Chapter 89: Reckoning
Vanesa didn't know how long she stayed curled up on her bed.
Her face throbbed where her father had slapped her, but it wasn't the pain that stung.
It was the realisation of how little she meant to him.
Her father, the man she had worshipped her entire life, had called her useless.
The word stuck in her mind like a cruel chant.
She sat up, wiping her swollen eyes.
The room felt cold, lonely... Usually, at this time, she would throw a tantrum, but not today.
Her chest tightened. It was suffocating her breathing.
"I'm not useless," she whispered to herself.
But her voice shook, betraying the doubt she couldn't ignore.
A knock sounded at her door, soft but firm.
She stiffened, wondering if it was Henry coming to make amends.
For a fleeting second, hope was flying inside her.
"Come in," she said, her voice hoarse.
The door opened, and Beatrice stepped inside.
