2. My New Psycho Father
Chapter two
My New Psycho Father
Monique
Leo’s smile widened. “Do you see how much I care for you, daughter?”
I had no words.
Even if I did have words, I didn’t have the ability to speak them.
All I could do was just stare at Yan’s severed head in the box. A cross had been gruesomely carved into her forehead and the wound was deep and still fresh.
Instead of Yan’s brown eyes, two large blue marbles stared out lifelessly from her eyelids, giving her face an eerie, doll-like appearance.
What? The? Fuck?
A delicate gold crown rested atop her head.
It was a grotesque mockery of royalty.
Her mouth was parted wide, frozen in a silent scream that spoke of unimaginable terror and pain. She surely did not die in her sleep. Leo did some fucked up shit to her before she passed.
Blood soaked the blue satin sheet her head lay upon and the vibrant color contrasted horrifically with the crimson stains.
Panic struck me like a physical blow, my body reacted violently.
My stomach churned and bile rose in my throat as I fought the overwhelming urge to vomit.
And my hands trembled uncontrollably, barely able to keep hold of the box’s lid.
This isn’t happening. Right?
The room spun around me.
Death lathered the space.
Still, I couldn’t look away but every second felt like an eternity of agony.
Oh my God. I shouldn’t have told him. I fucked up.
Guilt hit my heart.
Leo’s calm, firm voice broke through the haze of my terror. “Like I said before this is a symbol, Monique. A symbol of my trust in you and of how much you mean to me. I am putting all of my faith, all of my bloodline, into you because. . .you are my daughter.”
But. . .it’s not safe to be your daughter. I mean. . .you just killed your own daughter so. . .I don’t think I need a psycho father. I’m good. . .
More important, what did you say to a man who killed his daughter for you?
Thank you?
That didn’t seem like quite enough.
Good job?
I don’t know about that.
I wanted to scream, to cry out in anguish and fury, to run the hell away and hide, but I forced myself to remain composed. I couldn’t afford to show weakness in front of a man who was clearly insane and would probably kill me if I showed too much weakness.
Lei. . .come get this crazy man. . .
I turned to Song now understanding why he refused to come close to the table.
Sorrow filled his gaze as he looked away from me.
Damn.
I glanced back at my ladies-in-waiting. Each wore some expression of pure terror. I was sure one of them would be handing in their resignation by the evening.
Jesus Christ! I just wanted to make some tea this morning. That’s it. I did not want to see a dead head.
Leo grabbed my attention by taking the top from my hands.
I almost screamed.
Thank God I didn’t.
He continued to smile like he’d just given me a cute little puppy. “What do you think, Monique? Do you like it?”
I sure wasn’t going to say I didn’t.
I had a cookout to go to this evening and would not have my head in a box too. It wouldn’t be right for my sisters to have to bury yet another relative this year.
Slowly, I lowered my hands. “I. . .well. . .this is. . .a. . .huge sacrifice.”
“It is.”
“I mean. . .I’m speechless. . .”
“But in a good way?”
“Well. . .” I swallowed. “So. . .Leo, I’m not really good with death and people killing humans over me.”
Song gazed my way and I couldn’t tell if he was worried for me or just intrigued by where I was going with this.
My voice was barely a whisper, choked with horror and disbelief. “I. . .didn’t want you to kill Yan.”
“I know you didn’t.” Leo pointed to my chest. “Your heart is big and beautiful. It is why I knew you would be perfect for Lei.”
“Still. . .this. . . gift. . .” I made sure to not glance back inside the box. “It. . .well. . .it makes me sad. . .”
Leo leaned his head to the side. “Why does it make you sad, Monique?”
My eyes watered. “I think. . .Lei will be. . .horrified—”
“He will be.”
“It’s going to break his heart.”
“A little.” Leo nodded. “Lei would not have wanted Yan to die, even with all the hate she had for him.”
“This might make him feel alone, especially with the fact that he will have to kill you tomorrow.”
Leo raised one finger. “But will Lei be alone?”
“No.”
“Who will be at his side, helping him grieve?”
“Me.”
“And your sisters.”
“Well. . .yes.”
“And his cousins, my sisters and brother. You all will surround him with love.”
“We will.”
Leo returned to smiling as if he was so pleased with himself. “When I die, the East will mourn me with tons of ceremonies and parties for the dead. It is supposed to be about celebrating my reunion with Jing in heaven.”
His smile remained yet those eyes turned cold and unfeeling. “Yan planned on ruining it all. Instead of a celebration, it would have been a war between Lei and her. So disrespectful. So utterly wrong.”
I tensed.
“After you told me about her statements, I looked into a few things.” He wagged that finger. “Yan secretly flew over three hundred men and hid them in Shadow Heights.”
I parted my lips.
“Yan was going to hit Lei hard while he was injured and during the East’s weakest moment. All of his men would be broken hearted and have scattered minds. None would be good in a war. It would have been devastating for Lei.”
Man. . .I thought my family was crazy. This is next level.
“Too much is at stake to allow her sick, twisted games to play out. She was greedy for power.” Leo pointed to Yan’s head. “This is the cost of betrayal.”
The taste of bile lingered on my tongue but I forced myself to speak. “I understand.”
The words felt hollow, but they were all I could manage.
Leo nodded, seemingly satisfied. “Good. Remember this moment, Monique. Let it guide you in the future.”
I don’t know about that. . .
Lan came over and slowly replaced the lid, sealing the horrific sight back inside the box.
My hands still shook but I willed them to be steady.
Leo gestured to the man next to him. “This is our family lawyer. I need you to sign several forms.”
“What are the forms?”
“All of Yan’s properties will now go to you, my true daughter who understands the real meaning of loyalty.”
I nodded, unable to find any more words. The weight of what I had seen, of what it represented, pressed down on me like a physical force. I knew I would never forget this moment, no matter how hard I tried.
“I will see you in the ceremony. Good luck, daughter.” Leo turned and walked away.
Song gave me a sad nod and then followed him out.
And I just stood there, trembling and broken inside, trying to gather the pieces of my shattered composure.
The lawyer went on and on about some building in Shanghai called Cloud Sea Tower. I signed things without looking at the words, just knowing it was property after property.
He fucking killed her.
The room around me felt like a prison, the walls closing in with the stench of death and the weight of Leo’s insane expectations.
And I knew then. . .without any doubt. . .that nothing would ever be the same again.
Oh God.
With a sudden and overwhelming urge, I rushed to the nearest sink and vomited.
My body finally surrendering to the horror and revulsion that I had fought so hard to contain when Leo was in front of me. My stomach heaved violently, expelling all that I had eaten this morning.
Tears streamed down my face.
The cold, hard porcelain of the sink offered no comfort, yet I clung to it.
I tried to steady my breathing, but each inhale brought back the metallic scent of blood and the grotesque sight of Yan’s severed head.
Thandi brought me a towel.
Lan slowly rubbed my back. “It’s okay. He’s gone. We will figure this out.”
Fen handed me a glass of water. “Mistress, would you like us to get the Mountain Master?”
So much guilt spun around in my chest.
Dear God! How will I tell Lei?