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“Do you think it’s about the news?” I ask. “He must’ve heard about Jake’s death too.”
“I’m sure it’s something more serious.”
The doorbell rings. I stare at Seth, suddenly fearing that his guess might be right. Something serious must’ve happened for Dad to rush over to our place like this.
Getting up from the couch, I head toward the door. Heavy footsteps sound behind me, telling me my mates are bolting around to grab their shirts.
I open the door and stare at my dad. His face is deathly pale while he struggles to draw in enough breath.
“Dad, what’s wrong?” I ask, feeling anxious. “What’re you doing here? Why didn’t you call, first?”
“Do I have to make an appointment to see my own daughter?” he asks, stepping through the open door. “Where’s Seth and his brothers? Are they home?”
“Everyone’s home,” I say, closing the door and following him inside. “But, what’s wrong?”
Reaching the living room, he whirls around and grabs me by the shoulders. His eyes widen as they stare into mine. “Tell me the truth, Rory. Did Jake send you down in those underground cellars where the rest of those poor omegas were living?”
His words send me into shock. How did he get to know about that?
“Philip, calm down and have a seat,” Seth says, standing beside my dad.
Dad ignores him and shakes me by my shoulders. “Why are you quiet, Rory? Tell me the truth!”
Unable to look at Dad, I glance toward Seth helplessly.
“I’m guessing they released the story about the rescued omegas,” Seth says in a quiet voice.
“You said they’d blur their faces!” I shout, fearing Dad caught a glimpse of me in those hellish underground cells.
“We did,” Seth says, looking worried. “We made sure the faces of the victims were blurred in every clip we released to the court.”
Dad lets out a heavy exhale and stumbles away from me.
“Dad...” I call out as he sways on his feet.
“Then, it’s true,” he mumbles weakly. “You were one among those poor, poor women.”
Seth is quick, reaching Dad before he can collapse to the ground. “Philip, come with me,” he says in a commanding tone as he drags my father to the couch. “Just calm down and tell us why you’re reacting this way.”
Tears run down his cheeks as he stares at Seth. “My baby girl was taken by those evil terrorists, wasn’t she?”
Seth hesitates and glances toward me.
At this moment, even I’m not sure whether to own up to the truth or not.
“Don’t try to hide the truth from me,” Dad says in a choked voice. “I’m not a fool, you know?”
“Dad...”
“I made the connection between the events that happened since you showed up at home looking like you came back from the grave,” Dad says in an angry voice. “Jake sold you to the Black Widow, didn’t he? That’s why you looked so skeletal back then. The military raided their hideout and that’s the only reason you were able to escape and come back home.”
Seth straightens and steps away from Dad. Simon and Oliver stand in the corner, looking worried as my father exposes the lies I’ve been telling him.
“I took one look at those pitiful victims and knew you were one of them,” Dad says, pointing a finger at me. “No normal woman ends up looking so weak and thin because of following a diet for a couple of months. You were starved for weeks! God knows what else they did to you!”
“I’m sorry I lied to you. I was afraid you were going to react this way if I told you the truth,” I say, approaching him. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”
Screwing his eyes shut, he shakes his head. “I can’t believe the hell you went through. I just can’t!”
