Scrolling through my phone, I realize all my sisters flew out tonight to Cancun. There’s no chance in hell I’m calling my parents since I’m already in trouble given all Mom’s messages. I dial my cousin Luna’s number, and thankfully she picks up.
Twenty minutes later, we’re on the way home.
“Does Uncle Lex know you’re out this late on a school night?” Luna asks, pulling into my street.
“I’ll deal with it tomorrow.”
“Aren’t you afraid of being grounded?”
I shrug. “Not really.”
As we pull into the driveway, Luna leaves the car running. “You sure you don’t want to talk about it?”
“I’m fine, thanks again.”
With my purse in hand, I exit the car and take a deep breath. If all goes well, I can run up to my room so I’m not caught in this short yellow dress I borrowed from Ava.
The second I step inside, I turn the light on to see my father. His presence in the darkness catches me by surprise, and his eyes turn angry upon noticing my dress.
“Oh,” I mouth, avoiding eye contact.
“Oh?” he repeats in a cold tone. “Is that the only response I’ll get from you, considering it’s two hours past your curfew, and it’s a school night?”
Growing up as the youngest daughter of a well-known billionaire is not glamorous like everyone thinks it is.
My father, Lex Edwards, controls everything our family does. My sisters may have moved out, but I’m the last one under his wrath.
God forbid I do anything to disobey him. He demands respect, but I’m so over his controlling ways. I continue to ignore him, flicking my long hair over my shoulder in complete disregard for his authority.
“Anything you’d like to say, Alexandra?”
A puff of air leaves my lips as I roll my eyes in annoyance.
“Let me guess. You’re calling me Alexandra, so I’m in big trouble? Assuming I’m grounded, you’ll take all my privileges off me because you are the controlling Lex Edwards.”
His eyes widen as his nostrils flare. Lowering his gaze for a moment, he’s obviously trying to control himself because Mom told him to.
“You’re damn right you’re grounded,” he shouts, slamming his fist on the counter. “How dare you worry your mother and me over your careless actions. You live in this house. You abide by our rules.”
Of course, he has no sympathy. He has no idea what happened tonight, and even if I told him the truth, he’d find a way to turn it into all about his rules.
“I’m over your rules!” I yell back, eyes blazing with fire. “I didn’t ask to be Lex Edwards’ daughter. This life was thrust upon me.”
“This life?” He tilts his head in confusion. “A life of having a roof over your head, food on the table, and private schooling? I’m sorry. Please explain how awful it is for you to have what many children have to fight for.”
If only he knew the truth.
I drop my eyes to the floor. “You have no idea.”
“No idea how spoiled you are? You have everything you want. Please, enlighten me. How terrible it is to grow up as our daughter?”
Slowly, I lift my gaze to meet his matching emerald eyes. He waits for me to respond, but what is there to say?
“I hate you.”
And as quick as the words leave my mouth, I exit the kitchen and run up to my bedroom. Shutting the door behind me, I lean back against it as tears fall down my cheeks.
It’s all his fault.