Mated To The Cruel Prince
Chapter 393: Who Are You?

Chapter 393: Who Are You?

"But with the support of our family, all of that could be Aldric’s," Elena said, her eyes shining with excitement.

Juan jerked back as if her daughter had struck her, though physically was untouched. However, Elena’s words were a slap on the face, and real fear washed over her, realizing the extent of her daughter’s fixation.

It wasn’t just the fear of what Queen Maeve would do upon realizing she was harboring a relative in her palace who was not interested in her son but the dark Fae prince. However, it was the realization she was already thinking of using her family’s influence for the doomed prince. She wanted them dead.

Her lips trembled, "You would commit treason?"

"I think you are abusing that word, mother," Elena said as she stood up, walked over to the mirror, and began to check herself out.

She continued, insensitive to her mother’s feelings, "Aldric is a prince and a strong contender for the throne. While you Fae wouldn’t admit it, he’s far stronger than Valerie. You say Prince Theodore has a messy private life but Aldric’s record is clean. Nor is he a philanderer like his brother Andre," Elena looked at her from over her shoulder and smirked," You can trust him with my life. "

"Elena!" Juan screamed her name out of frustration, veins bulging in her neck and face. Her hands were shaking, her eyes wide as she stared at the daughter she couldn’t recognize anymore.

This can’t be her daughter. This was not her daughter. Elena was stubborn, but she wouldn’t bring her this heartbreak.

With shaky legs, Juan approached the stranger in front of her, leaving just a little space between them. She looked up, her eyes searching, as if trying to recognize something she had no idea about. There was a desperation in her gaze, a yearning for familiarity, something to grasp onto. She sought reassurance that she wasn’t losing her mind, that this was indeed her thoughtful daughter standing before her.

"Who are you?" She whispered, a lump in her throat.

Elena was lost in her own reflection, initially oblivious to her mother’s words, and the fact that Juan hadn’t spoken aloud.

With her voice still trembling, the Fae repeated, "Who are you?"

Elena heard it this time but she took the question lightly. Fluffing her hair, she chuckled, "What are you talking about, mother?"

But Juan steadied herself and asked fiercely this time, "Who are you?!"

Elena stopped what she was doing entirely and turned to face her mother. There was a guarded look in her eyes like that of an apex predator who sensed a mole hiding amongst her younglings.

"Mother, what are you —" She tried to reach for her but Juan jerked away from her, and that made her face tighten with a frown.

She folded her arms, annoyed, "What’s up with you, mother?"

Juan shook her head, thinking carefully as she said, "I thought that you were merely stressed about the whole thing but I just realized there’s something off about you. Elena I know, would never let me grovel this much for a favor that would benefit her and the rest of her family. I know that I am hard on her and she might feel resentful but in the end, she would always do what is —"

"Or maybe you never knew me too well." Elena snarked.

"Oh, contrary to thoughts, I know you well enough that you would never be this disrespectful towards me." Juan kept on realizing the few things about her that felt off. She had not been paying attention to them earlier but now. It was clear as day.

"Mother, you’re beginning to sound crazy. What are you trying to point out, I’m your daughter."

But Juan ignored her, still thinking about their interactions so far. She scoffed, "Seriously, Aldric?" Her gaze sharpened, "I knew some of the other families would be jealous of your accomplishment and would plan to thwart your success. This must be them planning to put you out of your competition."

She gasped as it dawned on her, "They must have cast a spell on you. How else would they disgrace the Raysin family if not to spell their precious daughter so she could choose the worst of the princes and bring her family to ruin? By the gods! I need to check on you right now." Elena’s mother reached for her only for her to swat it away.

"No, leave me alone, mother. What in the Fae is wrong with you?" Elena was both perplexed and annoyed by her mother’s weird attitude.

"We have to rid whatever spell the enemies have placed on you!" Juan was crazed as she grabbed her hand intending to pull her towards the door and to someone who might be able to help her.

"No, let me be! Get off me, mother!" Elena pushed her with so much force that she stumbled back and fell.

For a moment, there was nothing but shocked silence as mother and daughter stared at each other and the implications of what just happened.

"M-mother," Elena stuttered, unable to believe she had pushed her.

Juan as well had her mouth wide open in shock. Did her daughter push her to the ground? Her jaw clamped shut, more determined than ever that her daughter needed fixing.

"Look, I’m sorry. It’s not like I did it on purpose anyway. You were forcing me and I had to do something ...." Elena was still explaining when her mother stood up with vengeance in her eyes. The gesture of her daughter pushing her down strengthened her purpose.

Elena swallowed, her spine had straightened up and she searched around cautiously like a cornered animal. While she was strong and could probably overpower her, but then this was her mother and they were in the palace. If rumors were to surface that she had fought her mother on the night of the ball, it was going to be disastrous.

Not only would it wreck her reputation, however, if the source of the problem were to be discovered.... No, she can’t let that happen.

An anxious silence fell between them, each waiting for the other to make a move, trapped in a web of suspicion and fear. But before the tension could escalate further, a knock interrupted their standoff.