Chapter 2: The Price of Cruelty
I followed my father down the hallway.
Not because I wanted revenge.
At least, that was what I told myself.
I followed because I had never seen him look like that before.
Mia rushed after him.
“Dad, stop.””
He ignored her.
Her bedroom door opened.
Inside was everything Mia loved showing off.
Expensive clothes.
Luxury makeup.
Jewelry boxes arranged perfectly on her dresser.
She had always made sure everyone knew what belonged to her.
Especially me.
She would leave expensive things around the house and say things like, “Be careful. Some people aren’t used to nice things.””
I never forgot those words.
My father walked directly to the corner where her leather designer bag sat.
Mia’s face went pale.
“No.””
My father picked it up.
“Dad, don’t touch that.””
He looked at the bag.
Then at her.
“This?””
Mia stepped forward.
“That cost three thousand dollars.””
My father nodded slowly.
“Interesting.””
Rachel appeared behind us.
“Mark, what are you doing?””
He placed the bag on the bed.
“Teaching a lesson.””
Mia’s voice became louder.
“You cannot destroy my things because you’re angry!””
My father stared at her.
“Funny.””
The room went silent.
“You had no problem destroying someone else’s.””
Mia opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
My father reached into the closet.
He pulled out a pair of heavy scissors from his toolbox.
My heart stopped.
“Dad…”
He looked at me.
For a second, his expression softened.
Then he turned back.
“Mia.””
She took a step backward.
“You’re insane.””
“No.””
He placed the scissors on the bed.
“I’m making a point.””
Rachel grabbed his arm.
“Mark, this is ridiculous.””
He pulled away.
“Is it?””
His voice shook the room.
“Your daughter destroyed something Emma worked months for. She mocked her. She laughed.””
“She made a mistake,” Rachel said.
“A mistake?””
My father laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“A mistake is spilling coffee. A mistake is breaking a plate.””
He pointed toward the hallway.
“That was a choice.””
Mia’s eyes filled with anger.
“You always take her side.””
My father looked at her.
“No. I take the side of the person who was wronged.””
Those words hit harder than anything else.
Because for years, I had wondered if he noticed.
If he saw how Mia treated me.
Maybe he had.
Maybe he had just been waiting for me to tell him.
He picked up the scissors.
Mia screamed.
“Don’t you dare!””
The sound echoed through the house.
My father stopped.
Then he slowly lowered the scissors.
Mia breathed out.
But then he said something that changed everything.
“I’m not going to cut your bag.””
She blinked.
“What?””
“I’m not like you.””
The relief on her face lasted only a second.
“Instead, I’m going to do something worse.””
Rachel frowned.
“What could be worse?””
My father reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
He unlocked it.
Then he showed us the screen.
A message.
An email.
Mia’s expression changed immediately.
Because whatever was on that phone…
She had been hiding it from everyone.
My father looked directly at her.
“Tell me, Mia.””
May you like
His voice became colder.
“How long have you been lying about this?””
