19
A week later, my dad blew up my phone.
I’d just won the bid. I was busy. I had no time
for his tantrum.
Losing the bid was a big blow to Morningstar.
That should keep him and Janet occupied for
a while.
I sat at my desk, looking out the window.
Janet would probably come storming over.
But two days passed. Silence.
<
DUL LWU Uays passed. Silence.
No calls. No visits.
I’d underestimated Janet’s ruthlessness and
stupidity.
She didn’t come to see me. But on the third
day, as I was leaving work, a heavy flowerpot
fell from the sky, smashing in front of me.
Dirt and shards of clay sprayed everywhere,
cutting my leg.
I was fine, but shaken.
The building had strict security. This had
never happened before.
<
Especially right after the bid.
This wasn’t an accident. This was attempted
murder.
Although, it was a pretty dumb way to kill
someone.
I called the police. They questioned everyone,
checked security footage, found nothing.
Case closed.
I wasn’t letting it go.
One of my employees had seen Janet in the
tornoon disquised.
く
୮
Everbright and Morningstar were rivals.
Everyone knew Janet.
But our security cameras had been
“malfunctioning.”
I found other evidence.
I copied it to a USB drive, then called Janet
before going to the police.
“Janet, too bad you missed, huh?”
She paused, then denied everything. “I don’t
know what you’re talking about.”
く
I laughed. “Don’t bother lying. I have proof.
See you at the station.”
I hung up.
I was getting coffee before heading to the
police station when I ran into my dad.
He rushed toward me, his face pale.
“Olivia.”
He reached me, breathless, his brow
furrowed. “Did Janet really do this?”
“Yes.”
L
I clutched the USB drive. “She did… Dad, that
woman is dangerous. If that pot had landed a few inches to the left, I’d be dead!”
Judging by the impact, a direct hit would have
been fatal.
I’d been close.
My dad looked stunned. “No…”
He took the USB drive from my hand. “She
wouldn’t… I don’t believe it. Let me see.”
Before I could react, he slammed it on the
floor and stomped on it.
<
It shattered.
Like my heart.
“Dad!”
I rushed forward, horrified. “That was proof!
Proof that she tried to kill me!”
He stomped harder.
It was crushed.
I grabbed his wrist. “You knew! You know she
tried to kill me! You’re destroying the
evidence to protect her!”
く
He looked up at me, his eyes cold.
“Olivia, you’re breaking my heart. I begged
you. You promised me, then you stole that
contract!”
“Do you even respect me as your father?”
“Don’t change the subject!”
I rarely lost my temper, but I yelled, “You
knew! You knew she did it! You know she
tried to murder me! And you’re still defending
her!”
<
it go. If you still want me in your life, just drop
it.”
He picked up the broken pieces, examined
them, and threw them in the trash..
I stared at him. “What if I don’t?”
“The evidence is gone. Don’t be foolish.”
I smiled softly, pointing at the security
camera above us.
“Two little secrets, Dad.”
“One, the security cameras are working again.
They recorded everything you just said and
く
did.”
“Two…”
“I didn’t have any real evidence. Thanks for
giving me some.”
I clapped my hands. Two bodyguards
appeared. One went to retrieve the footage.
The other stood behind me.
I stared at my father.
He was old. The youthful energy gone,
replaced by weariness.
Years of Janet’s sweet poison had dulled his
く
He finally understood, and started yelling
again.
The same tired accusations.
Ungrateful. Heartless.
Then, he called me a bastard. Said I was too
cruel to be his daughter.
My mother must have cheated. He’d been
raising someone else’s child.
His genes were too good. His real daughter would be sweet and obedient, like Sarah. Not
a heartless monster like me.
<
a heartless monster like me.
“Done?”
I waited until he was finished, then asked
softly.
He was breathless, his eyes full of hatred.
“Get out. Go buy Janet a prison jumpsuit.”
“And…”
“You’re right. We’re done. I’m cutting you off.
Dead to me. We’re finished.”
He snarled, agreeing. His oldest daughter was
dead to him
<
He snarled, agreeing. His oldest daughter was
dead to him.
He turned to leave.
Then stopped at the end of the hallway,
finally realizing.
“Dead to you, or dead to me? Either way, I’m
dead, right?”
I smiled and went into my office, closing the door on him, and everything else.
