silent, trying to process what my dad had revealed and what he was asking of me. He watched me with hope blossoming on his face, so clear that even I could see it beyond my thick sheen of tears. I'll leave you alone for the rest of my life. After today, you won't have to worry about me anymore.
"... After today, if you ever contact me again for any reason, I'm going to ruin your life. Understand? After today, you're not my dad anymore. You're just a pathetic, money-grubbing piece of shit I'm unfortunately related to. And I'm not gonna lie to this stupid, poor woman you're leeching off of. I'm not gonna sink to your level." Disgust engulfed my whole body when my dad perked up, and I clenched my hands into tight fists by my sides. "What time?"
"4:30. Thank you, Mel—"
"I'm not doing this for you, you pig!" My screech echoed down the hallway, and my dad jumped in shock as the urge to punch him almost overwhelmed me. "Get the fuck away from me! I can't stand to even look at you!"
Throwing my hands up— like I was some animal and looking bigger made me more intimidating— I trembled as my dad scurried toward the elevator. Did he not see how awful I looked?
No, he did. He just doesn't care. Sniffling harshly, I reached to wipe the snot dripping from my nose with my tissue as I glared at my dad's back. He was just a sperm donor, never a dad.
"Mel—" My head whipped to the side, and Terry held up his hands in surrender. "You know it's three in the afternoon, right?"
"What?" The last time I looked at the clock, it wasn't even 10 a.m., and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. My apartment was a mess, and there wasn't even time to order something and get back here. I couldn't even properly dress myself up! As if sensing where my thoughts were going, Terry walked over to grab my bicep and squeeze comfortingly. "Jason and I will help you. I don't know why you're worried about getting all dolled up, though, considering..."
"You heard him if it 'goes good', he'll leave me alone forever. I— I— what...?" Dizziness blurred Terry's concerned features, and I squeezed my eyes shut tightly to take a stabilizing breath. "I'll make this place the Met Gala if it means getting away from him."
"Then, the Met Gala you shall have." Terry's eyes blazed with determination, and I flung my arms around him to hug him with all my meager strength. I was so friggin lucky to have a friend like him, and he patted my back firmly before pulling back to cup my flaming cheeks. "You take a cold shower and sniff some curry or something. I'll get Jason onboard."
"You're amazing, Terry." He winked at me before disappearing back into his apartment, and I leaned on the door frame heavily. "... What just happened?"
Why was I going to bother getting dressed and hiding how enflamed my face was? Why was I going to waste makeup trying to disguise how red and puffy my eyes were? What was the point of stressing out about making food I didn't even want to eat to impress someone I'd never see again?
Because this time, my dad said he'd leave my life. Permanently. And he might be lying like usual to get me to do what he wanted, but I was going to hold him to it. I knew about his fudged books. I knew about his gross overcharging and hiding his money from the IRS. I knew about the employees he'd underpaid and threatened, and I knew that with one phone call, I could destroy him.
Hopefully, he realized that I would do it. It'd take a while, but I would eventually work up the courage to make that call.
"This woman has a kid my age." Does that mean I was going to have to entertain some sniveling, spoilt teenage boy in my apartment? Misery slumped my shoulders, and I cupped my forehead as I took a shallow, wheezing breath. At least she's not my age... I guess... "This is so messed up."
Chapter 17
Carl
"I just think it's fucked that he wants to go to his kid's apartment rather than his own home, Laurie. That's all. My opinion of him couldn't get any lower, but I was wrong, apparently." My sister nodded across the center console of my car, and I flexed my grip