I let go of Francesca, stilled, and the fire in my blood turned to ice. She collapsed to the ground with a thump, gasping for breath.
My father’s indifference was never a surprise. Maybe he hated my mother enough to let Adeline do as she pleased. Maybe his love for his other family was so great that he never cared about the first one. Those were the only thoughts that kept me sane whenever he treated me coldly. Whenever he hugged Francesca but never me. It had always been clear—the lack of love. And slowly, I had come to terms with it.
He never treated me like family. He was never truly a father.
So what was there to miss?
Nothing.
It would be an absolute waste of energy to expect anything from him. And yet, I was still given a place in this house, clothes to wear, food to eat. Materi
