16. Mary
Chapter 1 6
Mary
I’m curled up on the sofa, knees tucked under my chin, chatting with Lil and Gem about last night.
Lil: This Connor guy, there’s some history there, right? From college?
Mary: Yeah. We never talked much back then. I always got the sense he disliked me for some reason.
Gemma: Hmm, so the question is, does he still dislike you now? Spoiler. I don’t think so.
Lil: Ooh, maybe he had a secret crush on you back then!
Mary: I doubt it.
Gemma: This sounds like a movie or fairy tale.
Lil: * popcorn emoji*
Mary: Hopefully one with a happy ending.
Gemma: Guaranteed. Because the way he rushed in to play knight-in-shining-armor says it all .
Gemma: So, are you gonna throw your hair down to let him up or not, Rapunzel?
I can’t deny the charged tension that seems to crackle between us whenever we’re together or the way I falter when he’s around me.
Mary: He was hired by my father. It would certainly complicate things.
Lil: Would it really?
Mary: I need to apologize first. Still embarrassed how I acted up.
Mary: Maybe he said everything out of pity.
Gemma: Stop.
Gemma: Stop talking yourself out of this.
Mary: I know. I’m just… What if the Chris debacle repeats?
Gemma: Connor isn’t Chris. From what you’ve told us and what I remember from college, he seems better. Doubt my brother would be friends with an asshole.
He is different. Not only from Chris, but from back then. More confident, almost… dangerous in a way?
Yet, he makes me feel safe, which is so foreign to how distant he was in college, tapping away on his laptop, always sitting alone in the corner. It was kind of strange seeing him again, now dressed in a business suit instead of his usual black hoodie and jeans.
What crossed his mind when he looked at me back then? Did he see the same pathetic woman I was on Friday?
I bury my face in a throw pillow with a groan .
How should I face Connor now?
He’s nothing like those wolves in suits because, despite my harsh words, he hugged and comforted me.
I’m horrible.
I don’t want to do anything except disappear and just sit here and… not exist.
All this moping won’t do me any good. I need a distraction.
Crossing over to the speaker dock, I scroll through my phone for a pop playlist. As soon as it’s on, I belt out the lyrics and dance around the apartment in my yoga pants and oversized sweater.
Just me, dancing like nobody’s watching, and it’s the best therapy ever.
My phone blares over the music, jolting me out of my carefree dance party. I glance down to see my mother’s name flashing on the screen and let out an exasperated sigh.
Ugh, what does she want now?
I swipe to answer. “Hello?”
“Mary, darling! I’m just calling to remind you about dinner tonight. You’re still coming, right?”
“Yeah, mom. I’ll be there.” As if I have a choice.
“Wonderful! You know how much it means to your father and me to have the whole family together.” She pauses, then adds in a sickeningly sweet tone, “And I’m sure Ella would love to see you.”
Translation: Bring your sorry single ass and stop embarrassing the family .
“I’ll be there as always.”
“Alright, dear. See you soon! Love you!” She hangs up before I can respond.
“Love you too,” I mutter to the dead line, tossing my phone onto the couch.
Sundays at my parents’ house are the bane of my existence. All the snide comments about my relationship status, the pity-filled looks from my sister’s rich, pompous fiancé, Trent, and not to mention my mother’s constant, not-so-subtle attempts to set me up with her friends’ equally obnoxious sons. She must have something planned for today if she calls to make sure I come along.
Ugh, why do I even bother? I should just tell them I’m busy. Or ‘forget’. Or… actually, no. I can’t do that to Dad. He’s the only one who’s ever truly had my back.
The drive to my parents’ sprawling estate feels shorter than usual and before I know it, I’m pulling up the winding driveway lined with precisely manicured hedges. I take a deep breath and mentally prepare myself for the dinner ahead.
Mom’s prized rose bushes bloom on either side of the steps, the pink blossoms perfuming the air. I ring the bell and wait, listening to its echo reverberate through the foyer.
The door swings open to reveal our housekeeper, Rosa.
