Tasting

398–The Crazy Stepfather

Nora:

“Are you really here for me?” Daphne had sat down to respond to us. I was sitting directly in front of her, but she had turned all the way to. Nash, who was lounging on the couch to the side, addressing him instead of speaking to me.

“No! But you need to listen to Nora,” Nash rolled his eyes, turning his face away from her.

While she stared at him, I took the opportunity to examine her condition. Her nails were turning blue, and her fingertips looked frail. Her health was deteriorating, and all she could think about was Nash.

“Daphne! We are here to take you to the mansion,” I didn’t beat around the bush and directly told her why we were present.

She instantly turned to look at me in shock, and then a wide smile crept over her dry lips, almost tearing at her skin.

“Really?” she asked me but then shifted her gaze back to Nash. I could tell all she cared about was Nash.

“I have asked you this question before. You responded to me, but I am not satisfied with your answer. I feel like you may have accidentally come across the Weeping Guardians, and now your life is in danger,” I ensured my words were well–calculated and not offensive to her.

She had her mouth open, expressing her astonishment. However, it was Ford who rushed to sit down to respond on her behalf.

“If she had, she would have known. Besides, I am here to take care of her.

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398–The Crazy Stepfather

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She is not going anywhere,” he asserted forcefully as he held her hand to emphasize his point.

“My daughter’s life is in danger?” Mrs. Ledger, who had not come out of the kitchen until now, finally arrived with a main dish on her food trolley.

“I believe so. We lost one student today. And I’m afraid–Daphne is even more at risk now that time is ticking,” I ignored Ford and continued explaining things to Mrs. Ledger, who seemed genuinely concerned for her daughter. But Daphne’s eyes were fixed on Nash, who was observing me handle the situation.

“I said I can take care of her here. She doesn’t need to go anywhere,” of course, Ford wouldn’t let her leave.

He loved to wield power over everyone. And as he grunted, I remembered his hands on my body.

The way he held Daphne’s hand also seemed very odd. I noticed Daphne trying to free herself, but his grip was firm around her hand.

“Okay, here’s the thing-” Sliding to the edge of my seat, I leaned closer to Ford, looking him in the eye like he wanted me to since I arrived. “Let her go,” I whispered each word separately.

“I said, let her fucking hand go. I am not someone you can touch without consequences this time, so you better listen to me this time.” As my threat reached his ears, I found him turning to Nash, who had snapped out of his thoughts at the direction our conversation took.

“What did you just say? He touched you?” It was as if Nash hadn’t heard anything before or after my statement.

“She is making a big deal out of the time when I was ordered by Yuki to drag her out of the room,” Ford tried to downplay it while Daphne sat in her spot like a zombie.

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“You mean to say when you took advantage of the situation and tried to- in fact–you did grope me,” I tilted my head, eliciting a gasp from Mrs. Ledger, while Nash stood

Nash stood up immediately.

“What is she saying?” Nash briskly walked over to Ford and grabbed him by the collar, lifting him slightly off the couch.

“I don’t know what she is talking about. Maybe I accidentally groped her when she was protecting herself, but-” Ford was now feeling the heat as Nash threw him back but then lifted him from the couch again.

“You came to our home and fucking touched her?” Nash yelled, filling the mansion with his loud roar.

I could have stopped him to show that I didn’t need his help to stand up for myself, but the way Ford looked so offended with Nash standing up for me held me back. I leaned back and put my leg over the other, watching as Nash dragged him away from the couch and punched him in the face.

Ford landed on the ground with his nose bleeding. Mrs. Ledger didn’t come forward to defend her husband, making me wonder how close they really were. She was only concerned about her daughter, rushing to sit beside her and wrapping her arm around her for comfort.

“Anyway, I have to take her with me so we can keep her safe,” I lost interest and turned to Mrs. Ledger while Nash continued throwing punch after punch at Ford. However, I finally looked back at them when blood splattered onto my face.

I realized the damage Nash had caused to Ford.

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