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He laughs, not replying, and my blood boils. I'm on my feet in seconds, slapping the prick's hand off. Tianna looks like she has completely tuned out, and Father hasn't even seen what happened, too busy mixing himself a double drink.
"You monster," I tell him. "You brought these men here... for what? You're going to take it out on her now that I'm gone?"
He turns to face me with his drink in hand, eyes devouring my features. He seems lost in his own world, as if he hasn't even heard what I've been saying.
"Hello?" I demand. "You need to send those men home."
"Is that what you want?"
"Yes." I cross my arms. "Send them home, now."
He turns to face the three men. "You heard her. Fucking go."
I'm shocked by the outcome. The men don't need to be told twice. They get to their feet, their eyes lingering on Tianna until I stand in front of her, shielding her from their predatory hunger.
"Leave," I spit out. "Go. Now. Bye."
One by one, they leave the room. The salon door slams behind the last one, and I turn to address my so-called family. "Do you mind if I have a moment alone with Father?"
"By all means," Brazen mutters, helping his sister up. He's gentle and kind with Tianna - the way he never was with me. It hurts.
Bryony gets up too, giving me a saccharine smile before tottering out of the room on her impossibly high heels. Good fucking riddance.
In a few moments, it's just me and Father. I approach him slowly, holding my shimmering gown up and sitting on the floor before him. He leans forward, a glass of whiskey in his hand, and softly smoothes away the hair from my face.
"I know you're not her," he mutters. "But you're close enough."
My heart shouldn't hurt, but it does. "Why can't I be enough? Me, Pandora?"
His lips tighten and twitch. He hates just hearing my name. He wants to live in the fantasy where Lily Anna is still alive forever.
"She's gone," I whisper. "She's dead."
"No," he shakes his head, closing his eyes.
"You know it's true," I keep going. "She's gone."
"No!"
"She's not coming back." I can't stop myself now, the words are spilling out. "Nev
er."
"No!" He throws his whiskey at the wall. Glass shatters, and a deafening silence falls on the room before he starts to groan. I realize he's sobbing moments later. He covers his face with his hands, ashamed of his own emotions.
"You're so fucking weak," I tell him. "You're falling apart."
"I'm nothing without her."
"She's... she was your daughter. It's sick," I spit out.
"I loved her." His crazed, drunk eyes meet mine. "I loved her like nobody else."
"Dex loved her too," I grind out. "And you drove her away. You're the reason she's gone."
His scarred face twitches and it's the first time I feel genuinely sorry for him. He's a mess. A wreck. And I'm glad I got out when I did, before I had to witness Emilian Oakes' downfall.
"She's alive, you know," he says as I pick myself up from the floor. "I can feel it in my bones."
