Chapter 32: The Parents

Leonel

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“Leo, darling,” my mother coos in her soft, subdued tone as she steps out of the limo, which drives to another side of the estate.

I don’t waste time pulling her in for a tight hug. The smell of her rose perfume wafts into my nose, reminding me of my childhood.

“Are you okay?” I whisper in her ear, careful not to let my father hear us. Her grip on me slackens and then falls away completely, and to my dismay, she pulls away from me, that smile she has perfected etched on her face.

“I’m peachy, darling!” she chirps loudly. Too loudly. I grimace, knowing she’s doing it for that bastard’s benefit. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

And then I see him. A wave of revulsion goes through me. He has my grey eyes and dark hair, but older, and, dare I say, more stone-cold.

“Hello, Father,” I drone out.

He doesn’t respond. Instead, he wraps an arm around my mother, who I watch flinch slightly, though she masks it by smiling up at him in a way that doesn’t reach her eyes. Her smiles never do.