Chapter 69 Meet Him!
Audrey's body immediately tensed. She turned, and sure enough, the figure standing under the streetlight was someone she desperately did not want to meet—Henry, her stepfather.
"What are you doing here?" Audrey asked with a shaky voice, trying to sound firm even though her heart was full of fear.
Henry stepped closer with a thin smirk that made Audrey's skin crawl. "Is that how you greet your father whom you haven't seen in a long time?"
Audrey held her breath, steeling herself. "We don't have a relationship anymore. I have nothing to do with you!"
"Aw, don't be like that, Audrey," Henry said in a feigned sweet tone. "I'm your father. No matter what happens, you are still my child."
"My father is dead!" Audrey replied coldly. Her hands clenched at her sides, trying to restrain herself from showing fear.
Henry's smile faded slightly, but the man still approached, forcing Audrey to step back. "Don't talk like that. You know I just want to talk for a bit. Can't you spare some time for your family?"
"Family?" Audrey laughed cynically. "What kind of family uses and abuses their own child?! You are not my family!"
Henry snorted irritably. "Watch your mouth, Audrey! Do you think I want to be here this late at night if there wasn't something important?"
"What do you want?" Audrey finally asked sharply and cynically. Seeing Henry only made her feel suffocated because it reminded her of the past she wanted to bury deep down.
"I need your help," Henry answered directly, his tone changing to serious. "I want you to meet my friend."
Audrey tried to remain calm, even though her heart was starting to pound fast upon hearing Henry's words. She looked sharply at her stepfather. "Meet your friend? What for?"
Henry smirked, clearly having a hidden agenda that made Audrey even more vigilant. "He just wants to talk. That's all. There's nothing you need to worry about."
"I'm not interested!" Audrey stated firmly. She stepped backward, but Henry immediately moved closer, faster.
"Don't be stubborn, Audrey," Henry said, his voice starting to rise. "This is for your own good too. My friend can help you solve a lot of problems!"
"Problems? You are the problem!" Audrey looked at Henry with hatred. Her chest began to rise and fall due to emotion, as did her gasping breaths. "And my problems were solved since I left you and all the bad things you brought, including Agnes! I won't go back, and I won't meet anyone!"
Henry snorted roughly, then let out a low laugh that made Audrey even more terrified. "Oh, is that so? You think you can keep running from me?"
"What do you mean?" Audrey asked, her voice starting to weaken.
Henry moved closer, until their faces were only inches apart. The smell of cigarette smoke mixed with alcohol immediately hit Audrey, making her nauseous. "If you refuse, I will come to your office and I will introduce myself to everyone there as your father! I'm sure your colleagues would love to hear stories about your childhood, wouldn't they?"
Audrey choked, her body tensing. "Don't you dare do that—"
"Oh, I will do it, and I am very, very serious!" Henry retorted, smirking wider. "I can even meet your boss. What's his name? Elliot Harrington, isn't it? I'm sure he'd be interested to hear a story from your stepfather."
"What do you actually want?!" Audrey snapped, panicking even more. She did not want Elliot to know more about her past, let alone be involved with the man in front of her.
"I just need you to meet my friend. That's all," Henry repeated, trying to sound calm so Audrey would cooperate. "If you obey, I won't need to do unpleasant things."
Audrey gritted her teeth, feeling cornered. However, she knew that Henry was not joking. The threat was too dangerous to ignore. She couldn't let her past return to haunt her life, which was starting to improve.
"Fine," Audrey finally said, her voice weak. "I will meet your friend. But this is only once. After that, never appear in front of me again!"
Henry smiled satisfactorily, as if he had just won a big game. "Good. I know you're a smart girl. I'll tell you the place and time to meet him later."
Audrey looked down, trying to hide her anger and fear. However, in her heart, she swore that this would be the last time she surrendered to Henry's threat.
"And don't try to do anything stupid if you don't want everything I just said to come true." Henry looked at her with a satisfied smirk before turning and walking away, leaving Audrey standing stiffly in place.
The woman hugged herself, trying to calm the turmoil in her chest. The thought of meeting Henry's friend, the threat to her job, and the possibility of Elliot knowing everything made her mind even more chaotic.