Betting on His Bride

“There’s no need to cause a scene.” He’s looking over his shoulders now and making sure no one can hear us.

Too fucking late. “But you even had me fooled. The only reason you’ve been on my side for any of this, including paying for my college the first year, was so you could get to this point. Wasn’t it?”

“Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous.”

“You’re asking me to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in a business you’ve nearly bankrupted three times. You want me to give you all of my money so that you can live the lifestyle you think you deserve.”

“Look here—”

“No.” I move closer to him, my anger coming to the surface and running free. I’m tired of being the one to make peace between my siblings and him. I’m tired of trying to justify his selfish greedy ways, and I’m tired of giving him what he wants because all it does is feed his ego. “I won’t give you a dime of it.”

“How dare you treat me like this?” My father’s face turns red, and I see my own rage reflected in his eyes now. “After all I’ve done for you. All I’ve helped you achieve.”

“I’ve done it without you!” My voice carries across the courtyard, but I’m done giving a fuck. I may have just lost the love of my life, and now I’m going to lose my father on the same day. “I’m successful in spite of how you raised me. The trust was put into place by your father because he knew, even back then, that you’re a selfish asshole.”

“That’s not true,” my father says through clenched teeth.

“You’re the reason Felipe left, and you called Glenda a freak for loving Cillian.” The anger has turned to emotion in my throat, but I won’t back down. I’m done being the one that smooths the edges of his jagged love. “You’re the reason I’m terrified to tell Mara I love her, because I might end up like you.”

There’s a gasp behind me, and both my father and I turn around to see Cillian, Glenda, and Mara all standing there watching us. I don’t know how long they’ve been there, but Cillian has his fists clenched at his sides, and Glenda is holding him back.

“I won’t be spoken to this way,” my father hisses before he straightens his tie once more. After that, he doesn't bother looking at me or his daughter.

“Bastard,” I hear Glenda whisper.

My eyes find Mara, and for a moment we stand there in complete silence.

“I’m going for a walk.” As I turn away from the person I want more than anything else in the world, my chest feels like it’s going to cave in.