Page 32 of Till Forever Falls Apart
I rubbed my face and stood. “Well, if that’s all—”
He cut me off. “Sit. Down.”
I let out a heavy breath and did as I was told. “What do you want me to say? Congratulations?”
“Don’t use that tone with me, boy.” His eyes pierced deep into my soul.
“What do you want from me, Dad?”
“You will attend the dinner next week and meet your stepsister.”
I snorted. “Stepsister? Don’t you think I’m a bit old for siblings?”
This man had no parental bone in his body. The fact that he was marrying a woman with a daughter was beyond me.
“She’s sixteen. I’m sure you’ll cope.”
Great. A teenager in the house.
“I’m busy next week.”
He downed the rest of his brandy and slammed the glass on the table. “Don’t make me tell you again.”
My jaw clenched, the acid swirling in my stomach. “So you now want to pretend this is a happy family home, for the sake of your new wife?”
His face hardened. “You’ve always been a disappointment to me. Unable to do as you were told. I knew I shouldn’t have let your mother keep you.”
I’d heard these cold words my whole life growing up. It was nothing new, yet they still somehow managed to cut deep.
“How long will this one last until you get bored? Or better yet, until she realises what an asshole you truly are.”
He rose, hurling the glass at the wall behind me, shards flying everywhere. I sat there, unfazed.
He stepped forward, leaning down, pointing in my face. “You listen to me, boy. I gave you the best education and life money could buy.” His face turned red with each word he spat out. “And all you’ve done is throw it back in my face.”
I clenched my fists, trying to bury that rage that had festered for years.
All I ever wanted from him growing up was his approval. For him to tell me he loved me. To act like a dad should with his son.
Yet all I ever got from him was abuse.
I stood, matching his height. “Don’t expect me at that dinner.”
Before I had a chance to step away, he’d grabbed my arm, forcing me to sit back down. “I haven’t finished.”
Fucking asshole.
“You’d better not do that in front of your new wife,” I mocked. “Is that how you’re going to treat your new stepdaughter when she doesn’t listen?”
“Get the fuck out of my house, Sebastian.”
Fucking piece of shit. If this man thought he’d be able to treat her like this, I’d fucking kill him. He could do what he wanted to me, but a woman, a girl? Never in this lifetime would I allow that.
“Gladly, Dad,” I said, smiling at him.
I cracked my knuckles as I made my way out of his office. My mind flickered to my granddad, and pain ran through my chest. He hadn’t long passed away. He was such a kind man, and I never knew how my dad was his son. They were the complete opposite.
When I reached the car, I slid in and put my seatbelt on.
