My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 724

Chapter 724

I rested my hand lightly on Gig’s shoulder. He looked up at me, his eyes uncertain,

I kept my gaze on Dad, “Is that why you came looking for me?”

One of his brows lifted, “What are you talking about?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, “Did you only remember you had a daughter because Gio stopped being the perfect heir?”

Dad expression changed so fast I almost missed it. The amusement disappeared and the irritation followed, “You really believe that. I’ve been looking for you for six years. I never stopped.”

I kept looking at him to pick up on the lie.

“I had men searching every city we thought you might’ve crossed. Every airport. Every border. Every contact that owed me a favor was asked one question.”

His eyes locked onto mine.

“Where’s my daughter? I paid people. I threatened people. I buried people who lied to me. Every lead that reached my desk, I followed it.”

He shook his head once.

“There wasn’t a single day, not one fucking day that I woke up and didn’t wonder if you were alive.”

My fingers curled against my palm.

He suddenly turned toward Perla, “Tell her.”

Perla didn’t move, “Giovanni-”

“No. Tell her. Tell my daughter that I never stopped looking for her. I want her to hear it from someone who watched me. Tell her I didn’t stop for a day.”

Perla swallowed, “He… searched.”

“Louder.”

She turned to me, “He searched for you.”

“Every day.”

“Hazel poisoned your mind.”

“No,” a sudden protectiveness washed over me, “No, she didn’t.”

His jaw tightened, “She turned you against your family.”

“You never even let her talk to me,” I snapped, “You kept us apart. How was she supposed to poison me when I barely knew her? You spent my entire childhood making sure she stayed away from me. So don’t blame her for choices I made on my own.”

The wind stirred the flowers around us. Dad rubbed a hand across his jaw slowly then he sighed, “Maybe… maybe I pushed too hard. Maybe I expected too much. Maybe I made you run.”

I searched his face. He wasn’t looking at me anymore. He was looking at the ground. For just a second, I wanted to believe him. I wanted those words to mean something but something inside me refused.

I took one slow step closer, “Dad, do you actually believe that or are you just saying what you think I need to hear?”

His eyes searched mine, “I only ever wanted what was best for you. I wanted you strong. I wanted you capable. I wanted you to survive this world,” he spread one hand slightly, “If that makes me the villain in your story then I’ll carry that. I still want my children to be the best version of themselves and I will not apologize for that.”

I just looked at him. He still hadn’t answered my question. He’d walked around it. He’d defended himself. He’d explained his reasons but he never said the only words I’d been hoping to hear.

I was wrong.