The Captain Doesn't know I'm A Girl

Chapter7

My father was finally around, and we were already seated at the dining table. I watched as the chefs began dishing out the food to everyone.

I mouthed a quiet "thank you" when my plate was set down. Looking over at Jace, I noticed he wasn't really eating. He was just using his fork to scatter the meal around his plate.

My father cleared his throat, his eyes locking onto Jace. "So, I saw your videos on the Internet. I must confess, that was incredible," he murmured, patting Jace on the back with a heavy hand.

Jace forced a tight smile, glancing at me before lowering his head.

"You need to see Mr. Lancaster's face when I showed him the video. For once in my life, I felt so proud. At least for the first time, one of my children is doing well." He then shifted his gaze toward me, his face lighting up. "Jade, I have a surprise for you."

My heart immediately skipped a beat in anticipation. I wondered what it could be, racking my brain for any clue, but nothing came up.

He handed me a brown envelope. I had noticed it sitting on the table earlier, assuming it was just one of his business documents. I tore it open without hesitating, my fingers rushing to pull the contents out.

I stopped in my tracks as I read the words on the page. Turning back to him, I felt my brow furrow. "Dad, this is a modeling contract."

I waited for his response, but he just smiled widely, looking as though he had just handed me a solution to save my life.

I felt a surge of fury. He was genuinely starting to annoy me at this point.

"Dad, I never told you I wanted to be a model." I slid the contract back into the brown envelope and pushed it toward him. He didn't collect it. Instead, he glared at me, his warm expression hardening instantly, but I didn't care.

"So tell me, Jade, what do you want to become?" he questioned. His tone sounded curious, but I knew better. He didn't care about what I wanted; it was always entirely about what he wanted.

I paused.

I originally wanted to become a hockey player, but since the sport was banned for women, I had to change my career path. "I want to open a foundation for stray pets. Dogs, cats, hamsters... any pets at all," I stated with a completely straight face.

"Why do I have children who always find a way to humiliate me? That's exactly how Jace was, telling me how he wanted to be an artist." He scoffed bitterly at his own words.

I stared at Jace, whose face fell into a deep sadness at the mention of his past dream.

My father continued, his voice dripping with condescension. "Good thing I found a better career for him. I can't imagine my son becoming an artist, staying on the streets selling paintings." He then turned his harsh focus back to me. "And now you. You want to spend the rest of your life gathering stray pets? Really?"

"But it's my career. It's my dream, not yours," I challenged, refusing to back down.

"Jade, that's enough," my mom intervened faintly. Her voice was so low I could barely hear her.

"No, let her continue challenging me," my father sneered. "How about I cut off your allowance, and I will no longer sponsor your education or spend a single dime on you?" He threatened me, and I froze.

Just when I thought they couldn't go any lower, they proved me wrong. I don't know why I always keep getting surprised by their actions.

"You will become a model, and that's it," he commanded, pointing a finger directly at me as if trying to force the words into my head. "Isabella is a top model in this country, and her father is my business partner. You have to compete with her and be the best."

This entire career path was just to boost his ego, nothing more.

My mom stood up quietly, looking overwhelmed. "Excuse me," she whispered, turning to leave.

"I am not done eating. You know the rules, so sit," he barked. She slowly sank back into her seat.

Yes, that was one of my father's strict rules: if he wasn't done eating, no one could leave the table.

But I stood up anyway. I could no longer tolerate him. The room felt like it was shrinking, the air growing so thin that I felt like I was suffocating.

"But I am done." I pushed back with full force, causing my chair to screech and fall backward.

Jace dropped his spoon onto the table, not that he had been eating anyway.

"Sit, Jade," my father ordered firmly, his eyes now glaring daggers right through me.

"Or what? Are you going to take away the very air I breathe next, since you act like you own my life?" I sniffed, wiping at my nose as a mix of anger and exhaustion threatened to choke me. "Do I have to literally puke on the table before you finally let me go?"

I tilted my head, challenging him with a bitter, mocking stare, waiting to see just how far he was willing to push.