Bully stepbrother

68. Dinner

CADEN

At the dining table, it was quite intense. The room was dull, and the silence was stinging every part of me that I began to wonder if there were any means I could get out of here.

"Kane is out," and boom, Dad let out.

He knows nothing!

"I have no idea."

"Well, my people don't have his exact whereabouts for now, but I am sure he wouldn't come anywhere closer to us," he announces from his position.

Not having the strength to oppose and mostly because I knew he was left behind, I decided to give him the satisfaction he needed.

Agreement.

"You must be correct."

"I always am," he retorted, prideful.

It was embarrassing for a parent.

"Don't be so proud, though," I scoffed.

Suddenly, he wore a tough feature, shooting a dagger glare at me.

His hand slams the table loudly as he grumbled: "Can you repeat that one in my face?"

Panicked, Mad begins just as she grabs my hand under the table: "Dad..." But Martha reappears again. This time fully dressed in pajamas too.

Yes, I know. She wouldn't always be there to save my ass from him.

"I am now fully showered. Can we dig into the food?" She joked, right before she began serving the table.

Midway through the dinner that Martha claimed Dad had helped cook.

He decided to start talking.

Man, how I wish it remains quiet all throughout.

"Maddie, tell me all about your semester. What is your experience about college so far?" He comes off really excited that he cares less about the food in front of him. "Tell me in detail about Stanford. Exciting? Fun?" He inclines closer to her. Playfully winking as he spoke the last two words.

Studying my dad's expression, I felt the heat of her eyes shifted to me and a broad smile is immediately plastered on her face.

"It's worth it." She said. Her hands passionately squeezing mine under the table.

She meant me. It warms me emotionally.

With a smile, dad glanced at his wife then brought his eyes back to Mad, who's chewing on her vegetable salad.

"I am so happy to hear that. It means you've met new people and finally made friends." He responded while shoving sausage into a fork.

Again, Mad tilts her head and smiles heartily at me.

And I immediately understood she meant us.

"Hmm... that part. I have a best friend now. His name is Asher, we go to the same school. He's a psychology major, and he has a nice roommate, Daniel." She explained rather merrily.

"A man psychologist?" Dad sounded surprised as he almost choked on the sausage.

And there we go!

Blinking, Mad boldly raised a question to the man still sputtering coughs on the table: "You have a problem with that?"

She waits with her brows lifted at him while he takes a sip of water to compose himself.

When he was steady, he heaves a sigh and briefly spares me a glance with folded lips. As if he was finding difficulties in enlightening the three people on the table.