Chapter 16.
Adrianne stared at her father in disbelief. "What are you talking about, dad? How could you say that about mom?"
Her father's eyes grew cold as he replied, "Your mother was always a roadblock to my goals, Adrianne. She was never supportive of me or the decisions I made."
"What decisions? What are you talking about?" Adrianne demanded.
Her father hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering with an emotion Adrianne couldn't quite place. "I made a deal with Lucas's father, Adrianne. He's promised us financial security if you agree to marry Lucas."
Adrianne's mouth dropped open. "What? You made a deal behind my back? How could you do that, Dad?"
"It was for the good of our family, Adrianne," her father said sternly. "You know how hard times have been for us. This was an opportunity we couldn't pass up."
"But what about love, Dad? What about happiness? I can't marry someone I don't love," Adrianne said, tears welling up in her eyes.
"You'll learn to love him, Adrianne. And besides, it's not just about you. It's about our family's future," her father replied.
Adrianne shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you would do this. And now, to accuse Mom of being a roadblock to your goals? That's just despicable."
Her father's eyes narrowed. "Watch your tongue, young lady. You have no idea what it's like to be in my shoes. The pressure, the stress, the constant need to provide for our family. Your mother never understood that. She was always holding me back."
Adrianne felt a surge of anger rise up in her chest. "You're wrong, Dad. Mom was the glue that held our family together. She was the one who made sure we all had food to eat and a roof over our heads. She was the one who loved us unconditionally, even when times were tough."
Her father's face grew red with anger. "You think you know everything, don't you? You have no idea what I've been through. Your mother's death was a tragic loss, but it's time for us to move on. And that means honoring our deal with Lucas's family."
Adrianne shook her head. "I can't do it, Dad. I won't marry someone I don't love. I won't go against everything Mom taught me about following my heart and doing what's right."
Her father's eyes blazed with anger. "You're making a mistake, Adrianne. A big one. But I won't stop you. You're a grown woman now, and you can make your own decisions. Just don't expect me to bail you out when things get tough."
Adrianne stood up, feeling a mix of anger and sadness. "I don't need you to bail me out, Dad. I'll make my own way in the world, and I'll do it on my own terms. Goodbye."
"She was more of a roadblock than she was a wife," he said coldly.
Adrianne's eyes widened as her father's words sunk in. "What do you mean, 'roadblock'?" she asked, her voice shaking.
Her father looked away, his gaze fixed on the ground. "Your mother was standing in the way of my plans, Adrianne," he said in a low voice. "I had to remove her from the equation."
Adrianne's heart raced as her father's words echoed in her mind. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You... you killed her?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Her father didn't respond at first, but then he slowly nodded. "Yes," he said, his voice barely audible.
Adrianne felt as if the world was spinning around her. She couldn't believe that her own father had killed her mother. "How could you?" she whispered, tears streaming down her face.
Her father looked at her, his expression pained. "I had no choice," he said. "Your mother was trying to ruin everything. She was trying to prevent you from marrying Lucas, and that would have destroyed all my plans."
Adrianne couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her father had killed her mother because of some stupid deal. "How could you choose Lucas over your own wife?" she asked, her voice shaking with anger.
Her father looked away, his expression guilty. "I didn't want to do it, Adrianne," he said. "But I had no other choice. The deal with Lucas's family is the only thing that can save our business."
Adrianne shook her head, unable to process what she was hearing. "You're a monster," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Her father looked at her, his expression pained. "I know you're hurting, Adrianne," he said. "But you have to understand, I did what I had to do. It was the only way to ensure our family's future."
Adrianne couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her own father had killed her mother for money and power. She looked at him with a mixture of anger and disgust. "I can't even look at you right now," she said, her voice shaking. "You make me sick."
With that, she turned and walked away, her black gown trailing behind her. She didn't know where she was going or what she was going to do, but she knew one thing for sure - she never wanted to see her father again.
Adrianne stumbled out of her father's house, her body shaking with rage and grief. She couldn't believe what she had just heard - that her own father had killed her mother. It felt like the ground had been ripped out from under her, like the air had been sucked out of her lungs.
She didn't even remember getting into her car, but suddenly she was behind the wheel, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. Tears streamed down her face as she tried to catch her breath, but her breathing was disoriented, as if her lungs couldn't take in enough air.
She felt like she was suffocating, like the weight of her mother's death was crushing her. She wanted to scream, to cry, to pound her fists against the steering wheel, but she didn't have the energy. She felt disoriented, like she was in a nightmare she couldn't wake up from.
In her grief and anger, Adrianne drove off at a high speed, not minding the fact that she was risking an accident. She weaved in and out of traffic, her mind a blur of pain and confusion. She didn't care where she was going, she just wanted to get away from everything.
As she drove, she felt like she was losing control, like her car was the only thing holding her together. She wanted to scream, to let out all the pain and anger inside her, but she couldn't find the words.
Finally, after what felt like hours, Adrianne pulled over to the side of the road, her car shaking with the force of her sobs. She felt like she was falling apart, like she was drowning in a sea of grief and anger.
At that moment, Adrianne didn't know if she could go on. Her world had been shattered, and she didn't know if she could ever put the pieces back together again.