“Not only was I using every penny paying off debt, I was broke. I figured you’d never find out, and it brought in enough for me to live on. I needed the money.” His shoulders slumped.
Simone was so angry at him. “You used me to pay for your own life?”
John had a gambling problem, and he used everything and everyone at his disposal. “I’d have used any woman I was dating.”
She shook her head, sickened by him. “All this time it was about money.”
“I had debts, Simone. It wasn’t about you. If I knew you were his daughter I’d have fucking kept you on a leash.”
Simone slapped him ‘round the face.
The intercom interrupted them. “Sir, we have over five policemen asking to see you.”
Simone watched the door opening.
“I’ll be pressing charges as well,” she said.
“We’ll take your statement shortly, Miss,” the police officer said.
Cole and Callum touched her hair as she watched the other man go.
“So the newspaper reports were correct. You are sleeping with both of them?”
Simone tensed at her father’s words. Why did she let him bother her? He meant nothing to her. Simone stared at her brother seeing the hopelessness of the situation. He’d been right in the back of the limo. She’d been living her life in fear that every man was like their father. For as long as she could remember she’d been putting her life on hold because of him. No more. The moment she left his office, it would be the last time she ever thought about him.
Turning toward him, she flicked her hair over her shoulder. “So, what does that have to do with you?”
“I’ll disown you. You’ll have nothing from me.”
She looked at her father and smiled. “You disowned me when I was six years old. You were never my father. Being a father takes a hell of a lot more than donating sperm. You’re not man enough to be my father.”
Simone turned on her heel and began walking out of the door. The sound of clapping filled the room. She turned seeing her brother raising his hands.
“About time,” he said.
“It was long overdue.”
She continued out without looking at Callum and Cole. Simone knew she needed to leave the building on her own. She hoped they understood. With each step she took, she felt the constraints of her past letting go. Never did she think it would be as easy as that. Letting go of her father and what he had to offer was the best decision she made.
When she was outside of the building, Simone took a deep breath. Through her mind she saw the six year old girl following a weeping mother. Helen had done everything she could to spare her. Simone knew that. Sometimes, the best way to care for someone was to show them the truth. For so many years she had thought she was the one responsible for her father’s adultery and the mistakes he made. She finally knew it was no one’s fault but his own.
****
Callum watched her go with pride. Cole made to follow her. He caught his arm shaking his head. “She needs this. Let her have it.”
His friend looked like he wanted to argue. Callum shook his head. This time, he knew he was the one who was right.
They both turned to the older man behind the desk. He looked red in the face. Simone had hit a nerve. “You’ve turned her into a slut. A little plaything for you to mess with whenever the need arose,” Malcolm said.
Cole looked ready to pounce.
“You can’t get over your resentment, can you?” Cole said. Callum waited for what else was about to be said.
Malcolm sneered at them. Daniel looked ready to throttle the man. Pulling away, Callum saw the police officer waiting for them.
“I have no idea what you mean.”
“We had her first. That is your problem,” Cole said, catching Callum’s attention.
“What?”
“The singer, the one we had that never wanted Malcolm. The same woman who got away.”
Callum didn’t understand. “You wanted the singer?”
“I don’t give a shit what you think. You don’t deserve the reputation you’ve got. You’re disgusting. Sharing a woman. No daughter of mine would have ever fallen for your tricks. I can tell Helen raised her.”
“Hey, don’t you ever speak about my mother like that.” Daniel advanced on Malcolm. Callum held him back.
This is what Malcolm wanted. A reason to smear their name. He couldn’t do it with Simone because she was his daughter, and it would look bad on him.
“You really are a selfish bastard,” Callum said.
The police officer walked into the room. “Mr. Allusifa, you’re going to have to come with us.”
Malcolm glared at him. “I’m not going anywhere without a warrant for my arrest. Fucking get one.”