“Miss Mary! So good to see you.” She ushers me inside. “Your mother is waiting in the sitting room. ”
“Mary, what took you so long?” My mother walks into the hall as I step through the front door. She stands with her hands on her hips, her silver-blond hair framing her face in soft waves.
“Traffic.”
“Aha,” she says. “Well, you’re here now.”
“Hey, sis.” Ella, my younger sister, appears and gives me a quick hug. Her curly brown hair is tied back into a messy bun.
“Hey.” I return the embrace. “How’s everything?”
“I just landed an acting gig!”
“That’s amazing. Congrats, Ella!”
“An acting job?” My mother frowns. “I thought your father and I made it clear that we don’t approve of you gallivanting around chasing some frivolous dream.”
Ella’s face falls. “But Mom, this is a huge opportunity for me. It could really launch my career.”
“Nonsense. It’s not practical or sensible. No daughter of mine will be some starving art—”
“Here you all are.” My father strides in and gives Ella and me quick pecks on the head. “Hello, my lovely daughters.”
“Hi, dad.”
“Now that everybody’s here. We can start the dinner. Our guests have been waiting.” My mother grabs my arm and ushers me into the dining room. “Come, I want to introduce you.”
Guests?
At the table sits an older woman about my mom’s age, along with a man who appears to be around my age. I sigh internally, already knowing what this is about .
My mother beams. “This is Margaret van der Fall, an old friend from university. And her son Stefan, who just completed his medical degree in Vienna.”
My father shakes their hands. “Pleasure to meet you both.”
Ella smiles at the two strangers as she introduces herself. “Hi, I’m Ella.”
“And this is Mary, my eldest daughter.” My mother yanks me forward.
“Nice to meet you both.”
Stefan offers a nervous grin while his mother nods.
“Please, sit down.” My mother forces me into the chair next to my future-husband-prospect.
“Stefan is a very accomplished young man. He graduated top of his class in Vienna. And he just finished his residency in plastic surgery.” She smiles widely at me. “Doesn’t that sound impressive, Mary?”
My mother would probably excel at a car dealership or something. “Oh yes, very impressive.”
Mrs. van der Fall chimes in. “His father is a prestigious surgeon as well.”
I nod along, feigning interest, while Stefan ogles his glass.
My father clears his throat. “Well, our Mary is accomplished, too. She helps manage our family’s hotel chain, a very demanding job.”
“Still unmarried, though. A lovely girl like her should settle down soon, don’t you agree?” My mother gestures for the servers .
Mrs. van der Fall nods. “They’re at this age now, right?”
Very subtle.
The servers come in, placing food in front of each of us.
Ella fidgets with the pies, appearing as uncomfortable as I feel. Meanwhile, Dad stabs the meat on his plate with more force than necessary.
“Stefan, tell us more about your time in Europe,” my mother says.
“Well, it was quite an adventure. The city is really beautiful. I even stayed at a hotel of yours once.”
Oh, he can talk.
My father interjects, “Speaking of the hotels, I’ve hired a new security consultant, Connor Milton. He’s already improved things immensely. What kind of experience do you have so far as a doctor, Stefan? Any real-world experience yet?”
Stefan dabs his mouth with his napkin. “Well, I just finished my studies and did some interning at a plastic surgery office.”
Dad nods. “I see. Still quite green then.”
“Richard.” My mother scowls.
Is my father seriously throwing shade at the suggested candidate for marriage from my mother?
He turns to me. “Now Connor, on the other hand, he came to me fully seasoned. What was it… ten years of working in cybersecurity? Fifteen? He started very, very young.”
I hide a smile behind my water glass. This is just too good.
“And the improvements he’s made at the hotels already are just tremendous. We’ve seen a twenty percent drop in incidents since he came on board. Can’t believe I didn’t bring someone like him in sooner.”
Total lie. Connor’s only been there for a week. Tops.
I kind of feel bad for Stefan. He was probably dragged here by his mother.
