Hands Off The Ice King novel Chapter 156

10:50 Mon, Aug 3

Chapter 156

Chapter 156

Levi’s POV

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We don’t get to choose our parents. Truthfully, we are born into this world without much of a choice. Before we know it, we are just here, breathing our first breath, placed into the arms of people we have no say in calling family.

So, our parents are supposed to love and cherish us until we can stand on our own two feet-and even beyond. At least, that is the default that the world wants us to believe. That is the picture painted in storybooks, in movies, in every happy family portrait hanging on living room walls.

However, not everyone is fortunate enough to have that kind of love.

I grew up without that kind of love, even though I never lacked material things. We had the expensive house, the luxury cars, the vacations, the best schools money could buy. But none of those things ever made a child feel wanted. None of them ever replaced a warm embrace or a mother who looked at you with unconditional love instead of impossible expectations.

Growing up, my mother had always been obsessed with the image of a perfect family. Honestly, I never understood why my parents fell in love when my father was the complete opposite. She wanted perfection, order, and control. My father wanted freedom. Somewhere along the way, they stopped pretending to meet

in the middle.

We weren’t even in a situation where we had to fight for a position in the family.

The moment I was born, I was already groomed to take over my grandfather’s business. Every decision had already been made for me before I was old enough to understand what any of it meant.

But I guess that was what made me want to leave even more. I didn’t want to live a predetermined life, and me not wanting that shattered my mom’s vision of a perfect family. Granted, we were already falling apart because my father had already left. I had simply become the final crack she refused to acknowledge.

“This is the first time you’re actually making an effort to see me,” I said. “So, what do you want, Mom?”

She scoffed, shaking her head. “Why? Can’t I come and see my son whenever I want?”

“Cut the act. You haven’t regarded me as your son in a long time. And you wouldn’t come to this place-you wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole-unless you wanted something.”

“I guess you still got my sharpness,” she said, shaking her head. “Anyway, you’re truly pushing my buttons,

Levi.”

“It wasn’t enough for you to do this tomfoolery on your own? You had to poison your sister’s mind, too?”

I ran my fingers through my hair.

So, it was only now that she reacted?

“I played it off because you know how Zayla is. She’s spoiled and doesn’t know what she wants-”

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10:50 Mon, Aug 3

Chapter 156

“You’re wrong,” I cut her off.

I slightly shook my head.

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“You really don’t know your children, huh? Zayla might be spoiled, but she always knows what she wants, and she won’t change her mind unless she truly wants to.”

“Fuck, where did I go wrong raising the two of you?”

“Only you can answer that.”

She glared at me, letting out a deep breath.

“I’ve had enough of you insulting me. It’s finally time to put an end to this. That Margaret woman is gone, and no one powerful will be able to protect you now.”

I narrowed my eyes at her.

“You’re foolish to assume that I can’t protect myself.”

“You’re right,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “You’ve grown enough to make your own name, and that’s why you’re too prideful to admit that you would have lived a better life if you had just stayed with us.”

A small smirk slowly appeared on her lips.

“However, it seems you found someone you care about deeply.”

I couldn’t contain my anger.

“Don’t even think of touching Hope.”

She tilted her head to the side.

“Why would I not do that? You took away your sister, so I’m just retaliating, Levi.”

“I did not take anything away from you. Zayla left on her own volition. Go back to your previous question and reflect on yourself. Why did Zayla leave?”

“She’s just being dramatic,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Anyway, do not worry. I won’t touch your physical therapist. There’s nothing to use against her anyway.”

She paused.

“However… her brother…”

My entire body froze.

“It seems he has a bright future ahead of him. The current star player of Oakridge, just like you are. What would happen if that was taken away from him all of a sudden?”

“What the fuck will you do?” I exclaimed, unable to control my voice.

2/4

10:50 Mon, Aug 3

Chapter 156

I didn’t think I would ever witness a new low from my mother.

I already had no expectations of her. I thought I had already seen the worst she had to offer.

Yet somehow, she kept finding ways to sink even lower.

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Each time I believed she had reached rock bottom, she proved there was another layer beneath it. It disgusted me. More than that, it exhausted me. I didn’t even want to look at her anymore.

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