Nothing Without You | 2gether AU

13 - What Matters

Sarawat's POV

"I don't approve" said Lady Vichitra.

"Tine deserves someone who can take him further in life, be an equal partner in his success. He is the heir to GMM Enterprises. You are not suitable for him" she said, looking at me steadily.

The Chairman opened his mouth to speak. Lady Vichitra held up her hand and he bit back his words.

"You're married. You don't have a name or a status that stands for anything. You don't have money. You have a child, and as much as I adore Win, and I truly do, you're a liability for Tine and to our business.

Tine is not just our ward. He is as much my grandson as Pear is my granddaughter, possibly more. I owe his parents everything. And on their behalf, I will look out for his interests first and above all else.

If Pear is not the one for him, I understand. But he deserves better, he deserves more."

There was so much veracity to her words that I did not know what to say.

She had laid bare every single doubt, fear, misgiving and insecurity I ever had about being with Tine. And she was absolutely justified.

I felt detached from my surroundings, my mind numbed by the aftershocks of the truth bomb that had been hurled at me. The shrapnel pierced the utopian illusion that I had created in my mind about a happily ever after that could not exist.

I felt ashamed and foolish. Why had I never realized this before?

Why did I ever think I deserved Tine? He was way out of my league.

I looked at my son, playing happily with the kittens.

I thought back to the many times that Pam had texted asking for money, but never about her own son. My relationship with her, clinical as it was, was complicated and permanent. She would always be the mother of my child.

We were liabilities.

Oh God, what had I done? Why did I get Tine involved in this mess? I was responsible for pulling him into a relationship that would only hold him back.

I raised my head and looked at Lady Vichitra. I could feel heat radiating from behind my eyes and my vision went blurry.

"You're right about everything you just said. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm so sorry" I whispered.

Guilt and shame gnawed at me from within. I found my breath sitting heavy in my chest and my lungs seemed to be filled with lead.

I stood, swaying slightly. Lost, miserable and broken.

I walked towards Win. I had to leave before I completely lost it.

Tine's POV

"I'm sorry, Mistress, but you're wrong" I said in a clear, measured tone. I saw the effect her words had on Wat, and it filled me with a cold fury.

"I don't deserve better, I deserve what is good for me. I don't deserve more, I deserve to be happy.

I know you want the best for me and I am grateful for it. Everything I am today, everything I have achieved, is because of you and Master. I can never repay you for what you've given me.

But you've never asked me what I wanted to be or do. You've always set me on the path that you thought I should walk on, and I have walked it without any question.

I will continue to do whatever you ask of me when it comes to the business. I will stay if you let me, and leave if you want me to.

But on the matter of who I want to spend my life with, I respectfully refuse to accept your judgement.