239|Break Or Heal His Heart

Marybeth's euphoric wave followed them to Neli's place, where they picked Orlando up, and all the way home, but vanished almost as soon as she saw her father waiting at the entrance of her apartment building.

She jumped out of the car before her handlers could drive into the basement parking, informing them she'd shortly come up to the penthouse with her father.

"Daddy, what are you doing here?" she asked as she approached her father, horrified at how much older he looked. He was also frailer, like he'd lost a shit ton of weight in the past few days alone.

"Hey, Sweet Pea." Lionel's gaunt face split into a slow smile when he saw her. Marybeth opened her arms and hugged him, her heart aching when she felt his bony frame. She didn't have to be a doctor to know he wasn't getting better. He'd never get better.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, searching his face. "Is it Danica?"

"No, no, no! Dani's fine. She's at work. And I'm okay, too," he assured her.

Marybeth begged to differ, but she d