Chapter 127 Justifying cowardice

Chapter 127 Justifying cowardice
NANCY’S POV

“This mess was created by you. Now that you’re here, make sure you do your best to fix it.”

At this point, I somehow felt like I had become desensitized to my Father’s cold paternal demeanour and emotional detachment, so much so that all I felt now wasn't even actual disbelief but an instinctive reaction to whatever I heard from him.

“You want me to fix this?” I scoffed.

“Like there’s anything to fix,” I chuckled with undisguised ridicule, blatantly ignoring the ugliness of his expression.

“You already handed me over to him. You sold me like livestock, what else is there to fix?!”

I wasn’t even inclined to call him Dad anymore. He didn’t deserve the address.

No father who truly loved their child would be so insensitive to their wants, feelings, and emotions. As I watched my father, I couldn’t help but compare him to Mr Landon.

With Mr Landon, setting the feelings I had for him aside, he had taken on the role of a guardian much better than my actual parents.

Next to him, I had actually felt safe and secure.

Thinking of it now, it was laughable that I had actually blamed him so much for the one thing I felt like he had failed to keep me safe, when my true parents had shoved me into a wolf's claws without second-guessing their actions.

After giving it a thought, I realised how unfair I’d been to Mr Landon when he’d actually done much more than I asked for.

My gaze alternated between my Dad and my mom, who was now quietly sniffling in that annoying and irritating way she always did during every confrontation with my Dad.

“I only fix the messes I create, and this…this isn’t one of them.”

My words had barely been said when a loud crack resounded in the air.

Dad’s slap caused my head to swing heavily to the side.

“Marcus!” Mom gasped in alarm, yet she didn’t move an inch from where she stood towards me. Instead, she pulled my father back with a look that held the intent to pacify.

“You promised you wouldn’t hit her…”

I watched their interaction with a wry smile, slowly straightening.

One would at least have expected my mother to check if I was okay.

It was okay, though. I no longer held any expectations for her either.

“Blame and teach your daughter to hold her tongue.” He pushed her off of him, then shook a finger in my face. “When did you become so uncouth and disrespectful? I didn’t raise you to be…”

“I’ve always been disrespectful.” I cut in.

His eyes twitched, and it looked as though he would slap me again, but he heaved in a deep breath instead.

“You’ve always been stubborn,” he corrected, his voice low and strained, like he was barely holding himself together. “But this attitude of yours...”

He sucked in a deep breath again.

“This isn’t the time for defiance, Nancy. You know how Hudson is, he isn’t a man we can afford to provoke.”

I let out a short laugh. “Yet you handed me to him anyway. You should have thought of that before trading me to him.”

His jaw clenched, but I wasn't done speaking. I rather enjoyed seeing his veins pop with every word I said and the way his expression hardened further.

Looking down, I saw his fingers curl slightly, like he wanted to grab at something.

Maybe me.

“You don’t know what’s at stake, Nancy,” he hissed under his breath after a couple of minutes of silence.

“Pray, do enlighten me.” I retorted. “Because from my perspective, it looks like you traded your daughter for some bread.”

Like a fraying rope, his temper snapped.

“Enough!”

The force of his voice echoed through the room, but I didn’t flinch.

Not this time.

Not anymore.

“Lower your voice,” I said, almost bored. “You might scare someone.”

“Nancy!” my mother cried softly, wringing her hands. “Please, just listen to your father…”

“No,” I said again, sharper this time. “I’ve been listening my whole life. Maybe it’s time you both start listening to me.”

The silence that fell between us after I said that was heavy and uncomfortable, but I didn’t stop.

“You really want me to marry him?” I continued. “Fine. Just answer this one question first.”

Neither of them spoke, and u took that as a signal to proceed.

“Did you know?” I asked quietly.

My father frowned. “Know what?”

“That he would hurt me.”

That did it.

My mother’s sob hitched.

My father’s gaze shifted, just for a second, but that second was enough to confirm what I already knew.

A cold, bitter smile spread across my lips.

“You knew,” I whispered.

“We didn’t…” my mother started weakly.

“You knew,” I repeated, louder now. “You knew what kind of man he was, and you still tied me to him.”

“Here,” I ground out, turning my cheek to them. “You both saw this when you walked in, but neither of you thought to even check if I was okay.”

“You knew he would hurt me, the least you could do is show concern, but I guess even that is too difficult for you to manage.” I shook my head slowly.

“It wasn’t like that,” my father said quickly.

“Then what was it like?” I demanded. “Explain it to me. Make it make sense.”

He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Just like I did, he knew there was no explanation for his actions.

“You think you’re sacrificing me for something important,” I said, my voice dropping, steadier now. My heart was even more numb compared to before they walked in.

My voice was colder, too.

“But you’re not. You’re just justifying your own cowardice.”

That was the wrong word.

I realised that when his restraint snapped, his hand shot out again. This time, I was ready, and I caught his wrist mid-air.

He stilled, and his eyes widened, expressing his shock at the fact that I had dared to stop him.

The room went completely still.