"I think you and your father, not only have similar names, but similar delusions."
It was Nolan's turn to laugh."If you think your husband hasn't been obsessed with you ever since the first day he saw you, you are the one who's deluded, sister-in-law."
"What's so funny?" Carey materialized in front of us. A slight scowl on his face. He was glaring at Nolan.
"Nothing. Just me and my little sister-in-law getting to know each other."
He glared at Nolan, and some brotherly telepathic communication passed between them. Nolan raised his hands in mock surrender and got up. Smirking at me, he said, "See?"
I had no time to decipher what he could mean by that because Carey then said, "Father wants us in his study."
"You and me?" I asked hoping he was talking to Nolan.
"Who esle."
"What were you two talking about?" Carey asked as we made our way to the study.
"Nothing." I couldn't exactly tell him we were talking about him.
"It didn't look like nothing." Carey sounded angry. His footsteps were large and I had to run a little to keep up pace.
"He was being friendly that's all."
"He can be friendly with anyone else and not my wife." His tone was harsh and surprising.
"Carey he's your brother."
"Who is also a womanizer who sniffs around anything in a dress."
I was too shocked with his behaviour to even respond. Nolan's smirk came to mind. He could not be right. No. It didn't make any sense.
Carey's father was already there when we got to the study. He was perched on the side of his desk looking even more domineering than ever despite his frailty. "You two are shirking your duties," he said as soon as Carey closed the door. I hadbarely made two steps across the threshold when he began speaking.
"If this is about the campaign, dad I told you I can't start now. The time is not right."
"I am talking about her!" he pointed at me. Specifically, my stomach. "Why does she not have a baby bump!"
Chapter 19
Carey
"WHY HAVEN'T YOUput a baby in her yet! What is it can't you perform?"
Being humiliated by father was bad enough. Him doing it in front of my wife was a second layer of embarrassment. I could feel the little boy in me come to the surface. A boy who took all he said without retaliating. A boy who wanted to please him, even though he hated him. "I can perform just fine."
"Then it's your problem, then?" He turned to Thalia, who wilted like a flower in a dark room. Subconsciously, I put my arm around her. She shook her head as she twisted her fingers."It's not that at all, Mr Hawthorne, it's just that…"
"You know that's the reason you are here at all. It's the fucking reason I even bought you at all!"
"Hey! You don't talk to my wife like that!"
My father flinched. The room went quiet. It was the first time I've ever spoken to him like that. I've ever rose my voice at him. He frowned. He was dumbfounded for a moment, but he quickly found his footing. "Does she know she's married to you? Do you?"
I could feel anger slowly bubbling inside me. "What we do in our private time is none of your business. If you want a child, you will get a child. But we will do that in our own time. Right now,she's grieving. Her mother, I don't know if you know, she was taking care of her, died recently!"
"Was she now? Was she mourning while she was getting arrested for shoplifting. Is that part of the grieving process?"
I felt Thalia stiffen in my arm. I squeezed her waist and raised my chin.
