Page 133 of Axe Backwards
Before I could formulate a response, Noah was on his feet.
“Mrs. Randolph, I have no idea what crawled up your ass, but your daughter is an incredible person. The judgmental looks, the snide remarks, and the constant hand-wringing are no longer welcome in her life. You should be ashamed of yourself and of the way you behave toward your daughter.”
Eyes bulging, Alex rubbed her rounded belly. “Who do you think you are?”
Noah turned slowly to face her, a slow smile spreading across his face.
“I’m the man who intends to marry her.”
My heart lurched and my mouth went dry.
Graham gasped and took a step back.
“Upgrade,” Aunt Lou whispered a little too loudly.
“That is, if she’ll even consider getting married again. You”—he pointed at Graham—“ruined that institution for her, so thanks for that, you feckless prick.”
I was pretty sure my jaw had hit the floor. Noah was typically easygoing and silly. I’d never seen this take-no-shit version of him. Usually, my family’s behavior made me feel small and insignificant. But right now I felt powerful. I was done with their shitty treatment.
Alex huffed. “Don’t talk to my husband like that.”
“And you? You better hope you’re half the mother Vic is. She’s done nothing but nurture my daughter and show love, kindness, and devotion to her since the day we met. Caring for others is her superpower. She can’t bear the suffering of any child. Did you know that she doesn’t pay herself? She’s workingher ass off for free so she can devote every penny to feeding hungry people. Tell me, what was the last selfless thing you did?”
He cocked a brow. When she didn’t respond, he chuckled darkly.
Mom lifted her chin. “This is none of your business.”
Noah didn’t stop. He acted as though she hadn’t spoken. “All she asks for in return is your respect and a little kindness. And you can’t even be bothered to give her that.”
Alex’s face was beet red and her hands were clenched. For a moment, I worried she’d punch him square in the face.
It was about time someone told her off.
Standing beside Noah, I was hit with a rush of bravery.
I put a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you,” I said. “But I can fight my own battles.”
“Victoria,” Mom seethed, her eyes hard. “How can you let this man speak to us this way?”
“Mom, I’m done.” I shrugged.
People were staring, but I didn’t care. After what I’d been through, the last thing I needed was my mother’s bullshit.
“I’ve spent my life trying to impress you, trying to live up to the family name. Trying to be the perfect daughter. I know now that I’ll never be what you want me to be. The good news is that you already have two of those daughters. So you can leave me alone.”
Mom’s face pinched. “You’ve always been such a disappointment.”
Normally, those words would gut me. Today, they didn’t even register. I no longer needed her approval.
“You’re the disappointment.” I breathed deeply and pulled my shoulders back. “After all these years, you’re still insecure and superficial. You’ve pushed me away and you’ve pushed Alexandra and Elizabeth into miserable marriages. You ignoreyour grandkids and spend all your energy chasing status. It’s a shame all your money can’t buy any self-awareness.”
My mother scoffed.
“Please leave,” I said. “This is my home, my town, and my family.”
Behind me, a chair scraped across the floor, then another and another.
Aunt Lou appeared at my side, with her cane ready to strike.
