Chapter 4

As soon as Benson hung up the phone, his face darkened. He snapped, "Getting married is a huge deal. Why didn't you tell me?

"Do you even see me as your dad anymore?"

A flood of sorrow and anger hit Emily hard.

She let out a cold laugh and sneered, "At Mom's funeral, you bought out our father-daughter relationship with a single card. From that moment, you were no longer my father."

"Marriage isn't a joke. What if the man you're talking about—" Benson started.

Emily cut him off. She said, "Considering you're the type of person who abandoned your family, I don't think your judgment of people is very good.

"And I'm not here to catch up. Just give me what I came for."

Benson hadn't been stung by words like that in a long time, and his expression darkened. He said, "It's at home. Come home for dinner this weekend, and I'll give it to you then."

Emily wanted to say no, but for the bracelet, she reluctantly agreed.

The next day, when Emily got home, she was shocked to see a pair of stiletto heels by the door.

Her mind raced with disbelief and fury as she realized that Andrew had actually brought her half-sister home.

Rage shot through her, making her vision blur. She gripped the shoe cabinet just in time to keep herself from collapsing.

Emily had steeled herself for something she didn't wanna see, but when she walked into the bedroom, Andrew was the only one there.

She flung open the bathroom door, and after confirming it was empty, she finally breathed a sigh of relief: Andrew didn't make this marriage even more humiliating.

Andrew jolted awake at the loud noise. When he saw what Emily was up to, his face clouded over. He demanded, "Emily, what are you doing up so early?"

"I saw a pair of high heels by the door," Emily replied, trying hard not to lose her cool.

Andrew's expression eased a bit. He said, "My assistant had too much to drink last night. She's just a young girl. I couldn't just leave her outside."

Emily clenched her fists, staring him down. She shot back, "Couldn't you have just gotten her a hotel room? Did you really have to bring her back here?"

Andrew blinked, taken aback. He asked, "What are you even saying? Emily, are you really getting jealous over this?"

Emily's eyes grew wet with anger as she said, "Andrew, you actually brought her home."

She remembered how Andrew kept her close, telling her she'd never be lost and alone again. He promised he'd look after her, just like her mother once did, and that this would be their one true home.

But now, just like Benson, he'd brought another woman into their house and shattered everything she held dear about this home.

Emily couldn't bear to stay here any longer. The house disgusted her, and so did Andrew.

She turned to leave, but at the stairway, someone grabbed her wrist in a tight grip.

Sophie said, "Emily, please don't fight with Andrew because of me. Really, nothing happened between us." She was wrapped in a towel, her voice soft and vulnerable.

As she spoke, she deliberately swept her hair aside, making sure Emily saw the suggestive hickeys on her skin.

Emily's gaze was icy. She sneered, "The only reason you didn't end up in Andrew's bed was that he was too drunk to do anything, wasn't it?"

A sharp slap rang out, and Emily's head snapped to the side, her cheek instantly swelling up.

Andrew said through gritted teeth, "Emily, that's enough!"

Emily slowly turned her head back, running her tongue over her burning cheek, then suddenly laughed.

She said, "Andrew, this is the first time you've ever hit me."

Andrew's knuckles went white as he struggled for words, but finally he just spat out, "Emily, apologize to her."

A flicker of triumph flashed in Sophie's eyes, but she quickly put on a panicked look. She said, "Andrew, you really don't have to—"

Andrew demanded, "Apologize. Don't make me repeat myself." His tone was icy, his stare unyielding as he pinned Emily in place.