Page 12 of Torch

“Cara, why are you tying up your hair?” Thor asked just as my traitorous siblings parted like the Red Sea.

“Because I’m about to kick Christian’s ass!” she growled and jumped off the porch.

I took off running with my sister hot on my heels. I knew she was pissed because she was cursing me out in Italian. I could hear the group laughing, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

I might have made an impulsive and irrational decision by marrying Brittney, but for the life of me, I couldn’t even regret it. There was something about that chocolate beauty that had me in a daze. Hopefully, by the time my sister got information on Brit, I would know what my next steps were. Because right now, the only thing I could think of was being in her presence again.

Chapter Four

BRITTNEY

The moment was finally here. I was parked outside my parents’ home, preparing to face the jury. Well, not my father. I came in the middle of the day because I knew he would be at work. My mother was more understanding of the two. I knew she would still be pissed about me ending things with Julian, but hopefully, I could get her to understand just how unhappy I was.

Sometimes I felt like my parents were extremely selfish. They should never have agreed to something they knew didn’t satisfy or fulfill me for financial gain. I was equally to blame, though. I should never have gone along with this. But this is what I had done my entire life. My grandmother always told me I was too much of a people pleaser. It was moments like this that I had to agree.

I was fully prepared if my parents decided to cut me off. It was the threat that kept me in line for so long. Unbeknownst to my parents, I had obtained my cosmetology license about a year ago. I specialized in makeup, lash extensions, and eyebrows.

Kira and I had always wanted to open a salon together. Kira was the best nail tech I knew. Our ex-best friend was supposed to be our hairstylist, but we fell out years ago. Our plan was to have a shop where women could come to one place and get everything done. I’m talking about hair, nails, eyebrows, lashes, makeup, waxes, and everything else you could think of.

For years, Kira and I had put this dream on hold because my father and Julian refused to let me work. They wanted me completely dependent on them so they could control me. My mother made it no better by saying that a man like Julian needed a housewife, not a working woman.

Every time I tried to step out on my own to make money, Julian and my father would find ways to squash any opportunities I created for myself. That’s why when I enrolled in my classes, I told no one other than Kira and my grandmother. I couldn’t take the chance of them finding out.

Once I graduated from all my courses, I made an Instagram page for my services. I never posted any personal photos of myself. Only my customers' before-and-after photos were on my page. It’s been a year since I started my business and it just started picking up about three months ago. That was mainly because I had to sneak around just to take clients. I wasn’t as available as I would have liked.

I had a nice little savings tucked away. Needless to say, I could fully provide for myself. And that’s exactly how I wanted things, just in case my parents tried to continuously use their money to control me.

You got this, Brit. You can do this.

After a quick pep talk with myself, I hopped out of my car and headed for the front door. Quietly, I made my way inside. I could hear my parents in a heated argument.

“Your daughter has really done it now, Regina,” my father shouted.

I stopped just outside the living room to hear my mother’s response. She was my only hope in this. If she agreed with him, I was going to turn around and walk right back out this door.

“Oh, now she’s my daughter, Myron,” she hissed.

“You know what I mean. There’s no reason to get sensitive about this. We can lie to everyone else, but we both know the truth. Biologically, Brittney isn’t my daughter.”

I sucked in a deep breath, not wanting to believe what I had just heard. How long were they going to keep this from me? Why lie to begin with? Who was my father, and where was he?

So many questions sounded off in my head. Before I knew it, tears filled my vision. I was frozen solid. I desperately wanted to barge into the room and demand answers, but something told me if I did, I wouldn’t find out anything. So, I remained where I was.

“You’ve never brought up how Brittney isn’t yours, but now once she does something you don’t like, you want to throw that in my face!” my mother cried. “I told you when we got together, I was freshly divorced and pregnant. It was you who said you could accept my daughter!”

“And I have!” he screamed. “Have I not treated her just as well as Morgan? Have I not shown her unconditional love? You’re taking one thing I said and turning it into something else.”

Everything he said was complete bullshit. He treated me more like a niece than a daughter. I often wondered why I had to work overtime to make him proud while Morgan got to be the wild child who could do no wrong. I often chalked it up to her being the baby, but now I knew there were deeper reasons why my father treated us differently.

“Yes, you have done all those things, but I just don’t want you saying something to her out of anger, Myron.”

“I wouldn’t tell her something like this, but she needs to know what she’s cost me. They gave Raymond the senior manager position that was supposed to be mine. All because your daughter decided to tell Julian she wasn’t in love with him and broke his heart!”

There was a moment of silence before my mother spoke up. “There it goes again. My daughter? You keep saying that as if she isn’t yours too!”

I had heard enough at this point. I was sick to my stomach. I stepped into the room and both of their eyes ballooned. “But I’m not his. Right?”

My mom took a shaky step forward. “B-Brittney, honey, I don’t know how much you heard, but⁠—”