Chapter 11
Jessical” Rachel gasped, rushing over to help her daughter up.
Jessica sat on the floor, wailing as she clutched her backside, “Mom, my butt hurts so bad I think it’s broken!
Nina rolled her eyes at the dramatic display. All this over a little all she said inwardly.
She’d been on missions where bullets ripped through her shoulder, bone cracking, blood everywhere–and she didn’t cry half as much as Jessica was now.
“Are you serious?” she scoffed. “It’s a floor, not a meat grinder. Your butt’s not about to shatter.”
“You!” Jessica’s eyes narrowed. Not only was Nina not apologizing, but she also had the nerve to make fun of her.
Furious, she turned to Darell, crying. “Dad, look at Nina! She pushed me and now she’s mocking me!”
Darell’s frown deepened as he looked at Nina. “Apologize to your sister.”
“Why should
Nina was sure Darell hadn’t seen through Jessica’s act. She explained, “She tried to step on my painting. The paper’s delicate; one step and it would’ve been ruined. I only pushed her to save it!”
Jessica instantly put on her best pitiful look, tearfully turning to Darell. “Dad, I was just off balance because my leg hurt. 1 didn’t mean to step on it. Nina’s blaming me for no reason…”
Nina sighed, exasperated. “Why do you cry so much? It’s like you’re a faucet that won’t turn off.”
“Nina!” Jessica exclaimed, her voice sharp with irritation. “Are you trying to pick a fight? You love arguing, don’t you?”
“Well, well, look who’s full of pep!” Humphrey teased. “Guess that injury isn’t so bad after all, huh?”
“Humphrey… Jessica shot him a wounded look. ‘How could he side with Nina after what she has done?’ she wondered.
Humphrey didn’t even acknowledge Jessica’s pain, his cold gazesweeping past her.
Darell ignored Humphrey’s joke and focused on Nina. “Whether Jessica did it on purpose or not, you shouldn’t have pushed her. Don’t forget–her leg was injured because of you. Tailbones are fragile; what if she got seriously hurt? When you make a mistake, you apologize, not make excuses.”
Jessica threw Nina a triumphant look. “Hear that, Nina? Apologize!”
Nina didn’t say a word. She just looked at Darell, all cold and judgmental, and at Jessica, acting like she owned the place.
Why was she even here? Dealing with these losers was giving her headache.
She could easily take them all on, but where was the fun in that?
“That’s it. I’m done!” The words burst out of her.
“What did you say?” Darell’s eyebrow shot up.
Nina lifted her chin defiantly, meeting his gaze. “Doesn’t matter if I’m right or wrong–you always pick on me. I get it. You all hate me. Fine! I don’t want to be here anymore. Forget about the painting. From now on, we’re through. Goodbye!”
She spun around and headed for the door,
Chapter 11
Ninal Humphrey called after her, but she kept going. Exasperated, he turned to Darell. “Dad, are you happy now?”
Darell’s face was stony. “What? You think Nina pushing someone is okay? And since when does a daughter speak to her father like that? She’s disrespectful and rude. I’m her father–there’s nothing wrong with teaching her a lesson.”
A cynical smile played on Humphrey’s lips, “Splendid,” he drawled. His tone was laced with thinly veiled contempt.
With that, he turned and left to follow Nina.
Silence fell over the house.
Jessica was thrilled. With Nina gone, her bruised pride–and brused tailbone–felt a bit better. But she didn’t forget to put on a pitiful face for Darell,
“Dad. Humphrey won’t take this out on me, will he? He’s so soft on Nina. Now that she’s gone, he’ll probably be mad at me.”
Darell studied her for a moment. Then he said, “Why did you try to step on Nina’s painting?”
Jessica’s heart skipped a beat. Her mind racing, Wait! Dad knew I did it on purpose?”
“Dad, what are you talking about? I didn’t mean…” She struggled
Darell interrupted. “I’m not blind.”
Jessica’s face paled.
Rachel, sensing danger, nudged her. “Jessica, tell the truth. Don’t think you can hide anything from your father.”
Jessica understood her mother’s unspoken message: own up to it
Tears welled up again. I’m sorry, Dad. I was just scared you’d like Nina more and wouldn’t care about me anymore. I know it was wrong…
Dail looked at Jessica’s face, so much like his late wife’s. Though he knew Jessica was in the wrong, he couldn’t bring himself to punish her.
He softened. “When Nina comes back, apologize to her.”
Jessica’s jaw dropped. “What? She’s coming back?”
Darell just looked at her in silence..
Jessica quickly added, “I don’t mean anything by it, but didn’t she say she didn’t want to be here anymore?”
Darell was unfazed. “Humphrey went after her. He’ll bring her back.”
Jessica thought, ‘Nina’s made her bed. Let’s see if she’s brave enough to lie in it. If she comes back, I’ll make sure she regrets.
That evening, Humphrey returned with a reluctant Nina in tow, Jessica was fuming.
Jessica couldn’t believe her eyes. Nina was back. Just great.
“Didn’t you swear you’d never darken our doorstep again?” Jessica spat.
Nina shrugged. Not my choice.”
23
asback to earlier that day,
After storming out of the Woods‘ house, Nina had called her coct at the agency, announcing she wanted to return. She couldn’t stand another minute in that madhouse.
Her contact laughed. “If you don’t stick it out for a full month, don’t call us. In fact, don’t bother. Then they blocked her.
Returning to the Special Operations Division wasn’t an option.
And she’d made a big show of leaving the Woods family, so she wasn’t about to swallow her pride and go back immediately. Since she had to wait a month anyway, she figured she could stay out and return when her time was up.
But she never saw this coming–Humphrey actually hired a hacker to track her down!
Nina couldn’t believe it. She hadn’t even put up any defenses, but they were watching her every move.
Furious after finding out, she hacked right back and fried the hacker’s expensive tracking gear.
Supposedly, it was worth millions, and the poor guy was so crushed he locked himself in the bathroom before hitting Humphrey up for damages. Humphrey then turned to Nina, playing broke and insisting she cover it.
With no other choice, she followed Humphrey back home.
Now sitting there with Jessica glaring daggers at her and Humphrey grinning like he’d won some victory, Nina’s thoughts were a jumble.
‘Seriously,” she thought, this world has zero love left–might as well let it all burn.
