LOVED BY STEPDAD

[3]

"Susan," Lucian called out. This time, he approached the room she was in and knocked. In the three days since Yossie's funeral, the girl rarely left the room. Even just eating, Susan ignored her.

This made Lucian quite worried. He was afraid that his stepdaughter would fall ill.

There was no response at all from inside. Had the owner of the room not woken up yet? It was almost nine in the morning. It was unusual for Susan to still be in the room. As far as Lucian remembered Susan's activities; the girl never woke up late. Trying to get to the kitchen and help her mother make breakfast.

Ah, the loss of a loved one can change a person's habits. Lucian had to be a little more patient. But...

"Susan," he knocked once more. "Can you come out? I've prepared your breakfast. You should eat."

"No need," said the girl's voice from inside. It was slow and sad. "I'm not hungry, Dad. Can you leave me alone?"

Lucian sighed softly. "Come on, don't be like this. This sadness isn't just yours, Susan. If your mom knows you're so stubborn, you're just making her feel sad."

It was a bit much but Lucian had to say it. Lucian was sad, very. But there was no way his life would stop because of Yossie's death, right? He still had to go on with his life even though it was no longer the same. At the very least, Susan should also be able to accept reality even though it's hard.

Not long after, the door to Susan's room opened. the beautiful girl's face was a mess. Her eye bags were enlarged. Her hair was sticking out here and there. her clothes were also still wearing a T-shirt that had not been changed since yesterday. The tip of her nose was red, a sign that her crying had just ended. Occasionally the back of her hand wiped the corner of her wet eyes.

"How do you know my mother is sad?" Susan asked with an exasperated look. "Did you meet her? Where? How is she now? Why doesn't my mom want to see me? Did I do something wrong?" A sad smile appeared on Susan's face.

Lucian took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "It's not like that." He lowered his tone of voice. Talking to a girl whose emotions fluctuate like Susan, you have to be really smart in order to control the situation.

"So what?" Susan asked while snuggling. Without realizing it, her stomach made a sound. Loud. Signaling that her body needs food intake. Suddenly because of the sound of her stomach too, made Susan look down slightly. Embarrassed.

"You'd better wash your face and come down. I've prepared your favorite cereal." Lucian smiled warmly. his hand stretched out without her realizing it and gave a gentle stroke on the top of Susan's head. "Shall we eat together? I'm waiting for you at the dining table. Don't get sick, Susan. Eat a little."

Susan stared at Lucian without blinking. Even until the figure of the man who became her stepfather disappeared behind the corridor, she was still stunned. She didn't know what to do except to obey her stomach's desire; to eat.

Although reluctant, what Lucian said was true. Especially the words about the sadness he experienced, not just his own. But Susan was sure, Lucian also felt the same way. "I miss you, Mom," she said softly. Rushing back into the room and doing what Lucian said; washing her face. And... changed the clothes that had been on his body since yesterday.

At least, the water on her face made her feel refreshed, even if a little. And Susan's face didn't look as hideous as the previous days. She hurried downstairs and prepared for breakfast.

But...

"Am I not mistaken in your accusation?"

The baritone's voice seemed to echo, mixed with great anger and unacceptance. And another voice that made a ruckus in the morning. Although it can't be said to be sunny, but at least for the first time this morning Susan came out of her room. Her intention was to appreciate Lucian's effort to remind her to eat and the man's concern.

"Wrong?" A woman's voice was heard along with a dismissive laugh. "My dear daughter wouldn't have been involved in an accident if she hadn't been using your car, Lucian! You're the mastermind of my daughter's death!"

Susan's steps staggered. She had to lean against a nearby wall. Susan recognized the woman's voice as that of her grandmother. The middle-aged woman who more often than not annoyed Susan because of her treatment. She often made Susan uncomfortable and differentiated her from her other cousins. Even though Susan was Yossie's daughter. Her grandmother shouldn't differentiate her affection, right?

But what Susan got was not like that. Susan was full of the unfair treatment Luna gave her. Not only Luna, her grandfather, Peter Barlow was the same. Oh, not to forget her uncle and aunt who often insulted and belittled Susan. She wanted to tell her mother about their treatment, but Susan chose to remain silent.

Self-aware if the outpouring of her heart could make the mother burdened. But what she heard really made no sense.

"Daddy Lu loves Mommy very much." Susan had to squeeze the hem of her T-shirt. "It's impossible to do such a cruel thing." That's right. Lucian would never do such a thing. Her grandmother's words were too far from logic and yet...

