My Crazy Cantaloupe 💕

Why I left you.

Can POV
She took me to an extravagant hotel. 'Medthanan luxury hotel and restaurant' the board announced and damn it was really screaming rich. Many times I tend to forget that Tin is extremely rich. I live in his huge house but he keeps telling me how it's not his. And other than that the only stuff he owns that I know of is his car and the call centre I work in.

But now seeing this extravagant hotel and knowing that he owns multiple hotels like this, I suddenly felt inadequate. I didn't miss the look on his dad gave me when I was leaving with my mother and it doesn't take a Sherlock Holmes to figure out that his mom hates me too. Why wouldn't they?

Me, a cheap not-so-good looking student getting close to their son who is dubbed as one of the most eligible bachelors of the country. Anyone would hate that. And it's definitely not like we are trying to hide. Which is funny considering we didn't even tell each other how we feel, coming to that why didn't he tell me yet? Isn't he sure by now? Is he trying to repress his feelings and move on because I am not worth it?

I am thinking too much.

Maybe it's the pressure of what my mother was going to say. Tin likes me, I can feel it and the fact that he doesn't shy away from showing it is enough proof. Maybe he needs more time to put it in words, maybe I need to step up and tell him instead of waiting. Maybe now is the time.

I promised myself that irrespective of what my mother tells me today, I'll tell Tin that I like him. He can take as much time as he wants to decide when he wants to love me back.

I didn't even realise that we had reached her suite. It looked beautiful despite being so monochromatic, as much as I liked the colour, I did appreciate the sophisticated atmosphere whites or browns or blacks created. It is a one-bedroom suite with a king-size bed that has a private pool. I have never seen an indoor pool and now that I saw it my dream house had a new addition. My mother gestured towards the enormous couch and I immediately sat on it feeling the soft leather.

"Can, do you drink?" My mother asked holding up a bottle of alcohol which looked like it might be wine. But I don't know rich stuff and I do have an exam to fail tomorrow.
"I do mam but not today." I tell her politely. I wanted to jump into questions but I decided there is not point in being rude to her.

"Okay, I'll pour myself a glass then. Would you like juice or coffee or dinner maybe? I reckon you haven't eaten?" She asked me looking concerned. That's surprising for a woman who left me as a child with a infant sister.
"No mam, I am fine." I lied. Even my love for food couldn't win over my resentment I feel towards her.

I thought I wouldn't hate her. But with every passing minute I couldn't help hate how when Lay and I were busy trying to sustain she was out here living in luxury, not giving a flying fuck about her kids.

"I am sorry, Can." She whispered as if she was able to hear my thoughts. She settled next to me with her wine glass and her eyes started tearing up. "I can't imagine how you feel but all your anger is justified. I have been a terrible mother. Hell, I have never been a mother to you except when I gave birth to you. I am so sorry."

I could feel my own eyes getting filled with unshed tears.
"Why would you leave me like that?" I whispered.

"Can I tell you everything. I just need you to keep an open mind and try to understand me. I am not trying to justify my actions it's just that there couldn't have been a better way to go about the situation." She told me while lightly laying a hand on mine. I nod ready to take it in.

"Your father and I met when I was barely 15. He was almost 9 years elder than me and started as a pastor in the local church where my parents went every Sunday. He was nice and 'godly', but what I didn't realise then was that he started grooming me from then.

Telling me stuff about modesty, motherhood and how my dreams of flying across the globe to the U.S would just ruin my spirituality. He got me pregnant the minute I turned 18 and then played the hero in front my parents by offering to marry me." She stopped to suck in a breath.

"Even I thought he was being nice until the real abuse began. He kept me confined indoors not letting me talk to anyone even my parents. I had you and I was happy taking care of you but at the back of my mind, I always had this stabbing sensation that I had lost something.

That is when, fortunately for me and unfortunately for him, our finances started dwindling as the church got into some trouble. He had no choice but to let me work because we had to survive we needed some income. I started making dresses for this textile company and that I when I met Kulap, the owner of this small company I worked in." For the first time in the story, she smiled and I recognised the emotion.

"You feel in love." I murmured softly and she nods.

"You would know." She said teasingly and I blushed. So we are indeed obvious. "Anyway, she recognised my talent and offered me a partnership where I design stuff and she sells them. We worked with the company to success and by then your father caught on to my love story and-" She chocked on her words. I reached out her hand and squeezed it in understanding.

"It's okay you don't have to tell me if it's hard." I tell her and she shakes her head.
"No, you and Lay deserve to know Can. I owe you the truth. Your father he- he raped me and got me pregnant with your sister." Tears started oozing out of my eyes as I got closer to her and hugged her.

"I was devastated. He locked me up again but this time I wasn't naive. I was already in love with the perfect woman and I was finding success in something I loved to do. I gave birth to Lemon and tries to remain strong but my selfishness got the best of me and one night I just escaped. We ran away to Greece where we had recently opened a new factory and worked from there." I couldn't stop myself from asking.

"Why didn't you come back for us?"
"I did come back Can. I came back two years after I ran away after I was sure I had the finances and the guys to stand up to your father. But he threatened me that if I tried to take the kids away he'd go and tell the media how I changed my identity and left my kids and husband to pursue a life of my own. If all that came out my newly budding designer career would have crash landed. So, I made him sign an agreement where in return to his silence I would pay for Lemon and your education, food and livelihood. He did."

"Wait you have been paying for us?" I ask her shocked. My dad is more despicable that I thought.
"Yes, Can. I never had the heart to face your after all that I did as I thought you'd hate me. But I tried to support both of you as much as I can. When you both decided to leave Thailand, I knew your father wouldn't support you so I paid that agent Mr. Choi to help you. I got you and Lemon the scholarship and arranged whatever little things I could. It clearly wasn't enough but that was all I could do."

My minds reels back to the past noticing now how everything seemed to fall together for our journey to America. I didn't even stop to question why it was so easy.
"Thank you." I tell her grateful that she didn't real leave us and after all that she told my dad had done I wouldn't even blame her if she left us.

"Thank you for understanding, Can." She hugs me tightly." But now that we are here. I think you should know that you and Lay are my and Kulap's only children we left everything we have to you in our will." I gasped in shock.

"No I don't-"
"Can, you are extremely capable and this is not kindness, this is your right. I would have left it to you anyway and was planning for all this to be a death bed confession." She laughs. "But this is better I guess and if you want to you can start working in the company from tomorrow or after your graduation or whenever you want."

God, that was a long ass chapter. More of mother son discussion is left but do you think she is justified?  Do you think Can should just forgive her like that? Also all these new found money and responsibilities is it a jackpot or a curse? I don't know 😅