Chapter 2

Just then, my dad appeared in the open doorway. Taking in the chaos, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Chloe? What's going on here?"

Nicole's dad immediately bristled. "And who the hell are you? This is my daughter's penthouse! Who gave you permission to walk in?"

My dad turned toward me, his brow furrowed with confusion. "Sweetheart, isn't this your house? How does it belong to someone else?"

Seeing how aggressive they were, my dad's eyes turned red with sudden terror, thinking I had gotten into trouble.

"Did you... did you gamble and lose the house?"

I choked back the bitter agony rising in my throat and offered my dad a trembling smile.

"Dad, you know I would never gamble. It's complicated. I'll explain everything later."

My dad didn't drop it. He turned to Tyler instead. "Tyler, tell me the truth. What is going on here? Did Chloe get into gambling debts?"

Nicole's dad stepped in front of him, shouting, "You old geezer, who are you calling son-in-law? He's my son-in-law!"

"I see what this is. You two are running a scam!"

"Tyler, tell this old fraud whose family you belong to!"

Nausea and rage battled in my stomach as I stared at my husband.

"Tyler, in your heart, does Nicole's pride really matter more than me and my dad?!"

Tyler wavered, his eyes darting away.

Nicole tugged his sleeve, whispering just loud enough for everyone to hear, "Tyler, my dad's heart isn't good. He can't handle any stress."

Hearing that, Tyler turned his head entirely away from us. "I don't know who these two lunatics are. I've never seen them before."

Nicole's dad puffed out his chest, utterly vindicated.

"You hear that? That's my boy!"

"A pair of deranged grifters! Take your crazy somewhere else—throw them out!"

At his command, several burly relatives lunged forward, grabbing my dad and me and shoving us toward the corridor.

My dad panicked, flailing against their grip. "What is happening?!"

"This is my daughter's home! And that's my son-in-law!"

Nicole's dad reeled back and slapped my father across the face with all his might.

"Shut your mouth, you shameless old bastard! Maybe that'll knock some sense into you!"

The force of the blow sent my frail father crashing backward into the concrete wall.

His head hit with a dull, sickening thud, and he collapsed onto the floor, completely limp.