The Daughter They Never Wanted Chapter 05

The Daughter They Never Wanted Chapter 05

My parents didn’t realize what was happening until the call was already out.

He smacked the phone out of my hand and crushed it under his boot until it shattered.

“Nancy, was that really necessary?”

“What if Daisy was the one whose nudes got taken?” The tears came anyway. I choked on the words. Over and over. “Answer me. What would you do if it was her?”

Guilt flickered across Dad’s face. But it turned to anger fast.

“I’m your father! Don’t you dare raise your voice at me!”

“Father?” I laughed. “Didn’t you say I was adopted?”

The next thing I knew, I was sprawled on the floor. A stinging, burning handprint bloomed hot across my cheek.

Perfect timing. The cops showed up.

Dad’s face flipped to a smile. “Just a family misunderstanding, officer. My youngest daughter acted out, and I was correcting her behavior.”

“A mistake?” My voice went cold. “Daisy told someone to take naked pictures of me. How is that my fault?”

“Who is Daisy? Please come with us.”

Mom panicked. She threw herself in front of Daisy.

“Officer, really, it’s a misunderstanding. They’re sisters. Just playing

—

around.”

“Sisters?” I laughed. “I have no family. What sister?”

My parents froze. They remembered what they did. Dad slapped his forehead.

The family excuse fell apart.

Luckily for them, Tom only got blurry shots. He hadn’t sent them to Daisy yet.

She got a warning. Then they let her go.

Dad shot me a dirty look. “Drama queen.”

He put his arm around Daisy to leave. The police stopped him.

When they told him he might go to jail for what he did to me, Dad finally got scared.

He showed up at the hospital with a ton of snacks.

“Sweetie, I was wrong. I swear I’ll be good to you from now on.”

I stared at his hollow, performative concern. And my stomach turned. I threw up.

Dad jumped back. He reached to pat my back.

“Don’t touch me!”

“Okay, okay. I won’t.”

“I fixed up your room. You can come home anytime.”

—

“But you have to write a letter saying you forgive me. I really messed up.”

He wasn’t sorry. He was just scared.

He was vice president of a company. If he got locked up, that would hurt business.

I smiled. “Fine. Make Daisy apologize.”

Dad agreed in a heartbeat. He pulled Daisy out of class right away.

“Apologize to your sister.”

She didn’t. She just pouted.

“Do it!”

Dad pushed. Finally, she mumbled, “Sorry.”

I didn’t even glance up from the hospital bed, my voice flat and icy. “Beg me properly.”

“Nancy, that’s enough!” Mom screamed.

I glanced at her. “Not enough. I want her to record a video apology and post it on the school forum. Pin it. And delete every video she ever made of me.”

“No? Fine.”

I turned my head away.

“She’ll do it! Daisy, do what your sister says!”

Daisy did it. Mom couldn’t watch. She turned away.

—

I made Dad pay me compensation too. Then I signed the letter.

“You ungrateful little brat! You’re no daughter of mine!” Mom glared at me, yanking Daisy tighter into her side.

“Ma’am,” I said. “You forgot. I was never yours to begin with.”