Inner Scars

It was night and Marcus Pierre was alone in his room, going through the topics that he learned in the university during the day.

When the fact that every subject was tougher than last semester crossed his mind, he was reminded of his fiancee who would surely have a hard time trying to understand them. He was willing to help her if needed but... their conversation in the day didn't make it possible.

Did Emery really mean what she said? Why was everything so hard?

Marcus Pierre was so busy with his thoughts that he didn't even know his mother was entering his room.

"What are you thinking, son?" Dr. Lucia Pierre was flustered to notice that her son really zoned out while studying. She knew how devoted Marcus was towards his studies and... this wasn't like him at all.

Startled, Marcus Pierre turned his chair around and let out a breath when he saw his mother. "You startle me, Mom. I don't even hear you enter."

Mrs. Pierre chuckled and walked closer to her son. Then she stood behind his chair. "I come to ask you how's class today but you were zoning out," she mused. "Seems like something big happens."

"There's no such thing," Marcus Pierre replied with a subtle smile on his face. He observed his mother and asked, "Do you just come home? You should take it easy, Mom. What if you overwork yourself?"

"That's strange coming from a top student who spends all his time studying," Dr. Lucia playfully retorted, making Marcus sigh.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Maybe," Lucia Pierre shrugged. "But I can already see that you'll become a workaholic just like your dad. So, I'm not that eager to see you finish your studies."

"Don't worry," Marcus said to his mother with a bright smile. "No matter how busy I become, I will always make sure to spare time for you. I won't allow you to be lonely even when you become old."

"Wow!" The mother exclaimed and added, "That feels so good to hear." Still standing, she placed her hands on Marcus's shoulders when she said, "What good deeds did I ever do to have a son like you?"

"Maybe you forget that you're a doctor who has been saving the lives of many people," Marcus dryly pointed out, making his mother laugh.

"You've become so good with words that I missed the time when you were little. You're all grown up now." She narrowed her eyes and her voice sounded quite low when she asked, "You will be continuing your studies abroad next year, right?"

"That's my plan." Glancing up at his mother, there was a playful smile on Marcus's face. "You seem upset about it, Mom."

Lucia Pierre maintained her silence for a while and then took a seat on another chair next to her son. "You've never been away from me. I'm afraid I won't be able to let you go."

"I can just finish my studies here if you think that way."

Mrs. Pierre eventually smiled again when she heard her son. "Do you think I'll be okay with that? I also know how much studying abroad will help you once you start working in the family business."

"Don't you believe in me?" Marcus let out a light chuckle and added, "Even if I don't study abroad, I think it will still be fine. I'm confident enough."

There was no response for a while but the mother never took her gaze off her son. Though there was a calm smile on her face, it seemed as if she was bothered by something. Marcus waited patiently, until...

"I met your mother today."

Marcus's calm face was slowly replaced by a darkened one but before it got worse, he turned away, refusing to say anything.

"Marcus," Dr. Lucia muttered, patiently. "I know you don't want to meet her or talk about her but... she's still your mother; the one who gave birth to you."

"Just because she gave birth to me, it doesn't mean that she's my mother," Marcus Pierre argued in a low yet cold voice.

"Marcus -"

"What has she ever done for me?!" Marcus Pierre snapped as he shifted his gaze back to his 'stepmother'. When he noticed the flusterment in the latter's face, he realized how he just raised his voice at her. Then he narrowed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mother. I don't mean to do that."

Dr. Lucia stared at her son who was always so good at hiding his inner scars. She was reminded of the time she first met him when he was just 9. Back then, he was a young and broken-hearted boy who hated the world and even himself. But now... he had come so far.

"I understand," she calmly said to Marcus after almost a minute. "It's fine if you don't want to meet her or talk to her. You have the right to do that."

"Why did you meet her?" Marcus asked in a low yet pained voice. "Did she come to see you again? Why is she always so shameless?"

"Marcus, don't talk about her that way." Dr. Lucia's voice was calm yet there was still a hint of sternness in it. "Even if others did, at least you shouldn't do it. I don't raise you that way."

Though Marcus didn't agree with his mother, her last sentence rendered him tight-lipped. She might be his stepmother but she was always like a real mother to him and he had huge respect for her. He didn't want to let her down. Ever.

Once again, Dr. Lucia stared at her son and remained quiet for a while. "No matter what you decide, I will always be on your side. Know that." She gently patted him on the shoulder before she rose from her seat and said, "It's almost time for dinner. Your father will be late and we will have to eat without him."

With that, she walked out of Marcus's room.

Though he was now alone, Marcus Pierre couldn't think of anything else. All the while, what his mother just said echoed in his ears.

'Even if others did, at least you shouldn't do it.'

He can't agree with this because he strongly believed that if there was anyone who should loath his birth mother the most, it should be him. His father would surely come next.

Other people were the ones who didn't have the right to do that because as far as he could remember, his birth mother was always busy entertaining others as a famous actress while she never had time for him, her own son.....