Page 66 of Obsession (Dark Revenge)
“You can’t do it without love, Vince,” I sighed.
“Why not?”
“Alison had it all. She had the money, the house, the clothes, and more. But she wasn’t happy,” I whispered.
“What gave you that impression?”
“I thought her parents cared for her. They always saved her from ending up in trouble because of the things she did to me. I thought they were there for her because that’s what good parents do. But it wasn’t love, Vince.”
“What was it then?”
“A desire to shield themselves and their perfect image. Her mother had a drinking problem, though, and she hurt her daughter when she stepped out of line,” I revealed.
I turned to Vince, but he didn’t seem particularly surprised.
“I don’t seem to have shocked you,” I remarked.
“Well, maybe I had a bit of a hunch.”
“How?”
“Because as I said, had she been from our world, I would have gladly thrown her at you. She is made of the same material as us. A loving home doesn’t turn you into such a person,” he explained.
I groaned and rubbed my eyes, realizing that I hadn't noticed it myself. I had overlooked the obvious clues that could explain why someone like Alison could be so cruel.
“Then how can you say I can be a good parent? How do I not turn those tiny things into emotional wrecks?” I asked.
“Jared, you’re not here to play happy family,” he reminded me.
I focused on him again, a little confused. “What?”
“Your kids aren’t growing up like Alison and you did.”
“Hopefully not,” I retorted.
“What I meant was, they aren’t getting that normal high school life. They aren’t growing up within a normal family. Your kids are heirs to a dark empire, and raising soft people wouldn’t be a wise decision,” he told me.
“You mean I should beat them?” I snarled.
“Of course not. I’m saying, you don’t need to know how to love, at least not in the traditional sense. Your kids are better off without it.”
I sighed, understanding what he was trying to convey, but it didn’t alleviate my worries. I despised my father. I loathed my mother, even though she never laid a hand on me. I imagined Alison resented her parents too. Would my own children? Would they one day want to thrust a knife through my chest, telling me I had brought it upon myself? It was a daunting thought.
“Or perhaps leave it up to your wife, Jared. You’ll have much else to focus on,” Vince reminded me, slapping my shoulder in an attempt to lighten the mood. However, I wasn’t sure if Astrid even knew what it meant to be a loving parent.
Chapter 27
-Jared-
I entered my bedroom later in the evening. Alison and I hadn’t exchanged a word since our argument. She lay on the couch with one of the books I had given her for entertainment. I wasn’t sure if she was even reading it, as she wasn’t particularly fond of books. However, she didn’t acknowledge me as I entered the room.
I closed the door behind me and leaned against it. Alison merely glanced at me before returning her focus to the words in front of her. Everything she did seemed to carry a hint of attitude, which irritated me, considering the day’s events had already played tricks on my mind.
“Would you like to play a game?” I asked her.
She sighed and lowered the book, acknowledging my question.
“Do I have a choice?” she inquired and sat up.
