The Love From Vengeance

307: TALK THE TALK

LUKE’S POV

My frustration simmered beneath the surface as Catherine remained silent, her refusal to speak only fueling my growing desperation. I looked to my mother, and the weight of the situation was heavy in the air.

“What happened between you two?” I demanded, and now I was frustrated as hell. ” You have to tell me, Mom. We can’t fix this if we don’t know what’s going on.

My mother’s eyes flickered with sadness as she hesitated; the pain of whatever they had gone through was evident in her expression. “Luke, it’s not that simple,” she began, and her voice was filled with regret.

But I wasn’t willing to accept excuses anymore. “No, Mom, it *is* that simple,” I insisted, my tone firm. “Whatever happened between you and Catherine, it’s tearing her apart. And if we’re going to put an end to this, you need to tell me the truth.”

Catherine’s gaze flickered between us, her expression a mixture of fear and

uncertainty. I could see the turmoil raging within her and the weight of her silence bearing down on us all.

My mother sighed, her shoulders slumping with resignation. “Fine,” she whispered. “I’ll tell you.”

I held my breath, waiting for her to speak, to finally shed light on the darkness that had engulfed us.

“It hadn’t been too long,” my mother began, her voice quivering. Catherine was going through a difficult time, and I wasn’t there for her like I should have been.”

My heart clenched at her words, the guilt and regret evident in her voice. “What do you mean you weren’t there for her?” I pressed, my voice urgent.

My mother’s gaze dropped to the floor, unable to meet my eyes. “My own problems so consumed me and struggles that I neglected her. I let her down, Luke. And I’ve regretted it every day since.”

The weight of her confession hung heavy in the air, and silence stretched between

eyes brimmed with tears, and her walls crumbled around her.

this whole sh*t up. I didn’t

as she looked at my mother, her expression was filled with

a confused

“Yes, that isn’t all”

she did

to

as the

my spine gravity of her revelation sank in. “What

was one night… she came into my room, and she had this look in her eyes… like she wasn’t herself. She tried to suffocate me with a pillow, Luke. I thought I was going to die.”

denial or explanation. But all I found was a haunted expression, her eyes

asked, my

even remember what it was. But I swear, I would never intentionally hurt Catherine. I love her like my own daughter. I did tell you I was into drugs, right? Yes,

and you know it! You tried to kill me,

TALK THE TALK

my mother told me she was an addict. But should I believe that? I mean, I couldn’t actually verify that. After what this woman did to me, I couldn’t even trust her words anymore. I didn’t know, but the

to believe,” I admitted, my voice heavy with

I was in

know, you still take drugs. So

you that

I changed after what happened to night–the night you were shot. I was broken, and I became a

to let it take

nodded. ‘But Luke. I love Catherine so much. I

shook her head, her resolve unyielding. “Don’t listen to her, Luke. She’s lying to you. She almost killed me, and she needs