Just a Marriage License

1
The day my father and his ex-girlfriend made headlines at a gala, everyone was laughing at my mother.
She had given up a flourishing career to be with a man from a powerful dynasty, only to spend thirty years without a title, without a ring, without even the right to call out his mistress.
After a long cry, my mother looked at me, her eyes clouded with exhaustion.
"He betrayed me first," she said softly. "So I'm done with him."
She took my hand. "Ellie, will you come with me?"
Just then, my phone buzzed. A message from John, my boyfriend of seven years.
[Elara, it's just a piece of paper. Can't you still be my girlfriend?]
I stared at the screen for a long moment, then slowly nodded at my mother.
And so, on the day of their wedding, my mother and I vanished in the flames of the villa.

The second I saw the news alert, I rushed home.
My mother was sitting by the window, gazing out at the rose garden she and my father had planted together.
"Ellie, he lied to me." Her voice was a fragile whisper.
"He promised that once he had full control of the Torrence empire, he would marry me."
"I waited thirty years, Ellie. And what I got was the news of his wedding to Isabelle."
I knelt beside her, taking her cold hands in mine. "It's just tabloid gossip, Mom. We don't know if it's true."
"Remember how Grandpa and Grandma threatened to disown him, and he still wouldn't leave you? Now that they're gone, why would he abandon you?"
She picked up an embossed invitation from the table and handed it to me, a bitter smile twisting her lips.
"Mr. Peterson, his assistant, delivered this. He said he hoped I would be prepared, and that I wouldn't make a scene."
"He feels sorry for Isabelle, for the son she raised all alone," she choked out, her voice breaking. "But did he ever once think about me? I gave up everything for him. I was willing to be his wife in all but name for three decades!"
"And my daughter my daughter has been called a bastard for over twenty years!"
"And in the end, all I get is a warning not to 'make a scene'?"
A son?
So that was it. That was why my father was breaking his promise to my mother.
Because Isabelle had secretly given him a son, an heir to the so-called family empire.
And to fulfill his ridiculous sense of 'responsibility,' he was going to make my mother bear the weight of his betrayal?
My mother broke down, pulling me into a desperate hug.
"He broke his promise," she sobbed, "and he expects everything to just stay the same."
"But I am not a mistress. And my daughter is not a bastard."
She pulled back, her fingers gently tracing my face. "Ellie, will you leave with me?"
"Or will you stay here, in Northgate, with that Smith boy?"
At the mention of John, I glanced down at the message on my phone.
[Elara, it's just a piece of paper. Can't you still be my girlfriend?]
I forced a smile and hugged my mother back.
"No," I said, my voice firm. "I'm your daughter, Mom. Of course, I'm going with you."
"As for John and me there's nothing left."
My mother's tears stopped. She looked at me, her face etched with worry. "What happened?"
"You and John were together for seven years. How could he"
I gave a humorless laugh, locking my phone. "Thirty years meant nothing to my father. What's seven years to John?"
"The Smith and Bishop families have a major joint venture in the works."
"John already agreed to the arranged marriage. Their wedding is on the fifteenth of this month."
"And as for me he said everything could stay the same."
My mother's face flushed with anger. "Stay the same?"
"He wants you to be his mistress! That boy has some nerve!"
"This is all my fault," she whispered, fresh tears streaming down her face. She held me tighter, murmuring apologies over and over. "It's because of me that you can't even have a normal relationship."
I stroked her back, my own tears falling silently.
"Mom, this was never our fault."
"Maybe it's better that we found out now. We can leave this place and start over."
"Okay?"
After I settled my mother in her room, I drove back to my apartment.
The moment I opened the door, I saw them. John and Kate Bishop, standing in the middle of my living room.
"Ellie, you're back," John said, a relieved smile on his face. "I knew you wouldn't be able to throw away what we have."
My eyes fell to the wedding band on his finger, and a sarcastic smile touched my lips.
