A Family Affair

Father

- You know?

- Of course I know. Did you ,ake me for a fool? I've known about you and Elijah ever since Paris.

- Paris? But how?

- Two years ago, I put together a list of eligible bachelors who could marry into our family and secure the expansion of our empire. Elijah Hirst was one of the candidates. I had him followed as part of the vetting process, which is how I came across pictures of you and him in Paris.

- Did you say one of the candidates? So, you could've chosen someone else.

- I could've.

- Then why him?

- Why do you think?

Despite the tears that pooled in my eyes and clouded my vision, I don't miss the triumphant look on my father's face.

- You knew I fell in love with Elijah in Paris, and you still went ahead with the marriage proposal.

- Is there a question in there?

- Why you didn't marry me to Elijah instead? To secure a merger with the Hirst family, you could've married either of your daughters to their heir. Knowing that we were already seeing each other, why didn't you ask me to marry him instead of Victoria?

- Because you had already turned your back on our family.

- Even though I wanted nothing to do with the business, I was still a member of this family! I could've secured the merger just as well as Victoria.

- Yes, but you didn't deserve it! You didn't deserve to be happy, not after you betrayed us.

Fury crackles through me at the implication of his words.

- I wanted to teach you a lesson, Ella. Loyalty is rewarded, and treachery is punished.

- Going after my dreams wasn't an act of betrayal toward our family.

- That's exactly what it was, and you deserved to be disciplined for it.

- So you decided to punish me by marrying the man I love to my big sister?

My voice is strained with emotions. I watch in horror as my father's lips tip up in a wicked smile.

- Every choice has a price, Ella. This was the price you had to pay for your independence.

- You're not a god. You don't have the right to pass judgment.

- You can despise me all you want, but I'm still the head of this family, and I have every right to punish my children.

- Your children? Do you still think am your daughter after doing something like this?

I need to get out of here before I burst into tears in front of this cold monster who calls himself a father. I turn around and start trudging toward the door, but his icy voice stops me dead in my tracks.

- I know you're seeing him now.

His voice turns ominous. A cold shiver passes through me.

- If anyone finds out, I will bury him alive so deep in the ground neither you nor Victoria will ever find him.

- If you hurt him, you're not going to survive.

He lets out a cold laugh.

- As long as my reputation is intact, I think I can survive.