Lila ✔

40I Dad's Pov

Dad's POV

(Set during chapter 33- Chipped)

I quickly scanned over the email one more time, checking for any errors in the contract, before hitting send. Another deal sealed. It would have to mean flying to Spain in a couple of days, but with the amount I was going to be paid, that was fine.

Time to move onto my next client. I clicked on Mr Wilson's email address and read through his latest message once more, discussing the exact guns he wanted me to supply him.

Knowing that he would be pretty easy to create a deal with, I clicked onto the reply button and typed my first line of my message, when I was interrupted by an annoying voice in the doorway.

"Hey dad," the bratty, femine voice said, but I just rolled my eyes, knowing who it was.

My daughter was a nuisance. I couldn't be close to her in my business, because she was a girl and could therefore never be involved in it. She could never be good enough. As I cut myself off from her, I began to realise how much of a favor I was doing myself. All she was was a small, spoilt girl who I wasted all my time and money on when I could have been doing this very useful job. She was merely an inconvenience.

I focused my attention back on my computer, and was about to type another line when my stepson Cole spoke up. "Hi Tony."

Although Cole may have been one of the youngest of his brothers, he was still now legally my son and was a boy, so one day he would join in this manufacturing and selling weapons illegally to gangs business. I needed to butter him up so then he would be more willing to follow in my footsteps.

"Hey Cole. How are you? How was your day?" I asked, grinning up at my stepson who had just appeared in the doorway. I ignored my daughter's upset expression from the corner of my eye, wanting more than anything to ridicule her for being so pathetic and acting so weak.

"It was good," Cole nodded in return. His answer was quite short and blunt, but I looked passed that. Although I didn't appreciate the disrespect he was showing me, if it meant thst in the future he would learn to trust me, then I could tolerate it for the time being.

I continued to grin at him, before turning my attention back to the email I was writing in front of me and continued to type the next line. However, the peace was once again broken by the annoying little girl who was still stood in the doorway. "Do you want me to make you a sandwich?" God. Did she ever shut up? She practically reeked of desperation. She was disgusting.

"No. Why would I want your crappy cooking?" I scoffed, not feeling the need to sugar coat my words. She needed to learn to stop being a baby and suck it up.

"Oh," was all Lila said in response, a slight frown covering her face.

I rolled my eyes at how petty she was being but ignored her little self pity party that she was obviously having, instead grabbing the glass of water from next to me and downing it in one go. It felt soothing against my throat and helped cool down my hot body temperature.

"Do you want me to get you some more water?" she spoke up once again, clearly not knowing when to stop being a brat and shut up. What would it take for her to leave me alone? Would it mean having to give in and allow her to do what she wanted.

"Sure," I grunted, bored of her persistence and willing to lower my standards if it meant she would finally get lost.

Not even sparing her another glance, I continued to type away on my keyboard, just wanting to finish this email and finish sorting this deal.

As I typed in the next few words, I heard a crash and an annoying shriek from in front of me. My head instantly shot up and I was met with the sight of my daughter glaring at my stepson, a broken glass in between them.

How was it possible for someone to be such a stupid screw up?! What a fucking bitch! She couldn't do anything right!

"What the fuck?" I roared angrily after a moment of absorbing just exactly what it was that I was seeing. I even leaped to my feet, my chair scraping back harshly with the force I used. I needed to convey my anger and show my daughter once and for all how much of a bitch she was.

"You little shit!" I practically screamed, ignoring the petrified look on her face.

She deserved this. She had it coming for a long time.

"I'm sorry," my daughter mumbled pathetically. How was I even related to such a coward? And to make matters worse, my stepson- one of my heirs- was actually hugging the little fucker. That just made me even more furious. She was the reason for him losing all the respect he gained for me.

"You better be you bitch," I growled, still barely able to keep myself from beating the shit out of her. Lila was ruining my life.

"Hey! Don't call her that!" a voice suddenly exclaimed from the doorway. I whipped my head around to see my child stepnephew stood there with a glare on his face and his older brother stood behind him. I couldn't remember their names. But still- how dare they speak to me like that?! I demanded respect!

"The bitch spilled my water and broke my glass!" I yelled angrily, my patience wearing thin. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep myself from lashing out for much longer.

"That's why you're screaming at her? What the fuck is wrong with you?" one of my other stepsons- Liam- asked, joining the two boys in the doorway. I could see his other brothers and cousins trailing behind him. What was this? A party? I should have been in control yet nobody was giving me the respect I deserved.

"Of course I'm screaming at her! She's a worthless brat who deserves to know how much of a mistake she is," I hissed angrily, glaring harshly at my daughter who was the reason for my reputation in this household to be diminishing.

"Lila is none of those things! She's your daughter!" my oldest stepson exclaimed with narrowed eyes. He was my direct heir. The one who's trust I needed the most if I wanted to keep this business going and for the money to keep piling in.

"She isn't my daughter. She's a little piece of shit," I retorted, my anger burning. I hated this family.

"She isn't. She's an amazing person," my stepson Jayden replied. I couldn't believe this. The manipulative bitch was turning everyone against me. She needed to know how much I hated her. She deserved it and so much more for being such a burden in my life.

"Amazing my ass," I snorted. Seriously, though. Did she have them under some kind of spell?

I watched with distaste evident on my face as my second oldest stepson walked purposely from the doorway over to where Lila was stood, standing behind her and resting his hands on her shoulders.

My gaze flickered between all of the boys, trying to see if I could find anything in their faces that suggested they still respected me. Nothing. If anything, these boys hated me.

"This is your fault," I spat, my gaze firmly locking with my disgusting daughter's. "You turned my own family against me."

Like the pathetic coward she obviously was, Lila diverted her attention to the floor, not daring to meet my eye. What a fucking joke. Daughter? Not anymore.

"This was your fault," I heard the oldest cousin growl from the doorway.

I couldn't believe this. I honestly couldn't.

I had worked so hard to gain their trust and respect, becoming like a father figure to the Bradley's, and that had all been taken away because of my stupid daughter. She had caused my family to hate me.

"Whatever. I'm out of here," I scoffed.

Looks like I was going to have to be continuing this weapons business on my own.

A double update! Are you happy! I seriously can't believe this guys. One more chapter and then the book's over. It feels so weird knowing that soon I'll be able to press the 'completed' button.

Thanks for your reads, votes and comments! I really appreciate it! ❤️

-Elin