Page 71 of Malicious Intentions

But the past haunts me, making my smile fade.

I bow my head and inhale her scent, letting it calm me. “My mom wanted more kids, probably to occupy her time. I think shefeared the day I’d grow up and leave, and she’d be alone with him.”

“My father told her he didn’t want any more kids, which nearly destroyed her. Still, she tried convincing him.” I swallow against the knot in my throat, hating him for destroying her. “It wasn’t long before she discovered the affairs he’d been having.”

Lexi gasps, her hands tightening around mine.

“He stopped hiding it and would come home late, reeking of another woman’s perfume. His hair and tie were askew, lipstick on his collar.” I can’t keep the bitterness out of my voice. I despise him for cheating on her every chance he got. “Some nights, he didn’t come home at all.”

“Why didn’t he just let her go if he didn’t want any more kids and couldn’t keep his dick out of other women?”

I snort at her words, agreeing wholeheartedly with her. Had he let us go, my life would have turned out differently. But I can’t change the past or who I’ve become.

“Power and control. Not to mention, my mom was a beautiful trophy wife. She looked good on his arm. Provided a sense of family and stability in the eyes of his business associates.”

I bury my face in her hair, gathering my strength. “She caught him fucking one of the servants. The only one my mom considered to be a friend. Even worse, the betrayal was continuously shoved in my mom’s face as the servant’s stomach swelled with my father’s child.”

Lexi gasps. “Oh my God.”

“It gets worse.” I stare vacantly at my mom’s casket. “My father wanted my mother to pretend she was pregnant and raise it as my sibling.”

She gasps, looking at me over her shoulder.

Hatred wells inside me as I squeeze Lexi’s fingers. “My mom refused. The whole situation was a bitter pill she couldn’t swallow.”

“I don’t blame her. That’s awful.”

“My mom demanded a divorce. My father refused. She demanded he either have the maid terminate the pregnancy or fire her, but my dad wouldn’t do either.”

“I fucking hate your father even more…” Her voice trails off as she looks at me over her shoulder. “Sorry.”

I shake my head. “Don’t be. Trust me, I understand.” I give her a small smile before continuing. “My mom became so depressed that she refused to get out of bed. My father forced her to see a doctor, and she was prescribed medication. She began drinking, although her doctor told her not to.”

“Oh no.” Lexi looks at me over her shoulder. “Did she….”

“Die? Yes.” Clearing my throat, I’m lost in the haunting memory. “I was eleven years old and was bringing her breakfast in bed when I found her unresponsive.”

Lexi turns in my arms, flinging her arms around my neck. “Oh God. I’m sorry.”

I cling to her, never wanting to let her go.

“The autopsy report stated she had excessive amounts of anti-anxiety meds, sleeping pills, and alcohol in her system. It was a recipe for certain death.” I shake my head. “I know she did it deliberately. She wanted to escape.”

Lexi’s hands rub over my back. She remains quiet, letting me get it out.

The sweet scent of her hair muffles my voice. “My life was hell after that. I didn’t realize how much my mom protected me from my father’s bullshit until she was gone.”

She pulls back slightly. “It’s okay to grieve the loss of her.”

Bitterness tinges my voice. “Oh, I grieved her, Lexi. So fucking much. But I’m also pissed at her. She was a coward for taking the easy way out and leaving me to deal with him alone.”

My organs turn cold and hard as I stare at her casket. Resentment fills every facet of me.

Anger fills me as my gaze moves to Lexi. “I am who I am. Don’t think you can change me. There’s isn’t a soft man beneath my exterior, waiting for the right girl to let him out.”

Lexi shivers, but I don’t stop. She needs to understand who and what I am—a monster obsessed with her.

“I’m like my father and grandfather in that I take what I want when I want it. Not caring who gets hurt along the way, as long as I’m satisfied.” My grip changes, my fingers digging into her arms, making her wince. “Where I differ is that I don’t fucking cheat. I hate it. When I’m with someone, she’s mine, and I’m hers. No exceptions.” I glower at her, the muscle in my jaw working. “No onebetween us.”

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