Chapter 339: A brief rant.
While she waited for Captain George to bring in the Shade family, Sienna paid a visit to the building next door, which her grandmother-in-law had insisted on turning into Elias’s office building. Her husband was working in there today.
When she stormed in, he was having a conversation in his office with the elders. One look from her, and they all left within less than thirty seconds.
Elias stretched his hands behind his head, leaning back in the chair, staring at her with raised eyebrows and a lazy smile. "I think they fear you more than me lately."
Sienna crossed her arms on her chest, pacing from side to side. "She is considering dating him seriously." She babbled out like a fountain of water. "My mother is seriously considering dating Chase Twindell. No...not considering, I saw that spark in her eyes like a light in the eyes of a widow visiting a brothel operated by male foxes who mastered the fox seduction skill."
Elias almost slipped out of his chair. As he righted himself, he shook his head. "Sienna, baby, I don’t think that this is the kind of information a son-in-law needs to hear about his mother-in-law."
"What does she really know about men?" Sienna slapped his desk, staring at him sharply, like a criminal she was interrogating. "You want to know who the most gullible woman in this empire is? It’s her!! It’s Missy Miller. I mean Paris never bought her flowers even once and she got pregnant for him twice." She lifted her right hand, counting off with her fingers.
"One, two. One pregnancy was not enough to assure her that he was bad news the first time round. It took a second pregnancy for her to learn." She raised her hand to stop him from talking, despite the fact that he was not doing so. "No, even then she did not learn. It took news of him being a rebel and having a whole other family for her to wake up. If that sleaze bag were alive today and he came around, she would be pregnant already."
"I am sure my mother-in-law learned her lesson after the second visit." Elias replied slowly.
Sienna huffed. "Her dating history is basically empty because all it has is Paris Rocland. Now, she is using that as the blueprint for her love life going forward. You should have heard her talking about Chase Twindell." She tilted her head from side to side, mimicking her mother, "Oh Chase, he is so handsome and he is friends with all the stars in the sky and he bought me flowers. He pointed out the name of a street to me as if I could not read! It was amazing. I want to run away from home and start another family with him."
"I don’t think that’s what she said." Elias said with a smile.
She snapped at him. "You were not there, you don’t know what she said."
Elias considered telling her that Liman had been spying on them and she had already told him the content of their conversation. But, considering her mood, he figured it was best to shut up. "For what it’s worth, Chase Twindell is a good man."
"Oh yeah," Sienna’s brows shot up. "Why is he divorced then?"
"Because his wife thought he was boring and she was craving excitement." Elias sighed. "He is a proper family man. He treated his wife and children well and he is fair in all his dealings. He is the opposite of his shrewd father. When Arleen divorced him, he gave her three billion, even though he did not have to. He did it because she is the mother of his children. If there is a man you can trust not to swindle your mother’s feelings and money while securing her future, Chase Twindell is it. You should consider supporting them."
Sienna stomped he foot, huffed and left his office. Elias exhaled and shook his head. To him, it seemed like the issue was not just about her mother dating. It was insecurity. Fear that her mother would leave and probably take Soren too. They were her family in this world, and she wanted to keep them in a cage where she could watch and protect them. His wife was as possessive as Ali, in her own ways.
When Sienna returned to her office, she put away her emotions as Captain George had returned with the Shade family. The air was already with tension.
Mr. Shade, a tall wolf beast man, held his wife’s hand tightly. Mrs. Shade, a fox beast woman, looked pale but resolute. Their children, a young man and woman, stood side by side, defiant yet nervous.
Sienna studied them. Noah’s arm was protectively around Willow’s shoulders. He was almost as tall as his father. Willow’s chin was lifted, daring anyone to challenge her bond.
Sienna begun. "Let’s not waste time on pleasantries because this is not a pleasant situation. You all understand why you are here. The law does not permit step-siblings to marry. Nor does it allow a family to exist in this contradictory state. One marriage must end. Make it easy for me and make the choice yourselves so I don’t have to be the bad guy in all of your love stories."
Noah spoke first and quickly. "We have been together since first grade. We knew each other before our parents even met. We are not blood-related. Our love is real."
Mr. Shade countered, voice firm. "And what of us? We have built a home together. We both lost our spouses and we understand each other. We share love, pain and responsibilities. Are we to be punished for our children’s choices?" He looked at his son. "You should have been a man and said something the moment I told you that I was dating Lavensia. We would have stopped. But you two said nothing."
Mrs. Shades eyes filled with tears. "We only wanted happiness. Is that a crime?"
Sienna leaned back in her chair. "Mothers always know or suspect when their children are dating. I find it hard to believe that you had no clue Willow and Noah were involved. They have been together since childhood for crying out loud. Maybe you chose to turn a blind eye because an open one would cause so much pain and resentment.
I understand that none of you is willing to give up their happiness. And I also understand that your children are not related by blood. But the law is not swayed by sentiment and DNA alone. It demands order. No matter what explanation you, one pair must separate." She slipped the divorce papers forward. "We have to decide which couple is breaking up. Right here and right now."