Chapter 40

"Jane."

The look on his face wasn't encouraging and frankly, she didn't care. How had he found her so quickly? She'd reckoned she had at least a few days until she had to deal with him.

"Dad?"

"We're going home. Now."

They were almost at the diner and she figured he'd taken a hunch and was just walking around. It was sheer luck that he'd run into her.

"I'm not going anywhere." She said, raising her chin defiantly. If he was set on ruining her life, she wasn't going to make it easy for him.

"Don't piss me off any more than you already have, Jane. I went through all this trouble because of your childishness but it ends now. We're leaving and that's the end of it."

Alistair Hendricks was a scary man. With gray hair splattered around his temple, he looked younger than older. Even now as he glared at her, she could feel the rage radiating off him. She knew he was brutal. She'd seen him do business. One didn't become as successful as he was with just a few smiles and nods of acknowledgement. His business opponents recognized him to be vicious and the business world viewed him to be a tough yet rational.

He had an understanding of how he ran his life, his family and his business. It was why he'd stayed at the top for as long as he did. He snatched opportunities before they matured and nurtured them into whatever he wanted. He had an eye for detail and an instinct that did nothing but make him money.

When it came to his family, he was nothing short of an authoritarian. The image he'd fought so hard to build over the years, he fought even harder to maintain and keep up with. There was nothing like scandal or drama associated with the Hendricks name, he made sure of that. What he said went. No questions asked.

And that was exactly what he was doing to her. He was controlling her life like he was her master and she was his puppet which in retrospect, she probably was. She'd given him so much power over her that she didn't even know how to start taking it back.

"You," she said slowly, picking out the words carefully. "Are the shittiest father ever."

His brows raised. "Oh, yeah? How come?"

He was mocking her. The thought hurt her even more. "All my life, I've lived according to your will. I've done everything you've asked of me. I've smiled for the camera, batted my eyelash like a fucking prostitute all because you wanted me to. I majored in business administration because you asked me to. Everything I've done is because of you!"

"Everything you've done is to make you a better person! To give you a better life!" He boomed, rage in his eyes.

"Don't fucking interrupt me!" She yelled back, her vision blurring. "I'm still talking. I never wanted all those things. Hell, I don't even know what I want. I don't know anything because you've fashioned me into something I don't recognize. I don't know who I am. Jane Hendricks, fucking heiress. That's it. That's who you made. You with all your stupid rules and regulations, and all your stupid fucked up intoxication with power."

Her father snorted, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We're going back to LA and I don't want to talk about this again. Go back to wherever shithole you're staying and get your things."

He wasn't listening to her, she realized. He wasn't listening. How usual. He hadn't listened to her all those years ago and then she became complacent. He wasn't listening to her now either so what was stopping her from swallowing it down and accepting her fate?

She'd just walked away from the only man she'd ever loved because they couldn't be together. She'd accepted that she was doomed to be unhappy for the rest of her life and he still wasn't listening to her.

"Fuck you, Alistair." She breathed out a bitter chuckle. "Fuck you and your success. Fuck you and your power. All the money in the world wouldn't make me forgive you for ruining my life. Fuck you. I hope you die and burn in hell."

She made a move past him and wasn't surprised when he shot out a hand to still her movements.

"Jane. I'm holding back because you're my daughter. Don't make me regret it."

She drew her arm back from him. "Go to hell."

"I swear to God if you don't—"

"Dad? What are you doing here?"

Grace was walking towards them. Shit. Jane had told her to stay in the fucking room. Her entire family had peas for ears.

"What do you think? I put a tracker in your car."

Her heart skipped a beat.

"What?" Grace said with surprise.

"I let you find that text, sweetie. You're not as smart as you think. I knew if anyone would figure it out, it would be you."

Jane laughed. "Good job, daddy." She teased with a snarl on her face. "You're fucking up your relationship with your kids all fine by yourself. Do more and even Matt will start hating you."

He took a few steps towards her until he was almost in her face. "Everything I'm doing is for your own good. You might not realize it now but you will soon. Down the years to come when you're happy and comfortable, you'll understand that your daddy was only looking out for you. Now, go get your things because we're leaving. If I have to say it again, I'll drag you out of here with you hanging from shoulder."