My One and Only

Chapter 7

Thanks to that pesky maid, rumors had immediately started. They had begun with the servants, then reached the noble ladies whose maids simply couldn't keep their mouths quiet. Even Sakura's mother had found out! A woman who was all the way in the Haruno estate located out in the country.

These exact rumors, in fact, were why Mebuki Haruno had decided to pay her daughter a much-needed visit to the capital. So, when Sakura opened the door to her bedroom after her classes, she almost jumped in surprise at the sight of her mother sitting calmly on her bed.

Sakura quickly closed the door to her bedroom before a maid could see inside or barge in. She didn't need anyone else spreading weird things about her.

"Mom?" She approached her mother cautiously. She was aware that her mother had also likely heard about how Itachi had been seen leaving her room late at night and was expecting a reprimand.

"Well, come here, Sakura. Aren't you going to greet me?" Mebuki asked impatiently, tapping her foot. Sakura nervously went over to her mother and gave her a hug before sitting across from her on the bed.

"Now," Mebuki started, taking sakura's hands in hers, "I've heard some interesting things about you lately." Here it came, Sakura thought. Her mother was going to lecture her before she was given a punishment, equally as tedious. 

Looking into her eyes, Mebuki gripped Sakura's hands tighter, "now, tell me the truth. Did you spend the night with him?"

Sakura immediately went red and started to shake her head while incessantly repeating the word no. Of course, Mebuki didn't need to specify, they both knew who she was talking about. With a sigh, Mebuki released sakura's hands annoyedly. Sakura looked in confusion as her mother placed a hand to her forehead before shaking it.

"Listen, dear," Mebuki said as she once again faced her, "our family is well off and has a high status, but it doesn't compare to being part of the royal family."

Sakura eyed her mother. "What are you saying?" She asked.

Mebuki exhaled as if she should have already figured it out by now, "I'm saying that if a certain accident," Mebuki emphasized the word accident," were to happen, it would secure a marriage between you and Itachi-sama."

Sakura stared at her mother for a moment before her eyes widened as she finally understood what her mother was trying to say. She looked at Mebuki scandalized, where was the woman that had always told her to behave like a lady? That had drilled into her head that her virtue was one of the most important things she had? She looked at her mother through new eyes.

"Do you understand now?" Mebuki asked rhetorically after seeing the look on her daughter's face, "Good. Make sure you do something about it." With that Mebuki stood up and headed for the door, leaving a blushing, gaping Sakura behind.

She was startled at Mebuki's words. She couldn't believe this was really coming from her mother. And what in the world did she mean by do something about it?