Chapter 302
Elena
After a long day of work, I was finally on my way back home.
How was I going to find a way to talk to Tiago?That was the only thing going through my mind.
Getting the name of Maddens real killer was one way to kill two birds with one stone. I could clear Marvin’s name, and I could save my dad’s career.
Several minutes later, I arrived home and made my way inside. Surprisingly enough, all the lights were turned off, which possibly meant my dad was probably in one of his weird moods.
“Dad?”
“Alex?”
I called out their names but got no answer in return. A small part of me was starting to get worried, especially after seeing the suitcases at the staircase. Would he be okay?
“Dad?”
dad looked up from the
Curious, I made my way to the living room and watched as my couch. The half-empty bottle beside him was enough proof that something was bothering him. He was drunk.
“Oh, here you are!” I smiled. Perhaps my cheerful mood could take away his worries. The expression on his face had not changed as he looked at me with his sharp eyes. “Here I am.” He slurred his words.
“What are those suitcases? Are you going on a trip?”
My dad grabbed the bottle beside him and took a long sip. “No, they are yours.”
“Mine?”
He slammed the bottle to the table and tapped the glass with his fingernails. “Elena, I’m going to ask you a question-and you have to tell me the truth.” He spoke with closed eyes. It was probably about one of his crazy theories, and he needed my opinion.
“Sure, what is it?”
I stumbled back and grabbed the door for support as my dad stood up from the sofa. No words could leave my mouth, as all I could think about what his unexpected question.I was so careful.
“What?”
“Are the two of you together?” He closed his eyes in annoyance.
“No-”
“Elena!”
“No, I promise!”
He grabbed a pile of papers and made his way to me as I held in my breath. The smell of alcohol was too much for me to handle. “Then what is this?”
My dad pushed pictures in my face as I was forced to take in his evidence. Not just pictures, they were pictures of all the times Marvin and I had met.What was the meaning of this?
“Have you been following me?” I whispered, surprised.So I wasn’t crazy after all.”It doesn’t matter.” He sighed. The one thing he didn’t know was that both of us had the same goal. I wanted to find Stevie’s killer just as much, but he was so obsessed with Marvin that he couldn’t look at the bigger picture.
“Dad, I can explain!”
“I don’t want to hear it.”
“I’m doing this for you-”
“For me?” He yelled in my face. I flinched at his tone and kept my mouth shut.
“Take your shit and get out.”
Those words hit me hard as I did not want to leave him. Who was going to take care of him? Who was going to make sure he was alright, got enough of sleep, enough to eat-who was going to do it?
“Dad-”
“Get out!” He shouted. “I don’t want any liars, gangsters, or mob wives in this household- take your shit and get out!”
His own daughter?
Before I could say anything else, my dad grabbed me by my arm and dragged me to the hallway while I yelped in pain. “You’re just like your mother. You’re just like that woman.
Grab your shit and get out!”
“Hey, what’s going on!” Alex rushed inside. He pulled me away from my father’s grip and covered my body with his. “What are you guys doing?”
“Dad’s kicking me out.”
“Dad is what?” Alex spoke, startled. “Dad, is that true?”
My dad scoffed. “Alex, she’s been lying to us this entire time, and she’s still in contact with Marvin Castillo.”
This time Alex turned to face me, and all I could see in his eyes were disappointment. “Elena, is this true?”
“I know it looks bad, but I can explain-”
The hallway was filled with my dad’s laughter, causing me to turn around again. What was so funny? Ganging up on me? Bullying me? Kicking me out?
“Other than the fact that you’re a desperate, hungry, criminal-loving, attention whore like your mother, there’s nothing more to explain!” My dad pointed his finger in my face. “Now get out of my house!”
After my dad’s outburst, the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Neither of us said a word, and the tension was high until I decided to do something about it. “Yes, because you’re so perfect.”
He furrowed his brows. “I’m sorry?” He spoke, offended. I leaned in closer, making sure he would catch every single word. “You’re a pathetic abusive man who wants to ruin other people’s happiness because you can’t find your own,” I told him. “Let’s face it, you’ve already lost mom, you’ve lost me, you’re obsessed with Stevie Maddens whose bones are rotting six feet under, and after Alex leaves your ass, you’ll have nobody-”
My words got interrupted by my dad’s hand, which had almost reached my cheek, but before he could slap me, Alex held his arm to stop him. My dad and I had gone through a lot of stuff, but this was as far as I could go. Calling me names was one thing, but getting physically abusive was another.
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