Meanwhile, somewhere across the city, Fiona was slowly drowning at the bottom of a glass.
The slap and Fredrick's harsh words replayed relentlessly in her mind, leaving her so humiliated she could barely contain the weight of her disappointment. What hurt even more was the betrayal. He had pampered her all her life, indulged every want, every whim, only to turn on her when she needed him most.
"How am I a disappointment to you, Dad," Fiona muttered bitterly, her voice slurred as she tipped another drink back. "I did everything you asked me to."
She had lost track of how long she had been sitting there, replaying the same scene again and again in her head. The shouting. The slap. The look in his eyes. Each memory fed the storm of rage burning through her veins.
Her vision blurred as she stared at the crowded bar, laughter and chatter swirling around her like a world she no longer belonged to. Just then, her phone rang again.
