Chapter 80

Brielle's POV

I was standing on the doorstep of my father's house. I clinched my fist, dreading knocking on the door. With how our last conversation went, I didn't want to see him, but I needed him. I managed to get myself together. I went over to the door and raised my hand to ring the doorbell, but the door swung open. My father opened, and it was evidently clear that he didn't expect to see me as well.

" Brielle, it's you?!" he exclaimed.

" What are you doing here?" he asked.

I resisted scrunching my nose up in distaste. The horrid stench of alcohol and body smells was unbearable. It seems he hadn't showered for some days.

If I thought he looked bad the last time, it was an understatement. He looked like he had been run over by a truck one too many times. He was in a horrible state. His eyes were swollen and red, and his hair was a mess. I almost felt bad for him. I guess I did, but my grudge against him couldn't allow me to feel for him that way any longer.

" Are you not going to let me in?"

He seemed to snap out of whatever it was that had him.

" Oh, yeah. Sorry, you can come in."

He stepped aside for me to walk in. I went inside and stumbled upon another understatement. The truck seemed to unload garbage there and not run him over. The house was messy with clothes all around food and packages, beer cans and bottles. I regret coming here, but there is no going back now.

My father walked past me and said on the couch.

" Don't stand. Take a seat," he says, kicking a few clothes on the floor. I sighed. God, kill me now. I looked at the couch and I knew that I would probably regret taking a seat on it. So, I wasn't going to make a decision I was going to end up regretting.

" No, I am fine. I think I am just going to stand."

He wanted to say something to me, but he ended up just not saying it.

"Oh, well, alright. So.. It's a surprise to see you here. I'm sorry the house is kind of a mess. If I had known you would come to visit, I would have been better prepared."

"It's fine because I'm not here to visit. I won't be long. I'm just here to ask you a few questions about your crazy ex, and then I'll be out of your hair so you don't have to go out of your way for me."

I realized that I must have poked at his wounds. Lately, I haven't seemed to control myself. I wish we had a better father and daughter relationship. I could rely on him to help and protect him, but he gave up on being my father first. The pain is just so raw, and I just won't be able to suppress it and put it behind me.

" What do you need to know?"

" It's about Sandra. We didn't talk properly the last time we met. I need to know what you know about her."

" What about Sandra? Has she done something?"

" I think Sandra may be behind the death of my boyfriend's sister. No, I know she did. I need to find her."

His eyes bugged out in realization.

" What do you mean? How do you know she did it?"

" You don't need to know the details. You came to me and told me that she was up to something and that I should watch out for her. She couldn't get to me, but she still hurt someone close to me."

He got up and paced back and forth and scratched his hair.

" Are you going to tell me or will I have to go and find her myself?"

" Nothing makes sense. I don't understand, but most of all, I don't understand why you are on a solo mission to go find someone who wants to harm. She is dangerous!"

I sighed.

" I know. That's why I want to do this alone, because this is my fight."

" Are you out of your mind? What are you thinking?" he raised his voice, getting upset.

" You don't understand. Even if I tried to explain, you wouldn't understand. I don't have time. I need to find that woman before she hurts anyone else I care about."

How can I even try to explain everything? He wouldn't understand. He would think that I am crazy. It was easier with Blake because he and I experienced the same thing.

" You are right. I don't understand because I don't know how you are here and how you are running to find that woman by yourself. It's dangerous and if I let you go, then I would be sending you to certain death," he paused.

"I won't do it. I am going to call your mom, and you are going back home. Stop this nonsense. I will do what needs to be done to bring down Sandra."

I couldn't help but scoff. I didn't want to fight with him, so I held the offensive words at the tip of my tongue. I knew it would be a mistake to come here, but I thought I would get what I need. My father rummaged around for something, for a while, until he picked up his phone. It's a blessing he could find that in this junk.

It clicked in my mind that he had just said he would call my mother a second ago. I went over to him and snatched it away.

" What the hell are you doing, Brielle?! Give me the phone, right now," he said authoritatively.

" I will give it to you, but you are not calling mom. You can't let her get involved in this. She's been through a lot as it is."

I was hinting at his affair with Sandra and it worked.

" Fine. Just give me the phone. I won't call her, but you are not going on this solo crusade. I know you hate me and think I have no right to tell you what to do, but no matter what, I am your father and I will be damned to let you go and get yourself killed."

I wanted to say something but he interrupted me.

" The way I see it, you have two choices in front of you. It's either you allow me to come with you and help, or you are going back home. Period."

" Is that a threat? " I glared at him.

He sighed.

" No, it's not. I'm just trying to do the right thing as a father. For once."

There was no winning this argument. It's clear that he wasn't going to let this go and let me have my way. For now, I let it go.

" Fine. You can help. After all you know that woman better than I ever could."

" I'll take that. And I take it that you are staying the night and we'll talk things out."

I ended up staying and I forced him to clean the house. There was no way I was going to sleep in a pigsty. I just wanted everything to end already. It was hard to leave everything behind. Each time my father insisted I go back, a part of me just wanted to just and say yes. Blake must be upset. I understand if he is angry. I would be as well. I just hope that everything I do, is worth it.