[BL] A Marriage Ruled by Family, Saved by Desire-Chapter 52: Meeting Andrew’s Mom

~Alistair’s POV~

A short while later, we pulled up to a charming, elegant house that immediately caught my eye.

"We’re here," Andrew said as the engine fell silent. He turned toward me and gave a small, reassuring nod.

When we stepped out of the car, I drew in a slow breath. The house looked warm and welcoming, framed by a manicured garden. The air carried the soft scent of jasmine, fresh and calming.

Andrew led the way to the front door, the gift resting under his arm. Instead of reaching for a bell, he placed his thumb against the sleek glass panel beside the handle.

A soft beep followed. The lock disengaged with a quiet click.

He pushed the door open and stepped inside, and I followed after him.

When we stepped into the living room, a woman with silver-streaked hair was making her way down the staircase. The moment she saw her son, her expression softened, and a warm smile spread across her face.

"Andrew, darling! You’re finally here," she exclaimed, her voice ringing with a genuine warmth.

As she stepped closer, Andrew set the gift down on a small marble table near the living room entrance and pulled her into a tight, affectionate hug. When they finally parted, her keen, sparkling eyes immediately flicked past her son to land on me. She leaned slightly toward Andrew, and though she whispered, her voice carried clearly across the quiet room.

"And who is this?" she asked, raising her eyebrows in curiosity.

Andrew offered a gentle smile. "Mom, this is Alistair, he’s a friend of mine." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"Just a friend?" she pushed, her gaze flickering back to me with an amused glint.

"For now," Andrew replied smoothly, his tone teasing yet firm. "We’re friends."

His mother turned to me fully then, her expression softening into a look of pure delight. "Oh, my goodness! Andrew, he’s absolutely darling. You are so very welcome here, Alistair. Please, make yourself completely at home."

I found myself unable to find the right words; the heavy weight of the last twenty-four hours made my throat tight. All I could manage was a shy, grateful smile as I nodded in thanks.

Andrew picked up the gift and presented it to her with a quiet, "Happy early birthday, Mom."

She accepted the package from his hands, her eyes lighting up with motherly pride. "Thank you, son. Truly. You always know how to make me feel special." It was a quiet, tender moment between them.

"Come, sit," she insisted, ushering me toward a plush velvet armchair in the sun-drenched living room.

"Please, have a seat," she said warmly, guiding me toward a plush velvet armchair in the bright, airy living room.

I settled into the seat while Andrew and his mother moved a few paces away, engaged in a low-muttered conversation. I couldn’t catch every word, but the fragments drifted over to me.

"...time to settle down, Andrew," I heard her murmur, her tone maternal and insistent. "You need a partner, someone to share this life with..."

The rest of their conversation faded into the quiet of the house, but her words still hung heavy in the air. I glanced down at my phone again, hoping for a message from Alex, but there was nothing, no notification, no call. The screen stayed stubbornly dark.

I hadn’t realized Andrew had stepped away from his mother until he was suddenly standing in front of me. "I’ve noticed you’ve been checking your phone ever since we got in the car," he said quietly, his gaze intent on mine. "Are you waiting for an important call?"

I gave a small, practiced smile and slipped the phone into my pocket. "No, not really," I said. "I was just checking if my mother had replied to my message."

"I see," Andrew replied, though the look in his eyes suggested he didn’t quite believe the lie.

A maid brought us drinks, and shortly after, Andrew’s mother warmly invited me to stay for a meal. Still satisfied with the food Andrew had made earlier, I politely declined, promising to join her another time. She smiled gently, her kindness unwavering.

After a few more minutes of small talk, Andrew stood up. "Mom, we should probably get going."

"So soon?" she asked, pouting slightly. "Why are you taking him away so fast?"

"Alistair has a lot of work to take care of at the moment," Andrew said, giving me a small, protective glance. "But I’ll make sure he comes to visit soon."

"I’ll hold you to that," she said, before turning her full attention to me. "Actually, Alistair, I’m having a small celebration for my birthday in three days. I would dearly love it if you could join us. I’m personally inviting you."

My heart twisted in quiet tension, three days—the anniversary. I had already planned to retreat to my parents’ house tomorrow, a way to put space between myself and Alex after everything that was going on, to avoid being alone in a house that no longer felt like home. Now, Andrew’s mother is inviting me to her birthday, and I have no idea how to politely decline. I opened my mouth, searching for the words, but Andrew spoke before I could.

"Mom, Alistair is a very busy person, he might—"

"I’ll make time," I said, surprised at how easily the words came. I met her gaze and offered a small smile. "I’ll be there for your birthday."

"Thank you, Alistair," she said, her smile warm and bright. "That would really make me happy."

After everything, we finally made our way to the car. By the time we settled into our seats, the sky had deepened into a rich, dark purple. Before starting the engine, Andrew glanced at me. "It’s getting late," he said. "Do you want us to drive around for a bit, or should I drive you back?"

I went silent, weighing the tension and unease at home against the comfort of the passenger seat. "Let’s drive for a while," I said.

As the car eased onto the road, my phone finally buzzed to life. My heart thudded violently against my ribs as I snatched it up. It was a message from Alex. Hands trembling, I opened it and froze at the five words that stared back at me:

Alex: Baby, don’t stay out too late.

That was all. No questions about where I was, who I was with, or whether I was okay. It was as if...