NovelEndChapter 251 After leaving school, Jeanette was quiet and sullen, her mood hardly lifting by the tshe got home.
Sawyer happened to be hthat day. He'd been tending to Holbrook for the past week, but today he'd managed to slip away just long enough for a quick shower. He was barely dressed when he heard the door and saw his son and daughter walk in.
Noticing Jeanette's gloomy expression, Sawyer called out, "Jeanette, what's wrong?" The question brought everything rushing back-her face darkened as she remembered what had happened at school.
The resentment she'd bottled up all day finally boiled over.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtShe glared at Sawyer and snapped, "It's your fault! If you hadn't been so useless, if you could've protected our family name, I wouldn't have been mocked at school!" In that moment, she forgot all her usual caution around her father. Her anger spilled over and she took it all out on him.
Sawyer and Clifford both froze, staring at her in shock.
It took Sawyer a moment to process what he'd just heard. When he did, his face hardened, his voice icy. "Jeanette, did you forget everything you were taught about respect?" He looked at his daughter, unable to believe what he was hearing. She had always been sweet, thoughtful, the kind of girl who'd light up a room with her kindness. For a second, Sawyer couldn't believe those bitter words had cfrom her mouth.
"Jeanette, that was way out of line. Apologize to Dad. Now," Clifford said, his brow furrowed in anger.
He couldn't get the image out of his head-his little sister, usually so gentle and considerate, twisted with anger and blame. She seemed like a stranger.
Jeanette realized immediately that she'd gone too far. Panic flashed across her face.
Seeing both Sawyer and Clifford glaring at her, she lowered her head and mumbled, "I'm sorry, Dad. I'm sorry, Clifford. I shouldn't have said that. Please don't be mad at me." Her eyes shimmered with tears.
"It's alright. I know you're upset today. I'm not angry," Clifford softened as soon as he saw her tears. He'd always had a soft spot for her.
Sawyer, on the other hand, felt nothing. Not pity, not forgiveness-just exhaustion.
Once, he might have felt his heart ache for his daughter. But everything had changed. Since the company went under, he'd seen the best and worst in people. He'd spent sleepless nights at the hospital, caring for his father while the rest of the family seemed to drift further away. He was physically and emotionally spent.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmHe'd learned that sometimes, words spoken in anger are just truths people are too afraid to say out loud.
His own daughter blamed him for everything.
He had poured his heart into raising her, given her everything he could. Now, when the family was at its lowest, she turned on him for not being strong enough. How could he not feel bitter? Too weary to argue, Sawyer simply turned and walked away to his room.
"Do you think Dad's really angry?" Jeanette whispered, squinting after his retreating figure. Clifford waved her off. "No way. You're Dad's favorite. He could never stay mad at you."
It was true. Sawyer had always doted on her. Nearly all the family's assets had been put in her name-none of the boys had ever gotten that kind of treatment. Jeanette watched her father's silhouette disappear down the hall. Gradually, the panic faded from her eyes, replaced by calm.
Two weeks later, Sawyer received a call from the hospital. A death notification.
Holbrook had just cout of surgery. By all accounts, he should have been stable fox a while. But something stable something went wrong. He passed away unexpectedly in his hospital bed.
The moment Sawyer got the news, he rushed to the hospital. Holbrook had already been taken to the morgue, his body covered from head to toe with a white sheet.
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