Page 26 of Lesson on Depravity

“I am very proud of you to take the job, Coco dear. You will love it there.”

It’s a jab at me, and I glare at the vicious woman. Staring down at Coco, her face pales, and she jerks her gaze down at her plate. Her cheeks move faster to chew the dessert, but she can’t escape the hand around her smaller one.

“Coco, is there something you want to tell me?”

She swallows the food, green eyes darting around like a deer in headlights. “I was going to tell you later…”

What I had originally thought was that she would figure out what the hell was happening with the job offer, and then she would come home to tell me that it was just a stupid hoax. I should have come with her to make sure she isn’t swept up by the pace of the busiest area in the city.

I have a feeling this woman had something to do with it. Whether she had good intentions or not, no one does good deeds without demanding favors in return.

“As a congratulation to your accomplishment, Auntie Jessie had gotten you a gift!” She claps her hand and reaches down to the ground, lifting up a bag with a rectangular-shaped box inside.

I reckon this is not as simple as a gift for getting a job that Coco didn’t even apply for. The more I think about it, the possibility of the same Jessabelle being affiliated with Xavier seems higher. There is no way such a coincidence of her coming out with this family shit, and the next words on the streets are about Xavier and a woman with the same name.

Then there is the issue of words on the street warning me that the police are looking for a girl with green eyes. The chances of it not being Coco is not a probability I want to put any wagers on.

Precaution comes first.

“Thank you, Auntie, but you don’t have to.” Coco accepts the gift and hugs it to her chest with such a precious smile that yanks at my heartstrings.

This will hurt her more if I let this fantasy in her head go on. Jessabelle, by all the years of my experiences, is not a good person. My gut is never wrong, and this time, it’s screaming to get my princess away from her.

Coco will be hurt, angry, and crying. Taking the brunt of the heartbreak will ensure that she won’t fall for the woman’s scheme, and I’m willing to be the reason she cries before she finds out that everyone ultimately disappoints her.

Not Daddy. My life is dedicated to protecting her, and that takes sacrifices. It’s worth it. Coco’s worth it. She’ll learn this lesson and know that I’m the only one she can count on to love her unconditionally.

“I want to, sweetie,” Jessabelle croons, the fake smile on her red lips is repulsive.

Coco doesn’t see it with the deceptive blindfold the woman had put on her, but I do. I see it clearly, and that woman doesn’t bother to hide it either when she would throw arrogant gazes at me.

“My sister hadn’t been a mother to you, and my brother-in-law was a no-good man. You deserve to be treated well, and Auntie Jessie wants to make up for the time I wasn’t there to protect you.”

Coco’s bottom lip wobbles and her green eyes blink rapidly to fan the tears away. The rims of her eyes are red as her little arms squeeze the gift bag tightly to her chest as if she is guarding it with her life.

Jessabelle just doesn’t give up. She’s getting a kick out of this; she finds entertainment in bringing tears to my baby girl with ill intentions.

Xavier, Javier, and Jessabelle are enemies in my eyes. Thorns at my side that need to be plucked and burned away. Javier was the easiest to dispose of, Xavier will take a bit of time if he fucks up my territory one more time, and Jessabelle needs a different type of planning to remove her from Coco’s life.

“If my sister would have just given up custody of you, then I would have adopted you!” The sympathy in Jessabelle’s eyes is unbelievable, but Coco falls for it like a fickle girl.

“I asked her to give you to me because no child should live like that!” she coos, “I could have protected you, sweetie.”

The tears in Coco’s eyes are about to spill, but she sniffs and blinks aggressively to put herself back together.

“I’m fine now, Auntie.” She smiles, peers up at me with admiration and complete adoration towards me.

Words die back down in my throat. Whatever I was going to say melts, and it’s reinforced with a depraved glee of an image of her teary-eyed confessing guilt and remorse over the predictable end of this fairy tale fantasy of hers.

I can nearly see the ending, and I could taste her future regret on my tongue already, and it’s sick and twisted of me to decide that this would go on and play out the inevitable finale.

All possible endings will result in her crying in my arms.

I am one sick bastard, but my baby wanted this opportunity to grow up and find what she loves through experiencing life.

Why not let life take its course?

I may or may not put obstacles in the path, but I’m doing this for my princess.

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