Chapter 121:
Makenna’s POV:
Hearing the familiar voice, I turned to see my father and stepmother approaching, hand in hand.
The moment my father, Connolly, noticed me, his face darkened with disapproval.
As they reached me, he looked me up and down with a growl, his voice dripping with disdain. “It’s Jessica’s wedding day. And this is what you choose to wear? How thoughtless can you be? Are you trying to outshine your sister?”
My fists clenched at his words.
Just like always, he was quick to judge without bothering to ask me why.
No matter how many times I had been through this, the disappointment still cut deep.
Not content with his initial reprimand, he continued, “How did I end up with a daughter like you? You come home, and instead of greeting the guests, all you do is cause trouble for your sister.”
“Enough, enough.” Irene, my stepmother, placed a soothing hand on his back, her voice gentle as she tried to calm him down. “Take it easy, Connolly. Getting upset isn’t good for your health. Makenna is still young. She doesn’t understand these things yet. Don’t be hard on her.”
Though her words were soft, I could see through her act.
She wasn’t defending me. She was subtly implying that I was ignorant and lacking in manners.
My father sighed heavily, patting her hand as if she had just uttered some great wisdom. “You’ve spoiled these kids.”
Watching them, so perfectly in sync, made me want to laugh.
I used to try so hard to please my father, desperate for any semblance of family affection. But that was in the past. Ever since I had been sent to the palace, I had changed completely.
I let out a dry laugh and said, “How amusing. My younger sister steals my mate, forces me into a life of hell, and now you expect me to help her greet the guests at her wedding? Since when does being an older sister mean sacrificing myself at every turn?”
𝓜𝓸𝓻𝓮 𝓾𝓹𝓭𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓼 𝓲𝓷 𝓰𝓪𝓵𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵𝓼.𝓬𝓸𝓶
The sarcasm in my voice was unmistakable, and it stung all four of them instantly.
The guests around us caught wind of what I said, their curious glances beginning to land on us. Some even openly stared, wondering what was going on.
Irene’s calm facade wavered as she hurried to interrupt. “Makenna, you shouldn’t talk like that. Your father is just worried that others will judge you for not knowing how to behave properly.”
My retort was sharp. “Worried about my manners? Maybe you should focus on your precious daughter, Jessica. If she had any manners, she wouldn’t have stolen her sister’s mate.”
“Bitch!” Jessica’s face twisted with rage as she lunged.
“What? You want to hit me?” I raised an eyebrow, meeting her without flinching. I wasn’t afraid to cause a scene.
“Jessica!” Irene quickly restrained her, whispering something in her ear that finally calmed her down. She then turned her attention back to me, her tone commanding. “Enough of this. The wedding is about to start, Makenna. Stop causing trouble.”
Their little performance sickened me. I had no desire to stay any longer. “I showed up. That’s all you get from me. Now, I’m leaving,” I said icily.
With that, I turned to go, but my father’s voice stopped me.
“Wait, Makenna,” His tone was authoritative, but there was a hint of awkwardness on his face as he continued, “There’s something I need to discuss with you later. You have to stay.”
I frowned, unwilling to play along. “What is it? Say it now. I’m going back to the palace.”
His face twisted into a scowl as he tried a different approach. “I still have your late mother’s belongings. If you don’t want them, then go ahead and leave.”
His words struck me like a blow. My steps faltered.
