Chapter 122:
Makenna’s POV:
My father actually threatened me with my mother’s belongings!
A surge of rage coursed through me as I locked eyes with my father, hardly able to believe the words that had just come out of his mouth.
But he stood there, utterly self-assured, his expression one of smug satisfaction. He knew exactly what he was doing, knew that I would never risk losing my mother’s things. With a triumphant smirk, he turned on his heel and walked away, Irene clinging to his arm like a trophy.
Jessica, catching sight of my frustration, allowed her smirk to deepen. Her voice dripped with condescension as she taunted, “Go ahead, leave if you want. Nobody’s holding you here.”
Then, with a sickeningly sweet tone, she clung to Frank’s arm, cooing, “Come on, darling. The ceremony is about to begin. We shouldn’t waste our time on insignificant people.”
Together, they walked off, leaving me seething in their wake.
I stood there, my nails biting into my palms, the pain keeping me grounded in the moment. My mother’s belongings, the last remnants of her life, were still at the Dunn family home. I couldn’t just walk away. Not now.
The wedding continued, and though it disgusted me, I forced myself to sit among the guests, my eyes hard as I watched the ceremony unfold.
Jessica and Frank exchanged their vows, gazing at each other with sickening affection, their smiles full of promise.
The guests cheered, showering them with applause, while Jessica took a moment to shoot me a triumphant, challenging look.
My hands tightened into fists, anger boiling within me.
How could I be expected to sit here, watching them flaunt their happiness, after everything they had done to me?
I closed my eyes briefly, my father’s threat echoing in my mind.
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If I dared to defy him, he would destroy my mother’s belongings.
There wasn’t much left of my mother, just a few cherished items, and I couldn’t bear the thought of losing them.
The pain in my palms was the only thing keeping me from completely unraveling.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to keep my composure as I watched the couple on stage, the bitterness in my heart growing with every passing second.
Finally, the ceremony concluded amid a flurry of applause, and the guests began to make their way to the banquet. The banquet was set to be held at the hotel just behind the church, a venue I had once chosen myself—now, a twisted irony, it was being used for Frank and Jessica’s celebration.
It was a bitter pill to swallow. Not only did I have to attend as just another guest, but I also had to keep my resentment in check, all for the sake of retrieving my mother’s belongings.
How utterly ridiculous!
I silently vowed that one day, I would make sure every single one of them paid for what they had done.
But for now, I had no choice but to endure.
Numbly, I followed the other guests to the hotel. My plan was simple—find a seat, endure the banquet, retrieve my mother’s things, and leave as quickly as possible.
But the moment I stepped inside, my father’s stern voice cut through the air.
“Come with me.”
I hesitated, unsure of what he wanted now, but with my mother’s belongings hanging in the balance, I grudgingly followed him.
He and Irene led me to a secluded area behind the hotel, away from the bustle of the crowd. Crossing my arms, I glared at him, my patience wearing thin. “What do you want?”
“Let’s make it quick,” I added, on the verge of walking out of this nightmare altogether.
My father wore an expression of disappointment, his voice heavy with reproach as he asked, “Makenna, you used to be so bright, so well-behaved. How could one visit to the palace change you so?”
The absurdity of his question almost made me laugh. “Isn’t that your doing?”
Did he honestly think that sending me to the palace wouldn’t leave a mark?
In a place where survival meant hardening yourself, did they expect me to return as the same docile daughter they could easily manipulate?
How naive!
My father faltered at my words, but Irene quickly stepped in, her voice dripping with false concern.
“Makenna, I know you’re a reasonable girl,” she said in that syrupy tone she always used when trying to coax me. “Frank and Jessica truly love each other. You shouldn’t hold it against them.”
My smile turned icy, full of sarcasm. Did she really have the gall to say that?
I had long since seen through Irene’s facade. She might play the part of the kind, considerate stepmother, but underneath it all, her heart was as venomous as any snake’s.
I was done playing along. Coldly, I cut her off, saying, “Enough. What do you want from me?”
