POV: Victoria
"W… W… What are you doing here, Nathan?
What do you want?" I asked nervously. I had to clear my throat a few times to make my voice sound normal. He had this bright smile on his face that made me sick in my Tommy. He was sitting next to Mom on the same seat that Claire and I used to sit in to take care of Mom and feed her. He held Mom's hand as if he knew her before now, even Claire stood next to him, smiling like a fool.
"Don't be rude, Victoria. He's such a nice fella. He's been telling us beautiful stories about you and his brother and how he set you up to be with his brother. You are so lucky to be involved with such an amazing family." Mom told me happily. I forced out a smile, I didn't want to ruin the moment and put Mom and Claire in danger.
"I see he took you shopping," she scoffed.
"Now, isn't he a keeper?" he teased, causing Mom and Claire to laugh out excitedly. Then Claire frowned and looked at me in shock,
"Oh my God, Vee, did he just drop you off?
Why didn't you bring him in, I want to meet your prince charming." She complained, feigning a frown.
"He has an urgent matter he needs to attend to, but he bought you these, and he promised to come see you soon," I lied. She ran up to me and grabbed the food Ralph bought a them. While she and Mom were busy sampling the food from the takeout bags, Nathan glared at me furiously, his eyes boring holes in my skin.
"I'll be leaving now, ma'am Eloise. Please take good care of yourself and feel better." He let out coolly, then he leaned and placed a soft kiss on Mom's forehead. He made it seem like he truly cared, he even found a way to make Mom and Claire to love him. They think he is a good person, they have no idea that he is here to threaten their lives and remind me that we have a deal.
While he kissed her forehead, he placed a phone under her bed. He made sure I watched his every move, he lingered a little when he placed the phone there, and he wanted me to see him do it. And when he was sure that I'd seen it, he smiled crookedly and winked at me. I cringed at his evil smile, and I wondered how I would get rid of this guy for good.
I don't know what his problems with Raphael are, but I won't let him drag me down with him. One way or the other, the truth will certainly come out and I'll be the one to suffer the backlash from everyone.
I'm already called a gold digger on the internet, the last thing I want is for someone to take pictures of me and Nathan and post them on the internet. It would seem like I'm dating two brothers and I'll be dubbed a slut as well.
Nathan was just about to leave, he hadn't even taken two steps when the door was forcefully pushed open from outside. We all turned in the direction of the door and saw Dad walking in with Cindy and her mother.
"You've got to be kidding me. What do these trio want with us this time?" I thought in my heart as I brought my hand to my forehead in frustration. This is the first time Dad and his wife are setting their eyes on my mom since mom took ill and was hospitalized. Mom had sued Dad in court to reclaim her inheritance. But she couldn't afford to pay the lawyer after the first hearing. She had fallen sick and all the money we had was used for her treatment.
Cindy was still dressed in the same gown she had worn when she came here with Mrs Hawkins and Charlotte. When she saw the gown I was wearing, she immediately gasped in shock and pointed it to her mother,
"Look Mom, she is wearing a famous designer outfit that cost a fortune. I told you I wasn't lying to make her look bad, didn't I?
She is dating Raphael Hawkins and she must have made him cancel our contract." She accused. My father glanced at my mother for only a second, then he looked away from her without caring about her health or even asking how she must be feeling. He did not notice Nathan or Claire, he just turned to me with a venomous gaze.
"Is this true?" he asked me angrily. He was pointing his tablet in my face and I could see the news about Nathan and I. I looked up at him and I saw him grinding his teeth in anger. I didn't know what to say to him, I didn't know what he wanted from me.
"Answer me Victoria!
And you better think twice before you lie to my face. Are you in a relationship with Raphael Hawkins?" he asked again, sounding firmer.
"Yes, Austin!
My daughter is in a relationship with the Hawkins boy you spoke about, why are you harassing her about it?" Mom responded angrily.
"You ungrateful wench!
What have I not done for you, why do you hate this family so much?" he asked angrily as he slapped me hard across the face. The force of his slap turned my head the other way and had me almost falling to the floor.
"What did I do, Father, what do you want from me?" I asked in tears as my hand flew to my cheek, caressing the spot he had hit me. I didn't realize that mom had forced herself up from the bed, I wasn't looking that way. It was when she landed a hot slap on Dad's face that our eyes turned to see her standing in front of him, her clothes stained with blood from her injuries from the operation.
"How dare you hit my daughter in front of me, what did she do to deserve such an evil father?" Mom asked him angrily, her tears flowing down her cheek.
"Don't call me her father, I cannot be a father to this evil child. She made her boyfriend cancel the huge contract we were just awarded recently. That contract was supposed to bring in enough money to renovate and upgrade some things in the company. Now because of your bastard child, we have lost it. Now step aside let me discipline this evil child!" He snarled.