Fleeing the Nightmarish Father novel Chapter 5

Ten years ago, Dad suddenly brought Elsie home, announcing that they were getting married.

After Mom passed, he'd been afraid we'd be hurt by a stepmom, so he never remarried.

But now, he had someone he wanted to marry, and we both supported it with open arms.

Before she moved in, my sister and I had a heart-to-heart and agreed we'd treat her like our own mom.

And we did.

But it didn't take long for us to realize she was two-faced.

She'd say one thing to Dad's face, and then turn around and make things difficult for us.

When she messed up the date for parent-teacher conferences, she blamed me, saying I had tricked her into going to the wrong class.

Dad made me apologize to every teacher.

When she lost the gift my sister had bought for her boss, she told Dad that my sister had yelled at her in front of everyone, embarrassing her.

My sister hadn't even said a word.

She even blamed us when she got scammed out of a hundred grand, saying we looked down on her because she didn't have a biological mom and had to prove herself.

I tried to tell Dad the truth about her, but it was like he was blind. He always believed her.

Just like now.

Dad comforted stepmom for a moment before turning back to me.

" Saafia , you need to apologize to your Aunt Phoebe."

"Not only that, you need to buy that house back and cancel the complaint you made against Aunt Lila."

"You and your sister need to take responsibility for the mess you caused."

I refused.

"No way. I'm not going."

Dad's face twisted with disappointment.

He stepped closer.

"What did you say? If you don't go, then I'll disown you."

" Saafia, if your mom could see what kind of person you've become, she'd regret ever having you."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut.

"Why should I help someone like that?"

It hit me like a ton of bricks.

To this day, Dad still thought my sister had faked her miscarriage.

I shouted, "Jeb Parker, do you even understand the responsibility of your words?"

"Who would risk their life over something like this?"

"If you don't believe us, fine. But what about Violet's medical records?"

"Don't you dare tell me you're too scared to look at them! She didn't miscarry for no reason."

My sister's miscarriage was an accident.

From the beginning, the hospital had made it clear—these things just happen so suddenly.

Dad's face drained of color.

He didn't have the guts to look.

He's been in this field for years—how could he not know what an unexpected situation looks like? How could he not have seen pregnant women who seemed fine in the morning but were hemorrhaging by noon?