"John. You're wearing your wedding ring, with your future wife, trespassing in my apartment."
"You can't possibly expect me to be happy to see you, can you?"
Hearing the ice in my voice, John rushed to explain. "Ellie, why don't you understand? I've told you a hundred times, marrying Kate is temporary."
"The partnership between our families is out of my hands. And Kate said she said she's willing to accept your presence."
Kate stepped forward then, looking down her nose at me. "John's right."
"Miss Torrence, you may not be aware, but I've seen plenty of girls like you in our circles."
"As long as you don't cause too much trouble, I won't have to get my parents involved. I can even put in a good word for you with the Smiths."
Her condescending gaze swept over me. "After all, being a Torrence is one thing, but being a Su is quite another."
The blatant insult was the final straw. I grabbed a glass of water from the table and threw it in their faces.
"Ah!" Kate shrieked. John fumbled for a tissue, frantically dabbing at her face.
"Elara, are you insane?" he yelled.
"You're the ones who are insane!" I shot back, my eyes cold.
"Miss Bishop, are you deaf or just stupid? John and I were in a serious relationship for seven years. And now I need your acceptance?"
"Did you ask for my permission before putting on this pathetic little play in my home?"
"Now get out of my apartment. Both of you!"
Enraged, Kate stormed up to me. "What are you so proud of, Elara?"
"Your mother shamelessly latched onto the Torrences for years without a marriage license to her name. Now that Mr. Torrence is marrying Isabelle, what is your mother but a common mistress?"
"Like mother, like daughter. You were born to be a mistress!"
"If John hadn't begged for you, you'd never even get a foot in the Smith family's door!"
SLAP!
Before she could finish, my hand connected with her cheek.
The next second, John shoved me. I stumbled backward, my head cracking against the corner of a table.
I clutched my forehead, the room spinning.
"Elara, don't you dare go too far!" John snarled, protectively shielding Kate.
"Don't you get it yet? Once Mr. Torrence marries Isabelle, you and your mother will be nothing but a shameful mistress and her bastard daughter."
"With a background like yours, you're not even worthy of being a kept woman!"
"It's Kate who is being generous, tolerating you for my sake."
"If you don't learn your place, don't blame me for what happens next."
"What happens next?" I laughed, a low, hollow sound. I pushed myself up from the floor and, without a second thought, hurled the empty glass at his head.
It shattered on impact, leaving a trail of blood on his forehead.
Kate screamed, threatening to call the police, but one look from me and she fell silent.
"John, you brought another woman into my home without my permission," I said, my voice dangerously calm. "That's breaking and entering. I'm the one who should be calling the police."
"And I don't need her 'generosity.' Consider my last seven years a gift to the dogs."
Dazed, John stumbled toward the door, but not before firing one last shot.
"Elara, take a good look at yourself. Do you really think you're fit to be the lady of the Smith family?"
"I'll be waiting for the day you come crawling back to me!"
The moment the door slammed shut, my legs gave out. I collapsed onto the floor, silent tears streaming down my face.
John and I had known each other since we were kids. Seven years together.
He knew everything I liked, celebrated every anniversary, and was always there when I needed him.
I thought I had found the person I would spend my life with. We had dreamed about our future together countless times.
But he knew how much I despised infidelity. And yet, for such a pathetic reason, he tried to force me into that very role.
All those years it was all a joke.
He used to say he didn't care about anything else, as long as he had me.
Now, he was telling me to question if I was even worthy of being his wife.
The thought gave me a surge of strength. I got to my feet and looked around the apartment.
From the photo albums to the trinkets and stuffed animals, every single thing had been chosen by us together.
He had called it our "little home," excitedly asking for my opinion on every detail, buying everything I loved.
"Ellie, no matter how mad you get at me in the future, you have to look at all this effort and give me one more chance, okay?"
That's what he had said, holding me, teasing me.
