Chapter 58
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After I send the congratulatory email off to the staff of the month, my phone rings. Not my office phone but my cell phone which is unusual. I don’t get a lot of calls from anyone other than Isla, and she wouldn’t call me at work like this.
ngry voice.
“Fiona Kate Bowen!” I yank the phone away from my car, surprised by my maiden name and my fath
“Dad, to what do I owe the pleasure?” I ask once he stops yelling. “Did something bad happen on your trip?”
His huffs of frustration and anger are the only thing that reach my ears for a few minutes before he speaks again.
“Of course not, Fiona. Our trip went perfectly fine,” he growls. “I hear you were up to your usual tricks while we were gone.”
Tricks? II anyone is up to tricks, it’s him and Jack. I’ve never tricked him once in my life.
“What are you talking about, Dad? Did something happen?” I ask again, pushing for an answer he doesn’t want to give.
“I already said nothing happened”
“Then why are you so angry? You said I’ve been up to tricks, but what are you talking about?”
He groans in anger before answering, “You’re not even divorced yet, and you’re flaunting your relationship with your boss.”
I roll my eyes.
“What of it? You never cared about this before.”
“Fiona, your disrespect, theft, debauchery, and lies are putting me at my wits end,” he snarls, his words confusing me more than anything else he’s said. “You should be taking care of your family before anything.”
I drop my head into my hand and sigh. As with every conversation we’ve had lately, my heart aches at his words.
“Why don’t you just admit the real reason you called me
“Real reason? What are you on about, girl?” He questions, sounding unsure, but I know he’s stalling.
There’s only one reason he would call me this angry.
“Just ask me what you really want to ask, Dad,” I tell him, egging him to ask about my mother’s will. I don’t want to bring it up because I want him to admit he had it. He’s the one in the wrong here, not me.
He spoke of my theft and lies, but what about his? He had no right to take the will and keep it from me. He had no right to join Jack and Jessica in their attack against me. Just because you give birth to someone doesn’t mean you can automatically use them however you want, and I won’t allow it anymore.
“Anything you want to say. Dad?” I ask again. When my father stays silent, stewing in his anger, I shake my head.
The audacity of some people astounds me.
“Adinit your stole Mom’s original will, created fake documents, and replaced the fake ones so that you and Jack could manipulate me while stealing all of Mom’s money, I tell him. There’s no use waiting for him to bring it up, I guess. I’d be waiting forever if I do.
“I–I did no such thing!” He screams, making me pull the pl
me pull the phone away from my ear again. “Little girl, you don’t know what
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TUA,
Chegeer of
PAIN THEME ME 1 will wearingen Zirabeth’s shes like that. How could you accuse me of something so—”
whing mo
Tther banner to thing hand core my face “You’re nothing but a liar and a cheat. Someone that I’m ashamed to be
we be your spend tar
Meppen my phone from on the desk. I drop my head to my arms and let out a long breath. With everything already Hepping dond
my life that only wonni me. I’m getting rid of Jack, and while I wish my father
They say you eat change people, and I guess I should have realized that after my father denied helping me multiple times. Wether worry than help hin daughter.
Would he letter off withena bien in my liter
Abeys thought he’d be there for me, but the realization that he doesn’t want anything except my money makes the crack in my chest deepen. The nail that’s been hammered at every time he hurt me going deeper and deeper willys my heart in half.
“You dober pals deep voice makes me lift my head. He stands in the doorway of his office, watching me with soft,
When he was y ten, wo eyes to, and he moves forward. Then, he kneels beside me and gentle hands cup my cheeks The sin tych start Buttering again at his teach coming to life like they always do when he touches me.
Length. In
unvor the warmth be provides.
The phone
Chueni praverurs, brushing tears I didn’t know were falling from my cheek. “What happened? Who was that on
“My dad mutter, setting and trying to keep the tears back.
Do you they
the deep sincerity in those green orbs, I shake my head.
Before easy anything than is standing scoping me into his army and marching to his office. The pull to him makes ne lean intre born, and for some reason, I don’t want him to put me dawn Lately, any time he touches me, I don’t want him
My sewer, steady beat while my anxiety lessens with each step closer to Ethan’s office. Once through the
heart calon to a
Pohon kicks it shot and wa ne over to his desk, sitting me on the cool surface
A there the laws touches the backs of my thighs and as my mind sends me images of the things we’ve
“All what happened man says softly, placing his hands gently on my thighs. I don’t really want to admit what a news my famáy in, so look away, ding with the necklace hanging around my neck.
The engineering stugs on my heart, urging me to let Ethan help me, to give him the burden so he can carry
throw all my problems at him. He has a company to run and business to worry about
“Kiena, tell me what happened,” he says ago and the sincerity mixed with the hardened order makes me break apart. The
the
down my cheeks as a boccup thes from my mouth
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Chapter 56
“My father is trying to ruin my life by helping Jack. He doesn’t love me.” I murmur, leaning in and pressing my face into his chest. “Why does:
Erhan shifts, polling me closer and sitting us both in his chair. He settles me on his lap, and like he usually does when he
he brushes his hand on
my hair.
“They only want my mother’s money and will do anything to get it, including lie, cheat, and manipulate me. I just want the people in my life to love me without ulterior motives. I–I’m a cash cow to them, and I hate it.” I cry, burying my face deeper in his neck.
Soft hands run up and down my back while Ethan shushes me softly.
“I’m worry about your dad; Ethan whispers, tucking me closer and pulling me into his forest–y scent. The familiar smell tightens my chest, making it hard to breathe. “He doesn’t deserve you if he can’t love you unconditionally like a parent should. I know this isn’t something you want to hear, but if they can’t love you, you may need to find a new family and a new home
My heart sinks even more in my chest, and 1 squeeze my eyes closed.
“Where will I go
“You can come to me until you find what you’re looking for.”
What if you’re the new home I want?
I don’t dare voice the question, but it sits in my mind and weighs on my heart.
