~ATHENA
"I'm so glad you finally decided to move in with Reid." she said as her eyes gleamed with happiness. "His father and I had been waiting for him to settle down."
My heart dropped to my stomach immediately those words came out of her mouth and my mind raced to correct her. "Elena, I think there's been a misunderstanding." I said, my voice hesitant because I didn't understand what this conversation was about.
But Elena waved it off, smiling. "Nonsense. Reid told his father and I he already had someone he proposed to and that person was Athena, you." She said making my eyes go wide as I choked on my saliva.
I tried to correct her again but she continued, her voice full of gleam and hope. "I've always wanted grandchildren, you know? Reid's father is going to be thrilled when he meets you." She added.
I felt like I was drowning in a sea of confusion. What was Reid playing at? Why had he lied to his parents about us? I glanced around the room, searching for an escape but Elena's eyes were fixated on me with an expression filled with expectations.
"Come, let's go to the downstairs sitting room and bond over some afternoon tea." She said, gently taking my hand in hers as she pulled me along.
I couldn't help but smile at the warm gesture she had shown. She was really nice and it made me wonder how her son turned out so cold and indifferent. Maybe Reid had that in common with his father because his mum was just so different from him. "So, tell me dear, how did you and Reid meet?" she asked, breaking my train of thought as her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
I hesitated once again, unsure of how to respond. I didn't know what Reid had told her and I didn't want to contradict him. But Elena's assuring smile put me at ease and I found myself telling her a lie. "We met at a c-coffee shop, actually." I started as she urged me to continue. "He spilled coffee on my d-dress and we struck up a conversation."
Elena's eyes widened in surprise as she leaned forward, her voice full of excitement. "Oh, that's adorable! Reid can be a bit clumsy sometimes. I'm sure he was smitten from the start."
I smiled, feeling a pang of guilt because I was lying to her, playing along with Reid's game. But something about her warmth and kindness made me want to please her, to make her happy and so, I continued telling more lies.
"And what do you do, dear?" Elena asked, handing over a cup of tea to me which I appreciated with a smile.
"I'm...I'm an artist." I said, the lie coming easily to my lips and I hated it, I don't like to tell lies because I would probably forget about this lie and tell an entirely different story when I'm being asked the same question again.
Elena's face lit up. "Oh, how wonderful! I've always loved artistic things and Reid also took that from me. It's easy to tell seeing how his love for art is shown in every corner on the wall of his home."
"O-oh yes, Reid loves art." I added in a small voice, wanting to be in any other place except from this weird situation Reid had put me into and he was nowhere to be found.
"When did you start painting?" She asked softly.
I found myself telling her about memories of when I used to paint when I was little.
"I've always loved painting since I was just a child." I said, my hands tightening around the handle of the mug. "I would spend hours in my parents backyard, trying to capture the colors of the sunset on canvas."
I realized that I was enjoying myself, despite the initial shock and the lies that was flowing smoothly like I had practiced for this exact moment. Elena was easy to talk to and her genuine interest in me was flattering because I knew no one had ever picked an interest in me. So her curiosity warmed my heart.
As we continued to chat, I moved on to my favorite books and authors and Elena listened with rapt attention. "I always wanted to own my own painting studio one day." I said, my voice filled with a mix of excitement and nervousness.
Elena's face softened, and she placed a gentle hand on my arm. "You should do it, dear. Life's too short to put your dreams on hold."
The feeling of guilt weighed heavily on my shoulders, knowing I was lying to her about my relationship with her son. "Thank you." I whispered with a smile.
Elena's eyes glimmered while she listened to me talk, her face alight with joy as she asked me questions and laughed at my response. I found myself laughing along with her, feeling a sense of connection that I hadn't felt in a long time and at that moment, I was grateful for her presence.
As the conversation flowed, I began to forget about the circumstances of my situation and just enjoyed the warmth and kindness of this woman. But beneath the surface, I was also seething with questions. What was Reid's game? Why had he lied to his parents? And what did he plan to do with me by keeping me locked here like a special prisoner?
I glanced at the clock and was surprised to see that we'd been talking for over an hour. Elena seemed to notice my glance and smiled. "I think I've monopolized the conversation long enough, dear. Tell me, how do you like living with my son?"
I thought for a while, the house was beautiful but it was also a prison to me, a fancy one. "The….the experience has been lovely." I said, trying to sound sincere.
Elena gave a beaming smile at my response. "Reid is treating you well, right?"
If we forgot the part he held me at gunpoint or the part where he had almost crushed my jaw with his hands while he threatened to gouge out my eyes and dismember my body, then yes. "Oh yes, he's a really good guy and he treats me well."
Immediately I completed my sentence, the front door swung opened and the man who I had been wanting to see all week long was dressed in a tailored grey suit as he looked just as handsome as he was on the first night we had met.
His sharp gaze landed on me before taking in the presence of his mother which made his face freeze like he had just seen a ghost.
"Mama."