Chapter Five

**Nina**

Zoe usually wakes me up with breakfast.

Actually, it’s the aroma of the food that always pulls me out of sleep before anything else, and today was no different.

I opened my eyes and saw a plate of breakfast waiting on the table beside the bed.

Zoe wasn’t in the room, so I quickly got up and went to freshen up.

Today, I planned to visit my father and finally sort things out with him. I just prayed it would work out in my favor.

I walked out of the bathroom with damp hair, wrapped in a white towel. Zoe stood in front of the mirror adjusting her wristwatch.

“Good morning, babe,” I greeted as I walked in.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” she replied, not sparing me a glance, but I could see the smile on her face through the mirror.

“I’m already late for work,” she said, turning in my direction.

I was applying lotion to my skin while listening to her. She walked toward me and gently patted my shoulder. “Make sure you work things out with your father,” she said while picking up her handbag from the table. I nodded slowly in response.

A few seconds later, she opened the door and rushed out. I quickly got dressed in one of Zoe’s dresses, ate my breakfast, and left for my family's home.

I couldn’t remember the last time I had been there. As I stood in front of the house, my heartbeat increased.

This place used to feel like home. Now, it felt like a place I had to earn my way back into.

I slowly opened the door.

The first person I saw was one of the maids.

The moment she saw me, she froze in shock, causing the vase she was cleaning to slip from her hands and crash onto the floor.

Before I could respond, I heard footsteps coming from upstairs. It was Liana.

Maybe the sound of the broken vase had made her come down. She looked equally surprised to see me, but she quickly hid it.

A smile slowly formed on her lips as she descended the stairs.

“Wow,” she said, clapping her hands. “Look who decided to come back.” She laughed lightly.

“I can’t believe you actually came crawling back like a prodigal daughter.” She walked closer and leaned toward me. Then she whispered into my ear.

“Looks like you’re nothing without Nolan. You broke up with him for only three days, and you’re already running back home.”

A smirk appeared on her face.

“If you kneel and beg, maybe I might consider leaving him for you.”

I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath. I didn’t come here for her. I wasn’t ready to create a scene, especially not when I needed my father to listen to me.

But when she saw that I wasn’t reacting, she pushed me. My bag slipped from my hand and fell to the floor. Then she raised her hand to slap me. I caught her wrist before she could touch me.

“All this time, I stayed quiet not because I couldn’t fight back,” I said coldly.

I pushed her hand away.

“It was because you and Nolan weren’t worth the stress.”

My eyes narrowed.

“The next time you try raising your hand against me, you won’t like what happens next.”

Anger burned inside me, but I forced myself to stay calm.

I bent down to pick up my bag.

Suddenly, Liana slapped herself. Before I could understand what she was doing, she fell to the floor and started crying.

She always did this whenever my father and Victoria were around, making me the bad person. And that was when I realized they were already coming downstairs.

Before I could explain anything, my father’s angry voice filled the room.

“What are you doing here? And why are you causing trouble?”

My heart sank.

Before I could answer, Liana rushed toward him, holding his arm.

“Dad, please don’t blame Nina,” she sobbed.

“It was my fault. I tried welcoming her, but she pushed me and slapped me.”

She wiped her tears dramatically.

“She said if you hadn’t married Mom and brought me into this family, none of this would have happened.”

My eyes widened. That wasn’t true.  Not even close.

“She’s probably still angry because of her mother,” Liana continued. “Maybe she thinks we took everything away from her.”

Victoria immediately interrupted.

“Liana, don’t say things like that about her mother.”

She turned toward me.

“Nina, I’m sorry. We never meant to replace your mother or take anything away from you. You just misunderstood us.”

Then she slowly knelt.

“We only wanted what was best for you.”

“Enough!”

My father’s voice thundered through the room. He immediately helped Victoria stand.

“It’s not your fault, Liana,” he said softly.

Then he turned his cold gaze toward me.

“She’s just too ungrateful to appreciate everything we’ve done for her.”

My chest tightened.

“Since she chose Nolan over this family, she’s no longer welcome here.”

Everything happened so quickly. I couldn’t even process his words. It felt like my voice had disappeared.

At the mention of Nolan, Liana’s expression changed for a second, but she quickly hid it with a nervous smile.

My father clearly didn’t know what happened between Nolan and me. But that wasn’t why I came.

I dropped to my knees.

“Dad…” My voice shook.

“I know I was stubborn. I know I didn’t listen when you warned me about Nolan.” Tears filled my eyes. “But I’ve learned my lesson.” 

I looked at him desperately.

“Nolan cheated on me with Liana. I’ve decided to continue my studies and rebuild my life.”

My father’s expression changed. Then he turned to Liana.

“Is that true?”

For a moment, she looked shocked. Then a small smile appeared on her lips.

“Dad, that’s not true.”

She quickly shook her head.

“Actually, Nolan caught Nina cheating on him in a hotel. He was heartbroken and called me because he needed someone to talk to.”

She sniffed.

“When Nina saw me comforting him, she assumed we were having an affair.”

She reached into her pocket.

“I have proof.”

She unlocked her phone, tapped the screen a few times, and handed it to my father. I couldn’t see what was on it. But whatever it was changed everything.

My father’s face darkened.

Then suddenly... His hand connected with my cheek. The sound echoed through the room.

“You have the nerve to come here and accuse your sister of cheating?” he shouted.

My eyes filled with tears.

“Dad…”

“Get out!”

He pointed toward the door.

“Before I lose my temper completely.”

Victoria quickly stepped forward to calm him down. Then she walked toward me and whispered,

“Maybe you should leave for now. I’ll talk to him. I’ll try to put in a good word for you.”

I nodded silently. I was too confused to even argue.

I picked up my bag and walked toward the door.

Then a voice stopped me.

“Ma’am, I think this fell from your bag.”

I turned my head slightly. The maid was holding something in her hand. From the corner of my eye, it looked like a piece of jewelry.

Like the necklace from the hotel room. The one that belonged to the stranger.