Chapter 12
At first, Roy didn’t react. He rushed over to Lavender to check on her, only letting out a breath of relief when he saw she wasn’t hurt.
This was the woman his boss cared about most. If anything had happened to her today, not one of them would be able to walk away unscathed.
Lavender had been startled, sure–but not surprised.
She’d always known her father and mother didn’t like her. She just didn’t expect them to make that so clear the moment she walked through the door.
Roy stepped forward, about to speak, but Lavender raised a hand to stop him. “I’ll go in myself. Just wait here at the door.”
She carefully stepped around the shards on the floor and walked into the living room. Inside, the couple sat on the main seats. Cyanne and Desmond were off to the side. Ever since Lavender had appeared, Desmond’s eyes hadn’t left her.
Cyanne noticed it. Her fists clenched tightly, and the way she looked at Lavender carried a flash of hatred.
“Dad. Mom,” Lavender greeted politely, standing off to the side.
Stan’s face reddened. “You still have the nerve to call me Dad? You’ve brought nothing but shame to this family!
“Desmond already told us–you’ve been gone these past few days. Where did you go?
“Lavender, you’re already a married woman. You should be acting like a wife. But look at you! What have you been doing all day?
“And bringing that whole group of bodyguards back home–what is this, a coup?”
The more he spoke, the angrier he got.
Cyanne quickly stepped in, pretending to soothe him. “Dad, don’t be upset. Avy has always been like this. You should be used to it by now.”
Lavender almost laughed. Of course. Cyanne was always good at putting on a show. She made it look like she was calming things down–but every word just added fuel to the fire. Outside, Roy couldn’t hold back anymore. This was the woman his boss cherished most. How could she be humiliated like this?
Maybe it was the time he’d spent with Red, but Roy had picked up a certain presence himself.
He walked into the room, step by step, his voice firm when he spoke.
“Sir, Ma’am, those bodyguards outside were carrying gifts. Gifts from Ma’am Lavender, for the both of you. She’s always been deeply respectful toward her parents. I hope you can take a moment to really see her for who she is.”
Roy was in his fifties–around the same age as Stand and Josephine.
Chapter 11
14:57 Thu, 22 May G MG.
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Stan’s expression faltered slightly. He glanced at Roy, eyes narrowing. “And who are you?”
Before Roy could respond, Cyanne jumped at the chance to pin a label on him.
“Avy, is this the kind of person you’ve been running around with while you were gone?! As your younger sister, I really shouldn’t meddle–but Money is your husband. Don’t you think
this is a bit much?”
Roy jolted at her words and quickly defended himself. “Ma’am Cyanne, please don’t speak carelessly. I’m just a driver.”
But the disdain in Cyanne’s eyes deepened. “Avy, you must really be starving–if even this kind of man is good enough for you.
“This one looks like he’s the same age as Dad. If you really wanted someone else, couldn’t you have found someone younger? He could practically be our father.”
Desmond had been sitting silently the whole time, but in his mind, he’d already decided- Lavender had an affair.
From the moment she walked in, no one had even let her speak. They were too busy declaring her guilty.
She had still been holding out hope for this family when she came here. But now? That hope was gone.
She looked calmly at her father, her voice tinged with irony. “Dad, is it that no matter what I do, I’m always wrong in your eyes?
“If you’ve always hated me this much–why did you ever acknowledge me as your daughter in the first place?”
