It sent a shiver down my spine.

We were often late because my job barely paid enough to cover the mortgage and our living expenses.

The news that my father was a criminal had been devastating, but my mother doing this behind my back… I didn’t know how much more I could take without losing my lunch.

“Are you saying… my mother had money this whole time and I never knew about it?” My voice sounded weak and vulnerable even to my ears.

Tears pricked my eyes, and I had to bite my lip to stop them from spilling over.

“Let’s give them some time, yeah?” Maxwell said and quickly shoved Tristian out of the room. The man didn’t even protest, his face remaining impassive.

I didn’t move once they were gone, but a lone tear forced itself from my eye.

“Come here, Addi.”

I didn’t want to, but I didn’t have the energy to fight him either.

Slowly, I got up and walked to where Warren was sitting. I stood there, waiting for him to say something. I couldn’t look him in the eyes for fear I’d absolutely lose it. I was holding on by the thinnest, million-year-old, dusty thread.

It had taken a beating since the auction, and instead of the rage-filled, vengeful Addi, I was turning into a pitiful mess.

I didn’t want to be like this. I want to be strong. I want to be the person who gets revenge for their loved ones. Who overcomes everything, even a man like Warren.

But in that moment, all I wanted was him. Consequences be damned, I wanted him.

With a sigh, he reached out, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me onto his lap.

The hug Warren gave me wasn’t what I expected. It wasn’t as cold and desolate as his facial expressions led me to believe. It was warm and comforting as he wrapped me in his smell.

No matter how hard I tried to remind myself of what he’d done, I found myself leaning into him. Burying my head into his shoulder and finally letting the tears that I had been holding back for eight years fall.

It isn’t fair. None of it.

His arms went around me, his hands on my back, rubbing soothing circles.

I hated it.

Hated that my mom hid the money from me.

Hated that I worked so hard for nothing.

Why me? Why did all of it have to happen to me? Why couldn’t I have just continued to live on with my life?

If what Warren said were true, there were a lot of other bad people out there. They deserved this to happen to them. Not me.

Fuck me, what a childish thought.

Most of all, I hated that the only person who could provide me the comfort I needed was the one who had taken down my father.