get back on its feet, it needs your own hard work and smart decisions. You can't just rely on others."
I nodded firmly. "Got it. We'll do everything we can to make you proud."
I knew that from this point on, my life might take a big turn. But for the Cooper Group, I was ready to face whatever came my way.
Nicholas gave me a kind smile, but there was an undeniable authority about him that made me feel a bit on edge.
Later, I set up a dinner for my mom.
During the dinner, Mia went around toasting the project leaders and shareholders from various client companies. She got a little tipsy pretty quickly.
Even though Mia was pushing 50, she looked amazing, like she was in her thirties. She kept herself in great shape.
She wore a stunning gown, and every move she made was pure elegance. Her slender waist and full hips definitely caught some eyes.
One of the chubby client leaders took advantage of the moment and grabbed Mia's butt while she was pouring wine.
The whole table erupted in laughter.
With one guy making a move, the others got bolder. Mia blushed with embarrassment but kept smiling through it.
I opened the door to the private room for Nicholas. After he coughed twice, the room went dead silent. Everyone looked at him with respect and stood up. The guy at the head of the table quickly gave up his seat.
The men who had been acting up around Mia were too scared to sit down.
Mia, holding a wine glass, froze. She clearly didn't expect Nicholas to show up.
But right then, Mia had no choice but to go along with it.
Nicholas didn't take the head seat but said casually, "I heard from my goddaughter that her family's latest batch of goods had some issues."
"The main problem is that the color of the packaging is a bit darker than the sample shown on the computer," the chubby client leader said with an apologetic smile, and the others tried to smooth things over.
"So, how are you planning to handle this?" Nicholas smiled and patted the guy next to him on the shoulder, his tone calm but commanding. "Do I need to spell it out for you?"
"There are always color differences with computer monitors."
"Since it's a misunderstanding, what about this batch of goods?" Nicholas asked.
"I promise the payment will be made to the public account within three days."
The chubby guy poured a drink for Nicholas, but Nicholas didn't touch it.
Mia still seemed clueless about what was going on. I raised my glass and toasted everyone at the table. "Folks, the earlier issues were our fault. I'm really sorry about that. I hope you can cut the Cooper Group some slack for Nicholas's sake." My voice was steady and sincere as I downed a glass of vodka.
"Anyone who messes with Mrs. Taylor is messing with Diana; and messing with Diana means messing with me." Nicholas didn't stick around. After saying that, he left with his assistant.
Afterward, I went around toasting each person individually. Mia sat alone in the corner, lost in thought. I couldn't tell if she was drunk or had something on her mind, but she kept staring in the direction Nicholas had left. She probably never imagined I'd acknowledge Nicholas as my godfather behind her back.
I had no idea how much I drank, but at least the company's crisis was finally over. The weight on my shoulders felt lighter.
Once the guests were gone, things got tense between my mom and me again.
"Diana, you've really let me down." Mia's slap came out of nowhere, leaving me stunned.
"Mom, why are you doing this? The company's crisis is over!" My voice cracked with emotion.
"Why did you go to Nicholas? You could've just talked to Edward, and the problem would've been solved!" Mia's voice was also shaky.
I shot back, "Mom, I'm done with Edward! Haven't you noticed that every time we fight, the company ends up in trouble? If I hadn't gone to Nicholas, what would happen to the company? Should I just stand by and watch you get bullied? Should I watch the company fall apart?" I let out everything I'd been holding in.
Mia's face darkened even more. "Diana, I have two demands for you now. First, you will reconcile with Edward. I'll call him right now, and you will apologize. A wife's place is with her husband, tending to her home and family. You will give him a child, do you hear me? Within a year, two at the most."
"Second, you can have any godfather you want, but Nicholas is off-limits. If you ever contact him again, I will disown you. Do I make myself clear?." Mia's voice was firm, and her eyes were filled with anger and exhaustion.
I was filled with shock and anger. I couldn't accept her demands and snapped back, "Mom, I won't agree to your terms. I have my own life, and I won't sacrifice myself for your interests. I can live just fine without Edward and still take care of you and the company!"
Mia was trembling with rage. She raised her hand and slapped me twice. "Diana, you are so ungrateful." My cheeks stung, and tears welled up in my eyes.
"Mom, you're hitting me? This is the first time you've hit me since I was a kid. And it's for Edward. I am your child! He is not!" I couldn't believe it.
"I'll say it again, marriage is not a game. You cannot divorce!" Mia insisted.
"But Edward doesn't love me. He has someone else in his heart!"
Another slap landed, making me stagger, my head spinning. My hearing went fuzzy for a moment.
Mia said, "Someone else? Have you ever thought about whether you've tried hard enough to make this marriage work? If you had done well enough, how could anyone else come between you?"
Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.
"There is no future for Edward and me. If you insist on us being together, then our mother-daughter relationship ends here!" I turned and stormed out.
"You! How could I have a daughter like you!" Mia grabbed a teacup and hurled it at me, hitting me squarely on the back.
I winced in pain and quickened my pace out of the room.
I didn't know how I got back to the apartment or when it started raining.
The newly moved-in apartment was a mess. I cried as I tidied up, feeling full of grievance and helplessness.
Under the influence of alcohol, I soon fell asleep on the couch.
In the middle of the night, thunder and lightning woke me up.
Just as I was at a loss, the sound of the keypad lock outside filled me with fear.
Besides me, only Mia, Edward, and Lila knew about this apartment. None of them would come here in the middle of the night.
The more I thought about it, the more scared I became. I grabbed a fruit knife from the kitchen and quietly moved towards the door.
The password lock kept indicating incorrect passwords, and my heart was racing, my hands trembling.
"Who is it?" My voice was a bit hoarse.
"It's me, open the door!" A familiar voice came.
Edward? I was shocked. It was already midnight; why would he come here?
I guessed that Edward had returned to the villa and found I wasn't there, so he came looking for me—how could I escape his notice?
"Diana, open this door right now!" His voice was closer now, laced with a dangerous edge.
I pressed myself against the wall, saying, "Go away, Edward,"
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