Stefan shifts in his seat. “That’s, uh, that’s great sir. A good decision and important to have—”
“Yes. Connor Milton is completely self-made. Started his own company in his early twenties and built it up from nothing.”
“Milton… is he related to Elijah Milton, by any chance?” Mrs. van der Fall asks.
“Yes, Elijah’s cousin,” my father says.
My mother frowns. “I remember seeing him at a function once. So many tattoos. He looked like a thug.”
“Nonsense. He’s extremely professional, intelligent, and capable. Appearances can be deceiving. His work speaks for itself,” my father says.
I had always assumed that my father would disapprove of someone so unconventional, but it seems I was wrong. Could it be that my father is more open-minded than I thought? Or perhaps he sees something in Connor that I don’t?
My mother pats my father’s hand. “Anyway, there’s nothing wrong with being fresh out of school. Stefan has so much potential. I’m sure Mary would love to get to know him better. Why don’t you take her to dinner this week, Stefan?”
Stefan glances at me. “Oh, uh, sure. If you’d like? ”
I open my mouth, about to politely decline, but my mother speaks first. “Wonderful! It’s settled then.”
As dinner continues, my father keeps bringing the conversation back to Connor, and I can tell he’s impressed with Connor’s work. Sometimes, it’s like he’s not only trying to undermine Stefan but also trying to impress me.
With the plates cleared and the dessert finished, Stefan and his mother stand up, signaling that it’s time for them to leave.
“Thank you for having us. It was lovely to see you again,” Mrs. van der Fall says to my mother as we all walk back into the hall to say goodbye.
“Yes, let’s do it again soon.” My mother holds the door open. “Have a safe journey back home.”
“Thank you.” Stefan and his mother shuffle out, the former looking thoroughly relieved to be leaving.
Ella follows shortly after, throwing me an apologetic glance before my mother closes the door.
Guess I’m not allowed to leave yet.
“So, what did you think of Stefan?” My mother turns to me.
My father scoffs. “Horrible match. If you’re going to set her up, it should be with someone more like Connor Milton. Why don’t you invite him next time?”
I raise my eyebrows at my dad. That’s a new level of approval. “You seem to be quite the fan of Connor these days.”
My father coughs. “Yes, well, he’s not only talented but also incredibly dedicated and resourceful. ”
“Honestly, Richard, if you love this man so much, why don’t you just marry him yourself?”
“I think we’ve had enough matchmaking for one night,” I say.
Dad chuckles. “I’m just saying, the boy seemed a bit… green.”
“Richard!” Mom swats his arm.
“What? It’s the truth.” He shrugs unapologetically.
I hold back a laugh. Leave it to Dad to be brutally honest, even if it means offending potential suitors.
“In any case, I’m perfectly happy as I am.” I glare at both of them. “No more blind dates, please.”
“Oh, Mary, when will you learn? A woman of your age and status simply cannot afford to be so… picky.”
I bite my tongue, fighting the natural reaction to remind her that I’m not some piece of meat to be bartered. Instead, I plaster on my best fake smile.
“I appreciate your concern, but I’m doing fine, Mother. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I really should be going.”
I turn to leave, but Dad reaches out and gives my arm a gentle squeeze.
“Don’t let your mother get to you, kiddo. You know how she is.” He lowers his voice. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re doing a great job. Both at work and being you.”
I blink, surprised by his unexpected words of encouragement. “Thanks, Dad. ”
He nods, a rare, genuine smile tugging at his lips. “Give ’em hell, Mary.”
I smile back, feeling a surge of affection for my gruff but caring father. With one last glance at my mother, who’s pursing her lips disapprovingly, I head for the door.
“Goodnight, Mother. I’ll see you next week.”
“Goodnight, Mary.” Her tone is clipped, but I catch the hint of worry in her eyes.
As I step outside, I let out a long, heavy sigh. Dealing with my parents’ constant pressure to settle down is exhausting, but at least I have Dad in my corner. Even if he is a little rough around the edges, I know he means well.
I should apologize to Connor.