enjoyebooks A WITCH
A WITCH
"Now I see—" she curtailed her steps, her eyes disdainfully flickering between Callan and Orla. "the reason you've decided to waste your life away—" With arms akimbo, she stood in front of them.
"Mom," things were sour between them the last time he visited for the annual family meeting.
After that, he had knowingly avoided her for weeks and seeing her in his house without prior notice was startling. Elizabeth rarely visited him in the house, he'd rather go to hers.
Flouting Orla's presence after the glance, Elizabeth turned to her son. "It's because of this piece of—"
"Stop right there, Mom!" Callan held out a hand to hush his mother.
His eyes were glinting with irritation, and his body shuddered. He could take this in the past, but not anymore. Anyone who disrespected his wife was now his prey and he'd mercilessly trample on them.
Elizabeth scoffed, clasping her hands in concussion. Her son never shut her up in the middle of a sentence. What was with this new Callan?
"Don't talk about my wife like that." The words sounded more like a warning. Pulling Orla close to him, he stared into her eyes for a moment. He hated when she was being humiliated and he hated it more that he was the one who set that berm of tactlessness for others to trot. "I won't let you talk about my wife like that." His hand on hers remained firm and protective.
She gazed at him with a corner of her eyes, biting her lips and was lost for words. Callan was doing this for her? She was impressed but remained silent. She turned back to meet Elizabeth's vicious eyes staring down at her like a piece of trash that he was about to call her before Callan stopped her.
"Callan," Orla's voice was low, but he heard her right.
"Your Wife?" Elizabeth lazily paced the passageway, roaring in malicious laughter. "Since when did she become your wife?"
Callan knew what his mother was doing, but he was up for her games.
"Since the day I got married to her, Mom." Sighing. he shook his head. "What are you doing here?"
"I am here to talk sense into your skull, Callan!" Elizabeth's voice dominated the house, frightening Orla, but Callan didn't let go of her hands. He assured her that she was safe with him, that she could trust him and she decided to stay there and watch his mother rant out her frustration. "I got reports that you've been away from work because of this thing right here." Disgust was laced in her tone.
Her mother-in-law's words didn't sit well with her, but she couldn't argue now.
"Mom, do not refer to Orla as a thing." He warned again. "Don't."
"I suspected that she hypnotized you, but didn't take it seriously. I thought she wasn't smart enough to do that, but I was wrong all along." Her gaze fell on Orla, but she quickly averted it before it rested on her for too long. "Are you going to let everything that you've worked hard for crumble because of her?"
"Mom, how I choose to run my life, my business and my family shouldn't be your concern."
Callan was mad now. He was tired of his mother always acting like she knew the best about life and all that concerned him when in fact, all she had ever done was make him function under duress and make his life a living hell while faking it to the world that he was her beloved son. He was tired of that nonsense.
"Really?"
Elizabeth laughed, her eyes scanning the living room, then they rested back on Orla. She looked so terrified, her heart pulsating against her chest. She prayed that the ground would open up and take her in, but at that moment the floor seemed firmer than it had been in her eyes. Not shaken, it wouldn't swallow her up.
She shouldn't be scared of Elizabeth anymore. She thought she wouldn't after their last encounter, but there she was in front of her, and all her thoughts were about how to run away from the whole situation.
"You dare to talk to me like this because of this thing right here? Callan, do you know who the hell I am? I made you, I made you who you are, Callan!"
"I'm glad you reminded me of that, Mom. But I have a few words to say." He turned to Orla and kissed her forehead for Elizabeth to know that he meant everything that he said about her. "Orla is my wife and I won't forgive anyone who disrespects her. Mom—you didn't make me, you were just at the forefront to make people have a magnificent perception of you. I have been working my ass off since the day I knew you would never accept me as the best! I worked hard to make you like me! I worked hard to be better! I worked to build my company to where it is today. Mom, you didn't do a thing, you didn't!"
"I didn't? Callan? Your Father started that company before he died! Did you think you'd be somebody if Leor didn't die? Did you think that you'd be seated on that CEO seat if Leor and your Father didn't pass away, you piece of shit!" Elizabeth roared, shaking her head in anger.
"That's where you got it wrong, Mom." He smiled, leisurely staring at his mother. "I would still be where I am today if Dad and Leor were alive. They had a plan, but I was the one who implemented it, I brought the plan to life. I made it work out, Mom. I did that because I worked hard."
"And who connected you to all the people who helped you to the top?" She asked her son, knowing that he'd waver.
She always gave herself credit even after knowing how hard Callan worked to be where he was today.
"I have given you your honor, Mother." He was weakened, "All I ask is that you respect my wife and don't call her names that are not hers."
"Now I see that this is real. You've decided to choose this bitch over me and that's fine, but I promise that you'd regret this!" She wagged her fingers at him, warning of a looming danger if he continued to place Orla above her, but her threats held no water. He was determined to treat his wife well.