Ch. 3 DISOWNED

Emily’s POV

Before I could even consider walking away, the sound of hurried footsteps filled the corridor. My stepmother, Linda, and my father, Mr. Parker, rushed to the scene, their faces twisted with concern.

Jessica looked up at them, her eyes brimming with crocodile tears. "Father, Emily hit me!" she cried, her voice trembling. "She just kept slapping me, over and over again!"

Linda immediately rushed to Jessica's side, fussing over her swollen cheek. "Oh, my darling daughter!" she cooed, tossing a venomous glare in my direction. "How dare you attack her the moment you set foot in this house?"

I stood my ground, my arms folded across my chest. "I won't deny it," I said boldly. "I slapped Jessica, and I won't hesitate to do it again."

I fixed Linda with a pointed stare. "After all, she did seduce my fiancé. And your inability to discipline your own daughter properly has turned her into a homewrecker, just like you."

Mr. Parker's face contorted with fury, and before I could even brace myself, his hand shot out, striking me across the face with a resounding crack.

The blow landed, and I received it like a champion. It was the first time my father had ever laid a hand on me, and the shock of it left me reeling.

Linda feigned concern, grasping my father's arm. "Darling, don't hurt our daughter!" she cried, though her eyes gleamed with triumph.

Mr. Parker's expression hardened as he glared at me. "I don't remember raising such a disrespectful child," he spat. "What have you been learning in that Duskfall pack, hmm? Clearly, you have no manners left."

I looked up at Linda, my anger burning bright. "And you," I retorted, "Have been a terrible mother, allowing Jessica to behave so shamelessly. You are a poor excuse for a mother, and you have encouraged this inappropriate behavior."

As I stood there, facing the fury of the Parker family, a sudden clarity crashed over me. I could see through Linda's false displays of concern and care - they were nothing more than a façade.

The memories came rushing back, unbidden. That day, when Linda had spiked my orange juice, drugging me until I felt hot and disoriented. How she had crept into my room in the dead of night, like an evil witch, and drawn blood from me using a syringe, all in a twisted attempt to conduct a paternity test.

I shuddered, the shadow sensations of her hands on me and the sting of the needle still lingering. And now, here she was, trying to portray herself as the caring, understanding stepmother.

But I knew the truth. Linda had never considered me her daughter, not truly. She had always seen me as a threat, an intruder in the Parker household.

As Linda's voice cut through the mess, her words dripping with false sweetness, I felt a wave of disgust. "My daughter didn't seduce your fiancé," she cooed. "Robert came to her because he couldn't resist the pull of his true mate, a wolfless omega like you wouldn't understand how powerful a mate's bond..."

I didn't even give her a chance to continue. Reaching into the black bag I had brought with me, I pulled out the envelope, its contents damning.

"I have proof of her sinful acts," I declared, my voice steady despite the unrest within. Slowly, I opened the envelope, revealing the incriminating photos of Jessica and Robert in a series of compromising sex positions.

The gasps that escaped Linda and Jessica's lips were music to my ears. Jessica's eyes widened in horror, her mouth opening and closing uselessly as she scrambled for a response.

"H-How did you get these?" She demanded, her voice shrill with panic.

I merely raised a brow, refusing to give her the satisfaction of an answer. Instead, I turned my gaze to my father, whose expression remained impassive, even in the face of such damning evidence.

"Well, Father?" I challenged, daring him to deny the truth before his very eyes. Without a word, I flung the damning photographs onto the floor, the images scattering at his feet.

"What do you have to say about your darling daughter's affair with my former fiancé?" I demanded, my voice all sharp edges. "I may be disrespectful, but is this the kind of promiscuous behavior you find acceptable in this family?"

Linda immediately sprang into action, bending down to hastily scoop up the incriminating photos. "These disgusting photos were taken without my daughter's knowledge!" she cried. "It's illegal to invade someone's privacy like this!"

But Mr. Parker remained unfazed, his gaze fixed solely on me. To my utter dismay, he blatantly disregarded the evidence, directing all of his anger and disapproval towards me instead.

"You are no longer welcome in this house," he spat, his words like a dagger to my heart. "Go back to the Duskfall pack and stop causing problems for this family."

I felt betrayed and disgusted by his blatant favouritism towards Jessica. How I had longed for my father's support and his acknowledgment, but it was too much to ask.

"Robert is an unfaithful son of a bitch," I hissed, my vision blurring with tears of rage. "He is like a disloyal dog, drawn to whichever sweetness is on offer! He will still cheat on her, once a cheater, always a cheater!"

Without another word, I turned on my heel and began to storm out of the mansion, my lungs burning with the effort to keep my composure.

But as I reached the door, Mr. Parker's voice rang out, soakedwith hatred. "You are no longer my daughter. I don't want to see your face here ever again."

I paused, my hand gripping the doorframe as I looked back at him—this man who was supposed to be my father. The utter rejection in his eyes was like a physical blow, and I had to swallow back the lump in my throat.

As I turned to leave, I caught a glimpse of Jessica, a malicious smile playing on her lips as she waved at me, whispering a mocking "Bye-bye, sister."