"Was I too blind to let you live together? Yossie has a large amount of life insurance, Lucian. You must know that. And you're planning to make it look like it was an accident that happened to my poor daughter. Oh, my goodness! My poor daughter. Yossie. Come back, my child!"

There was a pounding on the table that made Susan wince. She wanted to take a peek at what was happening but her legs were so weak. Her brain kept trying to digest what exactly happened and why her grandmother would say such a ridiculous thing.

"You really are too much, Mrs. Luna. Do you think I would hurt the woman I love?"

"You? Love Yossie?" Luna's voice sounded dismissive. "Never mind. Just admit that you planned all of this. Your honeymoon is the best scenario before you finish off Yossie. There will be a reading of my daughter's inheritance deed soon. And if it's true that a portion of Yossie's estate falls into your hands, as her new husband, I'll sue until Yossie gets justice!"

"That's right, Mother. I won't agree to the inheritance deed if all of Yossie's property goes to this ignorant man."

Susan rubbed her chest. She didn't expect her uncle Idris' words to be so hurtful. Why would Lucian be called ignorant when as far as Susan knew about Lucian's activities, he was at an established point as a single man. Who decided to live with the woman he loved. Guaranteeing them a good life in case the mother no longer wanted to work.

"They're too much," Susan said, unconsciously shedding tears.

"Out of line?" Lucian piped up. "Did I hear you wrong? Don't you deserve that nickname, Idris? At this age, what can you do except get drunk and have fun? Then when you ran out of money, you blackmailed Yossie. My wife! Where's that ignorant part you call me?"

"You!"

"Stop it!" Luna's voice sounded loud. "Watch your language, Lucian! You're just an outsider who doesn't know our family!"

"Indeed!" Lucian laughed. "Since I'm an outsider, you'd better get out of this house."

"This is my daughter's house!" Again Luna spoke up. "I won't let you stay here! I'm sure this house is in my daughter's name and she wouldn't want someone using it."

"Are you talking about yourself?" snapped Lucian, not to be outdone. "The door to this house is behind you."

Susan couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't keep hiding behind the corridor and not see what was really going on. Moreover, Susan knew more or less about the temperament of her family including her uncle. Who would not hesitate to throw a punch if he felt his pride was trampled on. Even though Idris was not necessarily in the right position.

Like most thugs who only rely on muscle, Idris prefers to intimidate his opponents with violence.

And that almost happened when Susan arrived late and shouted. "STOP!"

Idris growled in annoyance. His eyes stared at Susan with a hateful glare as his punch stopped right in front of Lucian's face. Meanwhile, the man seemed unmoved as if he was letting himself get hit. Unfortunately, it didn't happen.

"Stop it, please." Susan was already sobbing. "What exactly happened?"

"Ah, it's just a coincidence that a clueless kid showed up here." Luna pushed away Idris' body that was blocking her steps. Annoyed that Susan's shouting stopped Idris from hitting Lucian. Lucian should have gotten a good beating to make him realize who he was related to.

All at once, Susan's scream was heard again. Her hair seemed to fall off her head. She gaped in pain and tried to break free from Luna's tug. "Ugh! Let go! It hurts!!!" Susan screamed.

But Luna didn't care. Her eyes seemed content to vent her anger on Susan.

"You must be glad your mom is gone, right? You intend to take everything left by the person who raised you when you grow up, right?"

Susan struggled as she wondered to herself what Luna meant.

"Let go, Susan! You're too much!" Lucian tried to shake off Luna's strong pull on Susan's long hair. Oh my! Why was his wife's family so rude and shameless?

"Shut up, you!" scolded Luna, not to be outdone. "She should know what's really going on! She's just Yossie's adopted daughter. My daughter. My daughter had to work so hard to support a shrew. Her heart must be rejoicing now that Yossie's legacy is pouring in for her! I'm sure of it!"

"What are you talking about?" Lucian did not reduce his efforts to help Susan get free from Luna's grasp. He wanted to hit Luna but a man should never hit a woman. Even though... Luna was such an annoying woman.

Plus, Idris participated in this uneven struggle. as if he wanted Luna to continue torturing Susan. Laughing out loud with great satisfaction every time Susan screamed in pain. In addition to the grabbing, slaps, and punches Susan received.

Including...

"Ignorant child! An adopted child who is only a burden. And I think, you are conspiring to get my daughter's property. Until death I will not accept your treatment! You'll see! I'll put you in jail!"