Chapter 6: Hate?

~ Anyssa’s Pov~

“You took the job?!”

“I had to. He helped me deal with the problem I had, so I practically owe him.”

“No, you don't. Who’s this guy anyway?” Vanessa asked as she handed me a glass of orange juice.

“He is my father’s best friend, and my dad actually asked me to intern under him.”

“Wait, for real?!”

“Yeah! As if he hasn’t done enough to mess with my life, now he asks his best friend to do the job, which is practically looking after me.”

Vanessa giggled as she sipped her juice, rolling her eyes.

“What?”

“Nothing, nothing. It’s just that… you basically have a babysitter boss who is your dad’s best friend. It’s kind of funny.”

“No, it’s not. Ruby is getting married, and here I am, getting a job!”

“Oh yeah, I heard about the engagement and the little celebratory party they had.”

I scoffed. “Little” was an understatement. It was huge… blinding and flashy, just like Ruby wanted.

“So you won’t be here for the actual wedding? You’ll have to go to New York, right?”

“Yes,” I sighed, drinking down the contents of the glass.

“Hey, hey. Just look at it from a good angle.”

“Like what?”

She shifted closer, placing her hands on mine. “You get to explore options. I know how badly you want to leave your father’s house. Look at it as a green light. You could also strike a bargain with Alpha Ronan: you do whatever he wants, and he keeps quiet about you to your father.”

She’s not wrong. I mean, I don’t need a babysitter, and even though Ronan will have his eyes on me the whole time, I might as well trick him into believing I can handle myself on my own.

“This is why you’re my best friend!” I hugged her as she giggled.

“But I’m going to miss you. Promise you’ll come see me?”

“Definitely, girl!”

Vanessa has been my only friend since my father brought me to Orlando. When I enrolled at UCF, she was the first girl I talked to for directions after I got my detention slip, and from that moment, we became close. I am really going to miss her, especially now that I'm going to New York and will be all by myself.

Honestly, I didn't want to go to New York; that is why I decided to have one more conversation with Dad to see if he would change his mind. Maybe, if he agrees, he can talk to Alpha Ronan and the intern plans will be cancelled? It wouldn't hurt to try.

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“If I'm not mistaken, you should be packing your bags and getting ready for your flight tomorrow,” Dad said, settling into the chair.

“I know I've been acting off and…”

“And mannerless.”

“Yes, yes, all that. But please, don't make me go to a new city where I know no one just to make me pay.”

“I’m doing this for your own good,” he said, picking up his phone. “My best friend will keep an eye on you, plus you’ll be working. You won’t have time to act wayward because you’ll be busy.”

“Give me an ultimatum. I would do anything, please? I can’t go to New York.”

“This isn’t up for debate, Anyssa. You have a duty – which is to go to New York and focus on your life. Look at your sister, Ruby—”

“Don’t bring her into this. She’s already getting married to the only person I truly care about, and you’re letting it happen!” I screamed, fighting back the tears that stung my eyes. Dad looked at me, shock written on his face.

“You already have so much hate and jealousy for your sister.”

“I don’t hate her.”

“Then what is this attitude you just showed me? You hate her, and that’s disgusting. You are privileged to stay in this house, go to a good school, yet you harbor so much hate for someone who cares about you.”

Care? That bitch and her mother are probably laughing right now.

“Dad—”

“Enough! I’m tired of listening to your excuses and made-up lies. You will go to New York, and that is final. If you still don’t want to go, then you should be ready to find a place to stay.”

Is he… kicking me out? Because I’m not his favorite daughter?

“Are you kicking me out?”

“I don’t know, Anyssa, am I?”

I scoffed and nodded, accepting my true fate. He isn’t going to let this go, so my little fight is nothing. It means nothing to him. I mean nothing to him. He is ready to have me go work under someone I consider a stranger while he lives happily with his family.

How stupid can I be? He has never truly loved me. He has proved that countless times in his actions, yet here I am, thinking a little plea would help me.

“Fine. I will go to New York. But let me make this clear to you: if I go out that door, you forfeit every right to be my father, and I don’t give a fuck about your best friend either. I will work for him, but that’s my decision, not yours.”

I turned around and walked out, bumping into Ruby with both her hands on her hips. She slowly clapped, a small grin spreading on her face.

“That was an amazing performance you did there, sis.”

“I am not your sister.”

“I know, you’re not. You’re just a little girl Dad pitied and brought back home. A mistake that I’m so glad he realized was not worth wasting time on.”

“What do you want? You’ve gotten what you wanted. Your family, a diploma, a fiancé.”

“And you’ve got nothing. Exactly where I want you to be,” she said. “It’s so sad you’re going to New York though. No friends. No job. No family.”

“Get to the point. There’s no one here.”

“But I’ll come check up on you once in a while. Mavis works with his father, so you’ll be seeing more of me… with my fiancé, of course. Plus, you have so much fitting in to do… especially in a new pack.”

I rolled my eyes and, without a word, walked past her. I had other things to think about. Like, for one: working for my father’s best friend.