I picked him up by the collar of his shirt and held him in front of me, lifting him a few inches from the ground. He stared at me wide eyed and scared shitless.
“Wrong answer.”
Derek stayed outside, unwilling to watch me beat this guy. He said he didn’t want to testify against me if things got out of hand. I made sure not to break Mateo's hands so he could sign what I needed him to. I broke other things instead.
“You no longer have a daughter. Sign the papers, and forget all about her. If I see you anywhere near her, I won’t hesitate to break every bone in your body.”
His hand shook as he signed the papers, thankfully not getting any blood on it.
“Good luck with her.” He chuckled dryly, so I kicked him in the chest while he was still down.
“Don’t need it.”
Fuck this guy. She was ours now.
30: The Dress
Lisa’s P.O.V.
“He left it to you, Lisa.” Anthony had just shocked the hell out of me. Dad had left the business to me. After everything he had done and said, he left it to me. “So, what do you want to do?”
“Sell it. I’ll create my own business from the money. Whatever money is left, anyway. I know with dad embezzling that we probably owe people money.”
Dad could go fuck himself if he thought I was going to keep this business.
Did he think I would fix it up then when he got out of jail, he’d still have it to come back to? He was sorely mistaken. He was even more mistaken if he thought this fixed anything he’d done. This must have been what he meant when he said he hoped his actions would speak louder than his words. Only his actions were confusing, too.
Did he do this because he really felt bad? Or because he wanted me to fix his business? Maybe it was because he still wanted to have some kind of hold on me. Whatever the case, I won’t fix the business that caused him to be this way.
"Alright, I'll get the liquidation process started."
"Thank you. Let me know when it's done."
"You'll be the first person I call." He nodded his head, scribbling away in his notepad.
I left his office with thoughts of Dad stirring in my mind. It was impossible to tell what he was really thinking. Could he really be trying to make up for everything?
Don't fall for his shit.Lucas' words rang in my head.
He was right. I couldn't let this affect the way I saw dad. He turned his back on me and left me to be raped by the Darnell's. There was no amount of apologizing that would ever make that okay. He could be as remorseful as he liked. I wouldn’t forgive him anytime soon.
I made my way home, thinking of Calliope and all she had probably gone through. I started taking her to a psychologist to help. The hope was that she would start opening up more, and perhaps one day tell us all the horrors she'd seen in her short life so far.
I needed to talk to Davis. It wasn’t what I had originally said, but I really wanted to adopt her. I wanted Calliope to be the girl that made me a mom first. Once she was better, we could revisit surrogacy, because I still wanted a little Davis running around.
Liv:I told you my medical stuff, and that I was pregnant and you never told me about your tubes. I am sorry, Lisa.
Liv's text surprised me, arriving out of the blue as I made it home.
Lisa:It didn't feel that relevant with everything you told me.
Liv:Your news matters too.
Lisa:Thanks, but don't worry about me. Stay focused on yourself, Abi, and the little bean you're growing. I expect you to come dress shopping with me next month, though.
Liv:I'll be there!
"How'd it go?" Davis asked me the moment I entered the house.
