For a split second, Lena almost laughed out loud. How foolish she had been in the past, blindly trusting these people, failing to see them for what they truly were. Conniving, shameless parasites.
The moment Mr. Smith spotted her, he rushed forward and grabbed her arm, pulling her close as if scolding a disobedient child. To outsiders, it looked like a concerned father reprimanding his daughter. Only Lena knew the truth.
"Lena," Mr. Smith said loudly, drawing attention,
"why haven't you been home for a while?"
Lena squinted at him, genuinely wondering if he had suddenly grown a second head.
"Young girls are not supposed to stay outside with a man," he continued casually. "No matter how good he is to you."
Lena burst out laughing, the sound sharp and hollow. So this is my beloved father, she thought bitterly.
Oblivious to her rising anger, Mr. Smith went on.
