My Father-in-Law Treated Me Like His Own Daughter, But It Was With Ulterior Motives

The door shook with each relentless knock, jolting me out of my thoughts.

It was Mia on the other side. The moment Evley laid eyes on Mia, tears began streaming down her cheeks.

She sobbed, her voice trembling, "Mia, I can't keep living like this with your dad!

"Do you know what I saw when I got here today?

"They were in the kitchen, getting cozy, completely oblivious to my return.

"I've felt something was off for days now. Just the other day, this shameless old man was even washing her dirty laundry!

"I've got some dignity—how can they behave like this?"

"Everly, what do you mean washing dirty laundry? You're being completely absurd," Carter's voice echoed from the bathroom.

"Only guilty people feel the need to explain themselves so frantically," Everly shot back, her frustration palpable.

"Wait, that's not..." I started, but Mia's piercing gaze turned toward me.

"Celeste, this isn't your moment to chime in!" she barked, springing to her feet and shoving me back a few steps.

"Have you no shame, getting involved with my dad like that? You're not embarrassed to let this all get out?"

Carter, suddenly bursting out of the bathroom, roared, "Mia, is your mom going crazy? Are you losing it, too?

"She just spends all her time out playing cards while I handle every bit of housework! I'm the one who cooks and cleans—doing it all myself!

"Celeste's been the one covering for me even after her childbirth; your mother comes back and starts this craziness!"

"You're clearly blinded by that little vixen, Dad! You never would've talked to Mom like that before!" Mia snapped back defiantly.

"YOU!" It looked like Carter was about to raise his hand to Mia.

I rushed forward, my heart racing. "Dad!"

I feared that if he went through with it, things would spiral even further out of control. Just then, Leon came in, catching the commotion.

"What's going on? Why the blow-up?" Leon asked, gripping Carter's hand alongside me.

Mia, puffing out her chest defiantly, shouted, "You're actually going to raise your hand to me for some outsider? Go ahead, put me out of my misery!"

Carter's face turned a furious shade of red, but words failed him.

Leon edged Mia away, trying to mediate. "Hey, sis, don't talk to Dad like that."

Carter was visibly shaky, and I helped him to the couch, where I quickly fetched some heart medicine from my bag and handed it to him.