Her attention snaps to me. “Excuse me?”
“You’re mean.”
Eloise scoffs, her nose tipping up. “Are you going to run back and tell your mummy?”
I don’t glance away from Grace. “Your son is hurting. He’s upset. And you are comforting the girl making up lies about him.”
“Charlotte,” Drew soothes, reaching for me, but I side-step him.
“No, they need to hear this,” I order.
His lips twitch. “Okay.”
I point at Grace. “You have a son who runs a successful business. So successful he has fighters lining up to use his gym, to train with him and my cousin. But even if he wasn’t successful, you have a son who respects women. Who helps a half-dressed, beaten woman late at night,” I choke out, tears falling down my cheeks. “You have a son who may look a little rough on the outside, but is the kindest, most loving man on the inside. Someone who teaches self-defence classes for free to help survivors of violence.” I give them a moment to digest my words, but I know, from the cold look she is giving me, it isn’t enough. They need it all. If she can’t accept her son after this, she doesn’t deserve him. “He saved me. Not just the night I staggered into his gym, but after. He helped me when I refused to admit I even needed help. That’s the man who stands before you. Why you continue to belittle him, belittle his achievements like they mean nothing, I’ll never understand.” Drew’s hand runs down my arm and I shiver, even as I press into the touch. With another deep breath, I continue, this time addressing Eloise. “I understand why you want him. He is everything a woman could wish for. But he’s not yours. He’s never been yours. And telling people otherwise, you’re only embarrassing yourself.”
“You ginger bitch,” she sneers.
I run my fingers over my red curls. My brows pull together. “I prefer the term redhead.”
Eloise heaves out a breath. “Are you really going to let her do this? Her verbal diarrhoea is not needed here. If not for me, then take a look at your family, look at what it’s doing to them. You don’t want that.”
“You helped her?” Alison asks, her voice barely a whisper as she clings to her fiancé.
“Yes,” he replies, tensing.
Alison’s gaze snaps to mine. “You were hurt?”
“So much so that when the doctors were examining me, I wanted to die. I had my mum, who I love so, so much on one side, and my dad, who is my hero, on the other, and yet I wanted to die. The meds numbed the pain internally and the injuries covering me, but they did nothing to numb my heart,” I choke out as Drew’s embrace surrounds me. My gaze never once leaves her, even though I can feel the stares from the others on me. “And then I clung to the hoodie I had on. It still had his scent on it and I was suddenly transported back to the gym where I finally felt safe. I remembered the soft words he gave me, the gentleness in his touch and the kindness in his heart. I remembered how he got me home. He made me feel safe.” I stop, the ball expanding in my throat as I turn to his mum. “That is the son you raised. It doesn’t matter if he’s a doctor, gym owner or a litter picker, because he’s a good man.”
Drew kisses the top of my head as he runs his hand down my arm. “We are going to go,” he announces. “We’ll be here tomorrow, but for tonight, it’s best if we leave, but say now if you don’t want us coming.”
It takes a moment for Alison to snap out of her haze. “No one is going to start anything tomorrow. Are they, Mum?” Her tone holds no argument.
Grace, who still doesn’t look happy, nods. “No,” she croaks, staring at her son like it’s the first time she has seen him.
“You can’t be buying this,” Eloise pipes up.
“Shut up!” I yell, startling everyone. “Stop making it worse for them. Let them heal. Leave him be, for heaven’s sake.”
“But—”
“But nothing,” I snap, my hands and knees shaking.
“Maybe it’s best if you leave,” Natalie declares.
The hurt on Eloise’s expression may have made me feel sorry for her had it not been for the ugly snarl she sends her back. “We were going to have a baby.”
“There was no baby,” Natalie snaps.
“What?” Grace asks, looking between the two.
Natalie doesn’t say anything for a moment until she turns to her brother. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being a bitch to you, and I’m sorry I cornered you at the fight.”
He nods, and suddenly, Eloise pales. “Natalie.”
Natalie shoots her a glare. “Don’t,” she warns, then turns to her brother. “I figured it out that night. She’s had a coil since she was sixteen. She must have it changed every five years and I ran through it in my head. She had it changed the year before, right before my birthday because I went with her.”
“Natalie,” Eloise hisses.
“I left that night because I wanted no part in it but then she came the next day and said Charlotte attacked her, and I believed her. I believed her because she’s always been there for me,” she explains, before turning to me. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for what you went through, that we treated you like that. We’re sorry.”
I nod, and my fingers tighten around Drew’s.
Eloise screeches so loud, and stomps her foot, that I have to take a step back. “She’s gay!” she yells, pointing to Natalie.
Grace falls back into Wesley. “You are a gay?”
Natalie snorts. “It’s not a thing, Mum. Get over it.”
“Get over it?”
I swear my ears bleed from the sheer volume of Grace screaming. Natalie waves to us before heading back into the house, his mum and Wesley following her.
Eloise takes one last look at us before stomping away, going to toward a car.
Alison and her fiancé step forward. “So that happened.”
Drew chuckles. “We really are sorry your party was disturbed.”
She waves us off. “They’ve probably not even noticed we’ve left,” she admits. “You don’t have to go. The bitch has gone.”
“We do,” he states. “If you don’t want us to be there tomorrow, please, just let me know. I won’t be offended.”
Her nose scrunches up. “I will be. I’ll speak to Mum later but after that little speech, I can’t see her being a problem. She’s just too stubborn to admit when she’s wrong.”
I paste on a smile. “I’m sorry for yelling and for ruining your night.”
Alison tilts her head, scanning me over like she’s analysing me. “Have you ever heard Ava Max’s, Sweet but Psycho?”
My nose twitches. “Um, yes, why?”
“The song reminds me of you. I’m not sure if it’s the red hair, but you have a fire inside you.”
“Isn’t that about a girl who poisons her cheating ex?”
Alison laughs. “Not literally about you. Just parts. Although I could see you reacting that way if Drew cheated.”
I can’t smother my laughter. “I wouldn’t need to. My family would get there first.”
Drew gulps. “On that note, we are going to go and let you get back to your family.”