I Thought 'Home' Meant Warmth Nope, Just a Doghouse... Till I'm the HEIR, And It's novel Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Blood in the yard had been cleaned up. But Jax and the others were still pale.

Dad looked up. My bandaged face made him flinch. Then-cold again.

‘Kneel. Say sorry.”

knell, bowed over and over. “Sorry. I’m sorry.”

dom walked over, holding that bloody shoe.

You made this dirty?”

eeing that shoe brought it all back-the tip drilling into my eye socket, tearing through everything.

My face went cold. All the color drained out.

Yeah,” I whispered. “It… it hurt my eye.”

Lick it clean.”

ly whole body locked up. Stared at the dried blood caked on the leather. Shook my head without thinking.

Mom… that’s blood.”

ler face darkened-like a storm rolling in. Eyes locked on mine, dead serious. She said it again, slower this time.

I said. Lick. It. Clean.”

hat look in her eyes-it terrified me. I backed away, voice shaking. “Can I… can I just not?”

I’ll wipe it off with my hands, I promise-”

he snapped.

et out this raw, guttural scream and lunged at me. Grabbed the shoe and started slamming it into my head.

[ SAID LICK IT CLEAN! Are you DEAF?!”

nce. Twice. Again.

ly ears rang. Blood poured from the cut on my forehead that never fully healed, dripping down onto her clothes.

Mom, I’m sorry! Please-please stop-”

was terrified-arms wrapped around my head, trying to shield myself from the storm of blows raining down on me.

felt like forever before Mom finally stopped. But her eyes stayed glued to me, filled with so much poison I thought I might actually dissolve.

You little bitch,” she hissed. “That piece of shit tortured me. Now his daughter gets to feel the same.”

shook my head so hard. Tears mixed with blood, streaming down my face in broken lines.

Dad saved me. He’s not-”

Jad-who’d been silent this whole time-went rigid. Then he was charging at me, hand clamped around my throat, lifting me clean off the ground.

Eye to eye. His gaze was feral. Unhinged. Like staring into the eyes of something that wanted me erased.

‘Listen. Carefully.” His voice was ice. “I am NOT your dad.”

You’re a bastard. A mistake who shouldn’t exist.”

Couldn’t breathe. Lungs screaming. Survival instinct kicked in-1 clawed at his arm, thrashing.

But Dad just kept staring, waiting for an answer.

“Get it? Or not?”

I nodded weakly. Arms dropped limp. “I get it.”

“I’m a bastard. Don’t have… parents…”

Before I could finish, blood gushed from my nose. A single drop landed on Dad’s shirt.

He froze. Stared at that drop like it was the most disgusting thing he’d ever seen.

I panicked, tried to wipe it off-

Get your filthy hands OFF me!”

Dad hurled me to the ground like I was trash. Dragged Mom back inside.

wanted to say sorry. But the world was spinning-couldn’t move. Couldn’t even lift my head.

Shock. Disgust. Pity… All burning into me.

The servants scattered. And just like that, I was back in the shadows. Invisible.

As night fell, the shed was freezing, damp. But the living room-warm, glowing, so far away it might as well have been on another planet.

looked up. Let myself imagine-just for a second-what it’d be like to sit on that couch. Eat real food. Play with toys. See Mom smile.

Hey. What’re you staring at?”

ax’s voice cut through the fantasy. He stood a few feet away, arms crossed.

looked away fast. Shook my head. “Nothing.”

About earlier…” He hesitated. “Don’t take it personal.”

Seeing the blood-soaked bandages on my face made something shift in his expression.

Here.” He tossed something into the dog bowl. “Eat this. And don’t tell anyone I gave it to you.”

A slice of blueberry cake. It looked so good. Smelled even better.

But I backed away, shaking. Terrified.

his morning-Mom’s beating. Still fresh. Still real.

Disobeying meant pain. I couldn’t go through that again.

What’s with that look?”

ax frowned, voice turning sharp again. “Whatever. Starve then.”

He walked off. The second he was gone, I reached for the cake-

Sera. Does it taste good?”

Mom’s voice exploded in my ear.

Blood drained from my face. Dropped to my knees instantly, head slamming the ground.

“Mom! I’m sorry! I won’t steal food again! I swear!”

Mom stepped closer. Slow. Deliberate. Her heel came down on the cake, crushing it into mush.

I whimpered-then looked up.

Froze

“Mom… what’re you-what’re you doing?”

Iler face twisted into something unrecognizable, Insane, She grabbed a fistful of my hair and started dragging me.

“Gonna kill you.” she muttered, voice hollow. “Maybe then that bastard will finally show up.”