Runaway - A DEVIL'S NIGHT FANFICTION (PTBR + ENG)

Chapter 25 - Nini

Nowadays...

"Let me see if I understand: You want your belongings, the paintings, the things that belonged to your parents and you came here to tell me that you're going to follow up the investigation into your mother's suicide" Evans repeats what I've just said in a mocking tone, while I dry my palms on the hem of my dress. – "Is that why you came here? To make demands and threaten me? Is that why you brought two teenagers and an ex-convict?"

I look around, but although I see Ivarsen's face sitting next to me, with expressions twisted in fury, Kai and Mads are still standing and as calm as they have been since this conversation began. I let out the air that was trapped in my lungs and inhale again to continue.

"I didn't come here with any intention of threatening you," I reply. - "I came here to inform you of my plans and to ask you to set a date so I can collect the things that belong to me."

Evans gives a low laugh of pure mockery.

"What belongs to you? Child, you're only sixteen. You've got nothing! I was married to Claire, I brought you up and looked after you and your mother until she decided to take her own life while I was away!" he exclaims, starting to lose his temper. – "You and she are both ungrateful and now you want to take what is my right? What more do you want? The house? The right to my business too?"

I swallow and take another deep breath before speaking again.

"I have no interest in that house," I admit. – "I have very few good memories of it, so feel free to keep it. Much less do I have any interest in having anything with your name on it, I think you know that. However, I want everything that belongs to my mother."

"And you can have it. When you get home" he suggests.

"Nini will never stay with you again," Ivarsen grunts in his anger.

I move over and touch his hand, trying to be discreet and keep him in place.

"I don't need to go back to your house," I reply to Evans. – "I'm nice and safe at my aunt's house."

"Safe, huh?" he scoffs. – "And what do you say about the accident you suffered last week? Or the fact that you almost went blind on the same day? Do you think I'm not following your adaptation process with the social worker? I'm as legally responsible for you as your aunt, you know that?"

Shit. I didn't know that Izobel was also in contact with him. Or maybe he was in contact with her, looking for a loophole, which leads me to think...

"Believe me, what happened was just an incident" I assure. – "It had nothing to do with my aunt and her family. I'm fine, I'm safe and I just want what's rightfully mine."

"Well then, I hope that in two years you'll get a great lawyer and be ready to fight," he retorts. – "Because I have no intention of giving anything that belonged to my wife to her ungrateful brat of a daughter."

Ivarsen closes his hand into a fist and I shake it.

I knew it would come to this.

"I don't have to wait two years for that," I say. – "I'm going to emancipate myself."

Evans narrows his eyes and puts his forearms on the table, coming out of his stance. I know he's pissed off now and he looks around, finding Kai standing behind Ivarsen.

"And I imagine that must have been your idea, right?"

Kai gives a muffled chuckle and crosses his arms.

"Actually, this is the first time I've approached your stepdaughter, but I must say I'm finding her strategy fascinating," he compliments and I turn in my chair to find him giving me a short smile.