Page 18 of Vow to Hate You

I whipped my head to look at him, unsure of what he was playing at. Those words almost sounded like he didn’t want to do this, but this was all his damn idea. He could have easily let me leave the city again instead of making me stay.

“Natalia?” My father’s surprised voice filtered through the air, and I tore my eyes from Damian.

“Hi, Dad.” I plastered a smile on my face, leaving Damian’s side to give him a hug.

After a brief embrace, he pulled back to study me. His lips tipped down in a frown when he looked at my hair. It had been over a year since I’d seen him, but he looked the same. His brown hair was peppered with light gray, and his green eyes were the same shade as mine and Char’s. Wrinkles creased near his mouth and the corner of his eyes, showing his age.

He was dressed in a suit and tie as always, making him look every bit like the businessman he was. He grew up in wealth, never knowing a life without money. I wasn’t sure how his parents treated him since he never talked about his childhood. But he was never warm or caring toward me and Char. I couldn’t even remember a single time he’d told us he loved us. To him, we were nothing but pawns to grow his empire through marriage.

“I didn’t know you were coming home,” he finally said, glancing at Damian. “I thought this was a business lunch.”

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. He’d barely seen me in five years but was annoyed he had to waste precious time on a social lunch instead of talking business. Instead of speaking directly to me, he was looking at my husband for a response.

“She wanted to surprise you,” Damian said smoothly.

“I’m here for a short visit,” I said, trying to see if I could wiggle my way out of this. “I still have to finish my internship?—”

“Nonsense,” Damian’s father cut me off sharply. “It’s time for you to come home.”

“Let’s discuss this at the table,” my dad said, nodding at the hostess who was waiting on us.

Damian’s hand landed on my lower back as we walked into the restaurant, with Char staying on my other side as we all took seats at the round table. This place was fancy, and I recognized half of the people sitting at nearby tables. It seemed to be a popular spot for business lunches.

Damian pulled out my chair for me before taking his seat next to me. My father and Damian’s sat across from us whileChar took the chair on my other side. There was already a server going around the table, pouring us water before asking what we wanted to drink. Once she walked away, my father focused back on me.

“It’s good to have you home, Natalia. I’m sure your husband is glad he’ll no longer have to travel to see you.”

“I would travel anywhere to see her,” Damian responded, giving me a soft smile.

His acting was on point today. He looked over the moon to have me sitting by his side. Over the last five years, he’d go on trips, telling our families it was to see me. Because making sure our marriage was strong was important. He’d fly to amazing vacation spots, acting like it was to meet me. Every time he traveled, he emailed me to try to convince me to meet him, but I knew better. He would have brought me back home.

I wasn’t sure what he did on those vacations, but I never thought about it. As long as I was left alone to live my life, I didn’t care what Damian did.

“But now she’s home. For good,” Christian Valentin stated, looking at his son before giving me a warning look. His brown eyes bore into mine, and I swallowed thickly. I never cared for Damian’s father. He was a harsh man with a remorseless mentality.

“I haven’t finished my internship,” I countered, trying to keep my voice steady.

“No need to finish,” my father brushed my words off with a wave of his hand. “You don’t need a job or higher education. You wasted all these years getting a degree you’ll never use, Natalia. When you should have been here, supporting your husband.”

“I disagree, Jude,” Damian spoke up before I could. “Having my wife obtain such a prestigious degree is good for us. For business.”

Shock flared through me as I snuck a glance at him. I couldn’t tell if he was actually defending me or making a snide comment because he knew the truth that I really wasn’t at school this entire time.

“How?” my dad retorted before taking a sip of his whiskey. “She won’t be working outside the house.”

Fury flooded me, my hands clenching into fists under the table. God, he was such a misogynistic bastard. Christian was even worse, which was probably why they got along so well.

I nearly jerked when Damian’s hand landed on my thigh, and he squeezed lightly. He didn’t look at me while he answered.

“Business is changing,” he said firmly. “Women own companies as large as yours. They enjoy talking to other educated women. When we have dinner parties or other gatherings, Natalia can carry on conversations which are beneficial to us.”

A muscle in my father’s jaw ticked, but he didn’t argue. He respected Damian. But it really got under my skin that ifI hadsaid the same words, he would have had a completely different reaction.

“You’re staying here.” Christian’s words were the nails in my coffin.

“I already booked a plane ticket to bring you home when your internship ended in two months. It saves me a trip.” my father added before giving me a sharp look. “Don’t fight about this, Natalia. It’s done. Do I need to remind you what happens if you don’t listen?” His emotionless voice held no threat. There was no need. It wasn’t only me in this situation; I had to think about Charlotte too. My father would use her to keep me under control.

There was no argument I could make to change their minds. My mother wouldn’t do anything to help me leave a second time. I didn’t have enough of my own money to try to leave and disappear on my own. There was a trust fund set up, butI couldn’t touch it until I turned twenty-five. I also couldn’t take money out without myhusband’ssignature. Which was utter bullshit. Both of our fathers agreed to the clause when we married.

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