Chapter 15

Sarah's POV

Marko Sinclair, my father, sat across from me, his face flushed with urgency. His usual composed accountant demeanor was gone, replaced by sharp eyes and clenched hands around his coffee cup.

“Sarah,” he called my name, leaning in, “I heard about Carla Ruiz’s proposal, Canvas Renewal. She contacted my office this morning. The art therapy pilot. This is a major opportunity, and I heard she met with you before giving Adrian the contract.”

I paused, mug halfway to my lips. “The Moretti contract? Dad, is that the reason you called me out. The contract was for the Moretti Company.”

“Exactly,” he pressed, voice low but intense. “The contract we have with the Moretti family business is hanging by a thread. They’ve been our biggest backers since the merger with Moretti influence. If you can shift this contract to my name, it will strengthen our position, secure more funding flow, and keep our company moving without any fear of going bankrupt. You need to convince Carla Ruiz to shift the primary coordination to me, to the Marko-Sinclair partnership. Let her let me partner with her on this project.”

I set my cup down carefully, my voice soft. “Dad, I can't do it. What do you mean I should convince Carla to shift the contract to you? Carla saw something in the Moretti Company which you clearly don't have and that was why she proposed it to us. Shifting it now would look unprofessional and make me look like a bad person.”

Dad's expression darkened. The anger rose fast, his words spilling out in a heated rush. “Unprofessional? You’re lecturing me about professionalism? After everything we’ve done for you? Your biological mother abandoned you the week you were born, left you on our doorstep with a letter. Clara and I took you in, raised you as one of our own despite the burden. We tied our future to the Moretti contracts to give you and Ivy stability, and this is how you repay us? By gatekeeping an opportunity that could save the entire family business?”

“Ohh… yes… raise your voice. That is what you know how to do best,” I shot back. “Enough of your pity plays. You want to use me knowing fully well it will ruin me if it backfires. Why? Because of your selfish interest? Maybe you've forgotten, and I need to remind you. I am no longer your daughter. I belong to Moretti now. You married me off for your own selfish interest. And now, you want to do the same thing again. You want to use me for the second time for another selfish interest of yours!!!”

Dad let out a dry laugh, nodding his head repeatedly. “You’ve always been the difficult one, Sarah. The dreamer. The outcast who couldn’t fit properly no matter how hard we tried. While Ivy worked to build real value, you bring problems everyday in your life. Now you’re married to Adrian, living in luxury, and instead of using that position to lift your real family, to secure the contracts, you’re hoarding this opportunity like it’s your personal trophy. Do you want us ruined? If tomorrow, Eleanor decides to terminate the contract we have with them, we’ll lose everything. The loans, the partnerships, Ivy’s future, all because of your selfishness.

The words cut sharply. I felt myself shrinking in the chair. Tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them back, bringing down my voice. “Are you not tired?” I asked, with a cracking voice. “No… tell me. Are you not tired of tormenting me? I'm your blood for goodness sake. Your own blood! Yes I was given birth to by your mistress. How is it my fault? Did I create myself? I wouldn't have been born if you had self control. Why are you doing this to me? Whyyyyyyy!!!”

“This crocodile tears you're shedding does not mean anything to me,” Dad said. This time I couldn't hold back my tears. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks. “You are trying to lift another person's family higher while yours remains in poverty. Adrian doesn’t love you, he tolerates you because you’re useful. Eleanor sees you as something she can throw away whenever she feels like. But we’re your family. The ones who stayed when your real mother ran. Convince Carla, Sarah. Tell her the Sinclair partnership should lead the community coordination. Make it happen, or don’t bother pretending you care about us when the contracts get terminated.”

“What difference are you from Eleanor?” I asked, more tears pouring down. “I won't convince anybody. If you want to do it, then do it yourself and don't involve me. Because if I accept this one, you'll give me another harder challenge in future. So to cut everything short, let everything stop here. Whether I'm being used or not, it's none of your business. You have never been a father to me. So please let's stop the pretense.”

Dad didn't stop there. He continued talking to me with anger. He accused me of selfishness, of using the marriage as an escape while leaving the Sinclairs family vulnerable.

By the time he finished, he was breathing hard. I sat silent, the weight pressing on my chest. Part of me wanted to agree immediately, to call Carla, shift the lead, and make my father proud for once. To secure the contract for my father and ease the family pressure.

But another part wanted Adrian to have it. Even though none of them are worth it. At least, life has been easier in the Moretti House than when I was in my father's house. Staying completely with Adrian meant meeting more business opportunities as his wife. And if I need to free myself, I need to stay by Adrian's side.

Dad stood, tossing money on the table. “Fix this, Sarah. Convince her. Or accept that you’ve chosen your new family over the one that actually raised you.”

He left.

Which path would I choose? The one that has always made me feel small without bothering about how I felt, or the one where I risked everything to hold onto a small piece of myself?