But I had been serious. "That depends on what you do. If you do the one thing I hate most, I will never, ever forgive you."
He had sworn up and down, holding me so tight I could barely breathe. "That will never happen. If it does, I'll go to Lover's Leap where we had our first date and jump off to atone for my sins! Then you can burn my body and scatter the ashes!"
The memories were a knife in my heart.
I picked up my phone and made a call.
"Yes, sell the apartment. As fast as you can."
I had everything ready. Plane tickets for my mother and me were booked.
But my father's assistant found out. He stationed bodyguards outside our house, watching us day and night.
Even on the day of his wedding, he was determined to force us to attend.
When we arrived at the reception, the guests stared.
"It's Mr. Torrence's wedding day. How dare they show their faces here?"
"Isn't it obvious? They're shameless. They must have insisted on coming."
"An actress did she really think she could marry into the dynasty?"
"And her daughter is just as bad. Tried to snag the Smith heir, but he was just playing with her."
"I heard the Smith boy is getting married today, too."
"Yes, to the Bishop girl. A perfect match. A girl like her is completely out of his league."
The whispers and judgmental stares followed us everywhere. I looked at my mother with concern, but she just squeezed my hand, her grip firm.
"Don't worry about me, Ellie." Her voice was calm. "It took thirty years to see him for who he really is. It's a high price to pay, but at least my eyes are open now."
"From now on, we live for ourselves."
The grand doors opened. Isabelle, radiant in a white gown, walked down the aisle. My father, dapper in a tailored suit, watched her approach, his face filled with a tenderness I had never seen.
Their son, Julian, placed Isabelle's hand in my father's.
"Dad, I'm entrusting Mom to you now."
"She suffered a lot to raise me all these years. I hope you'll treat her well."
A look of pride crossed my father's face. He clapped Julian on the shoulder. "Listen to you, lecturing your old man."
"Don't just talk about me. You need to work hard, too."
"One day, the Torrence empire will be in your hands."
It was a picture of familial bliss, and the guests murmured in appreciation.
Then, my father's gaze fell on us.
"And another thing," he said, his voice carrying across the hall. "Your Aunt Liana has been with me for many years. You will show her the proper respect in the future."
"What is rightfully yours will be yours."
"But don't get any foolish ideas. I know where to draw the line."
The warning was clear. The scornful, suspicious looks returned.
I squeezed my mother's hand back. Just then, my phone vibrated. It was a video.
On the screen, John was gazing into Kate's eyes, making a solemn vow to her parents.
"Mom, Dad," he said earnestly. "You have my word. I will take good care of Kate. I will never let her suffer, not for a single moment."
I took a deep breath and stood up.
"Mr. Torrence, you can spare us the sanctimonious act."
"If my mother were the kind of gold-digger you seem to think she is, she wouldn't have wasted thirty years on you."
"I have no interest in the Torrence name, and neither does my mother."
"You can keep your so-called empire for your precious son."
My father's face contorted with rage. He clearly hadn't expected me to cause a scene.
"Insolence!" he roared. "This is not the time or place for your theatrics!"
"If you don't want to be here, then take your mother and get out!"
A group of bodyguards in black suits quickly surrounded us. They practically dragged us out and shoved us into a car, taking us back to the villa and locking us inside.
As soon as the guards left, I calmly took out my phone and made a call, telling our man, Arthur, to pull his people away.
Years ago, his wife and child were gravely ill. My mother and I paid their medical bills and saved their lives. To repay us, Arthur took a job as a security guard for the Torrences. I never thought we'd actually need his help.
On the television in the living room, news coverage of both weddings was playing.
Watching the two couples share passionate kisses, I saw that the old sadness was gone from my mother's eyes.
She looked at me with a serene smile, picking up her suitcase.
"Ellie," she said. "Let's go."
I nodded firmly. I called the car we had waiting, and took one last look at the villa I had lived in for over twenty years.
Then, I walked away and never looked back.

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