Chapter 6

I was awoken by the sound of crying and shrieking in the middle of the night.

I had just sat upright when someone kicked my door open.

A crying Portia barged in and slapped me a few times before I could react. She snarled, “How could you be so cruel? You’ve already beaten her up in the morning. Is that not enough? Do you still wish to kill her?”

She then leaned into Dad’s chest and wailed. “She knows Evelyn is allergic to peaches. Yet, she intentionally smeared peach syrup all over Evelyn’s pillow and bed! She’s trying to kill our daughter!”

“Alright, now. Don’t cry. Fortunately, Evelyn took some allergy meds in time, so her condition isn’t so severe.” Dad soothed Portia with a gentle, affectionate tone.

Meanwhile, he shot death glares my way. “You’ve greatly disappointed me, Ruth. Move out tomorrow. I fear our entire household will descend into chaos if I allow you to stay at home any longer.”

Portia’s sobs stopped almost immediately after that.

I looked at the man before me, who used to be my closest family member in this world. He loved me boundlessly once. I was his only daughter, and he cherished me as if I were a great treasure.

However, everything had changed.

I was like Cinderella, who lost all her luck and was left with nothing over time.

At first, I couldn’t understand it, so I cried, made a fuss, and even argued. But now? I finally realized that the thread of fate binding me and my father had unraveled.

…

The day I moved out of the Chilcott residence, Dad told me, “I’ll bring you home after your mom’s death anniversary is over.”

I didn’t say a word. I just waited until they left me alone. Then, I cut up and burned the photos of myself with Jonathan and Dad, which I had collected over the years.

Finally, I tore the wedding dress I had gotten three years ago. I bought it in secret when Jonathan confessed his feelings for me.

It was a wedding dress that looked like a princess gown, one I had fantasized about wearing many times since I was a girl. Yet, I was now tearing it up with my bare hands.