“Oh… Ste, did you hear that? Your dad is back.” Alicia said with excitement as she stood by the window, her smile blooming wide


    across her elegant face. 1


    To anyone else, she appeared to be the perfect wife, thrilled to wee her husband home.


    But Ste wasn’t fooled.


    Under her mother’s bright smile, she caught a hint of sadness and anger in her eyes, both carefully hidden behind her practiced charm.


    “Mom, no wonder I never suspected a thing,‘ Ste thought, her fork pausing mid–air. ‘You’ve been acting this whole time, pretending


    your marriage is perfect. But it isn’t, is it?‘


    Ste sighs silently before pretending to be happy.


    “Yay… Dad’s finally home,” Ste said aloud in her most dramatic, easy–go–happy tone.


    She forced her lips into a grin that didn’t quite reach her eyes, mirroring the way she’d seen her little nephew Oliver light up when he


    spotted his father.


    Only Ste’s version was dripping with sarcasm.


    “Ste, be good. He must be tired. Don’t upset him,” Alicia warned gently, though her voice had that edge, like she was pleading as much


    as instructing.


    Ste rolled her eyes, stabbing at thest bite of cake on her te.


    “Don’t worry, Mom. I know how to behave,” she muttered carelessly, her tone deliberately light, as if she couldn’t care less whether the


    king of the house had returned or not.


    In truth, her stomach was churning. She hated how just the sound of his arrival could stir the whole house into chaos, how her mother


    transformed into a dutiful wife onmand.


    It was like watching someone perform on stage–only this was her life, not a y.


    As Alicia smoothed down her dress and rushed toward the front door with the elegance of a woman in love or maybe just desperate to keep the peace.


    Ste sighed, sinking back into her chair.


    “Here we go again,” she muttered under her breath, swirling her fork in the empty te,


    She told herself she didn’t care. She told herself she was too old to be still affected by her father’s looming shadow.


    But as she sat there, listening to the faint sound of the front door unlocking, she couldn’t shake the mix of dread and curiosity curling


    inside her chest.


    Because no matter how hard she tried to act casual, part of her still wanted to confront her father.


    15:29


    114


    103 You Know?


    “Will,e join us for lunch…” Alicia’s gentle voice echoed from the doorway, carrying that soft tone she always used when trying to keep the peace. “Look, Ste has just returned.”


    Ste clenched her hand under the table, nails biting into her palm, as she turned toward them.


    Her mother smiled warmly, her father standing tall in his tailored suit. But she saw right through it. Those smiles, those tender looks,


    they were masks. Fake masks.


    “Dad…” she greeted him politely, her lips twitching into the barest curve of a smile.


    But inside, her stomach stirred with disgust. Since the day she learned of his affair with Lana, she could no longer see him as her father.


    He wasn’t a protector, a guide, or even a man worth respecting. He was just an asshole, the same kind of bastard as Lewis Harrison.


    She forced herself to stand, intending to give him the usual embrace, if only to keep up appearances.


    However, before Ste could take a step closer, William’s eyes darkened, his expression twisting into fury.


    “What a stupid girl!” His voice boomed through the dining room, shocking her into stillness.


    Then his hand struck across her face with a crack that echoed off the walls.


    Ste stumbled backward, her cheek burning from the heat, her mind reeling from the sheer disbelief.


    “William!” Alicia’s shout. “What are you doing? Why do you p her?” She rushed forward, putting herself between her husband and her


    daughter, her arms spread wide as if to shield Ste.


    But William was unrelenting, his fury spilling out in every word.


    “How dare you ruin everything? That was the simplest task! You brought the contract to him, and that’s it! But you even failed <i>at </i>that! Do


    you realize that ourpany could suffer, or even copse, because of your severe ipetence? That project was crucial!”


    Ste pressed her trembling fingers against her cheek, but the pain there wasn’t what made her want to copse. It was betrayal,


    humiliation. The sting in her heart was far sharper than any p could ever be.


    ‘Sis Eve, now I understand; she thought bitterly, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. “This is what you felt… the betrayal from our father. I’m sorry, sis… I’m sorry you had to carry this pain all this time.’


    Despite the tears threatening to fall, she forced herself to remainposed. She tilted her chin slightly, pretending to look unbothered, though her insides cursed him countless times.


    “Dad… why?” Her voice shook as she whispered the words. “Why did you p me? Why do you me me?”


    Her mother’s hand squeezed her shoulder protectively, but William only sneered.


    “Why?” he answered. “You dare ask me why? You failed us! You failed your family!”


    Ste’s fists clenched tighter, her nails digging into her skin, but her voice came out steady, “No. I didn’t fail. You refuse to see the truth.”


    Something flickered in William’s eyes: confusion. He hesitated, his anger faltering. “What are you saying? You failed to secure the contract, didn’t you?”


    15:29


    214


    103 You Know?


    “No, Dad”


    Ste’s lips curved into a bitter smile, though tears shimmered in her gaze.


    “Check the news. Check the inte. All pending contracts tied to Lewis Harrison’s projects are already approved and signed or unsigned. As long as thepany meets the qualifications, it is automatically approved. Which means the project is safe. You should be


    thanking me, not ming me.”


    William froze, his brows furrowing. “What? I didn’t read anything about that.”


    Steughed bitterly, shaking her head.


    “Of course you didn’t. You never verify anything anymore, do you? You only listen to whatever Lana whispers in your ear.” Her tone


    dripped with scorn, her voice sharp enough to slice.


    The silence that followed was deafening.


    Alicia’s face paled, her lips parting in shock at her daughter’s bold words.


    William’s jaw clenched, his face darkening like a storm.


    The old titan of the Walters family was gone; what stood before them now was a weak, blinded man, a puppet.


    Ste could see it clearly. And the more she stared, the more disgusted she felt.


    Her heart thudded painfully in her chest as she took a step closer, her voice steady but shaking with suppressed rage.


    “No wonder thepany’s crumbling. You’re not leading it toward the positive path anymore, Dad. You’re leading it toward a negative


    path. You’re destroying all of us.”


    William’s eyes widened, and his nostrils red. “You…” His voice was trembling with fury.


    He raised his hand again, but this time Alicia grabbed his arm, desperation spilling from her tearful eyes.


    “Enough, William!” she cried. “Not again. Don’t you dare hurt my daughter again. Don’t!”


    But William tore his arm free, his <i>eyes </i>locking onto Ste, “You ungrateful girl,” he hissed, “If you want to challenge me, then you’d better


    be prepared for whates next-”


    He stopped abruptly when his cell phone rang.


    When William saw the caller, his expression softened and he left the room, “What is, Lana…” He asked in a soft voice.


    Ste turned her head, her pulse spiking at the sight of her mother.


    “S–Ste… You know?” Alicia asked, her voice trembling as she tried to hold back tears.


    “Hmm… I know!”


    15:29


    Sara Lili


    <strong>Sara Lili</strong> is a daring romance writer who turns icyndscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of d’s breathtaking cold.