Owned By Her Triplet Bullies
(Bk 2) Chapter 101

Lexi's POV

T

I held onto Mason's hand tightly as we made our way to the front door. The house didn't change a bit. It was still the same as what I remembered. I could see my step-mum's car outside which meant that she was home. Mason rang the doorbell and we waited patiently for someone to open the door.

"If you don't feel comfortable and you want to leave, all you have to do is say it. We will leave right away," he assured me. I nodded in response with a small smile. The door suddenly opened and my gaze met with that of my step-mum. She peered outside but when she saw us, she opened the door wider removing the cigarette from her lips.

"So you finally decided to show up?" she asked with a smirk.

"Good afternoon. How have you been?" I muttered. She scoffed.

"The nerve to ask how I'm doing after running away and leaving this entire house in a mess..."

"Is Mr. Jones inside?" Mason asked in a serious tone. She looked from me to him in surprise.

"This one's better than all the boys I've seen you with. Who is he? Is he another one of Nick's friends? Nick told us you cheated on him with his friend and you ran away. Is this him? If he is, you aren't exactly at fault, he looks more handsome and rich..." "Nick told you I cheated on him with his friend and you believed him?" I asked in disbelief. I knew she had always been like this but still, we lived together for so many years.

"Wasn't I supposed to? You aren't exactly a Saint, are you?" she inquired with a frown.

"Who's at the door?" I heard my dad ask. Hearing his voice again made my heart beat faster because I didn't know what to expect. Would he welcome me or not?

"Come see for yourself," she responded. I heard him walking towards the door. Each step he took felt agonizing and slow. He finally reached the door and stepped out. He looked dumbfounded when he saw me.

"Lexi? I..s t.. that really you?" he stuttered in disbelief.

"Can we come in?" I asked skeptically.

“Sure. Please come in," he said hurriedly, opening the door wider for us. I stepped in much to the dismay of my step-mum and Mason came in right after me. We walked into the living room and took a seat.

"I don't have time to watch this. I need to be somewhere," she said before shutting the door with a bang. We sat in silence for a while.

"This house didn't change at all. It's still the same as it was before," I started glancing around.

"Yes, I didn't renovate it. Everything is exactly as it was. But who is?.. is he perhaps your..," he trailed staring at Mason.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. Jones. I'm Mason and your thought is correct. I'm Lexi's mate," he introduced, stretching out his hand for a handshake.

"Mate?" my dad inquired as he shook his hand. Mason nodded in response.

"You look well and...healthy," I stated in my observation. He looked better than he did when I left. His skin had more color, he looked sober, and didn't look like he would throw up anymore.

Lexi's POV

I held onto Mason's hand tightly as we made our way to the front door. The house didn't change a bit. It was still the same as what I remembered. I could see my step-mum's car outside which meant that she was home. Mason rang the doorbell and we waited patiently for someone to open the door.

"I stopped drinking since you left," he muttered. I stared at him in surprise. I have been trying to get him to quit drinking since my mum died all to no avail but he stopped on his own.

"Where have you been? Have you been doing alright? Why did you run away like that without even a phone call? I was so scared when no one was able to replace you. I thought...I had failed your mother again," he said, sounding worried.

"I should go and give you two some privacy," Mason said trying to get up but I held onto his hand.

"Where are you going?" I inquired.

"I think you need to talk to him alone. I will be right outside if you need me. I also need to replace Mady. She hasn't come in yet," he explained. Posted by Narugi.com; visit us for more free novels.

"Okay," I muttered and let go of his hand. I watched him retreat back quietly as he left.

"Well? Why did you run away without at least letting me know..."

"Do you remember what happened on the night I left?" I asked, turning back towards him.

"The night you left?" he repeated deep in thought.

"You wouldn't because you were so drunk that you couldn't even remember where you were. That night, Nick, who was my mate, then rejected me. Do you even know who Nick is because you weren't the least interested in anything happening in my life," I said, feeling anger bubbling deep within me when I remembered everything that happened.

"Of course, I know Nick..."

"Well, did you know your daughter was rejected by her mate that night? Do you know how painful that was for me? Aside from that, when I came home that night, no one knew what I was going through. You all treated me as usual, worse than a maid, like I wasn't part of this family," I spat angrily. He looked taken aback by my outburst but I wasn't done.

"As if that wasn't enough, you blamed me for Mum's death again. You've been doing it for a very long time but on that night it was different. It hurt me more," I muttered in a broken voice.

"Lexi I..."

"I always felt alone but you wouldn't know because you were always drunk. Even when your wife maltreated me, you never stood up for me. I always had to stand up for myself. I had been doing that alone since Mum died. All I ever wanted from you was your support even if it was just one time. I literally begged and craved for your love, care, and support but you ignored me. You saw me nothing less than the stranger who killed your wife," I cut him off tears streaming down my face. I didn't think talking about this was going to hurt me this much anymore but it did. Mason was right. I didn't have closure yet.

"No Lexi. Don't say that. I never saw you as a murderer and I never will," he replied hurriedly.

"But you didn't treat me any differently than one. You never treated me like a daughter. You have completely changed towards me since mum died. That can only mean that you blame me for her death right?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I never for once blamed you for her death. I loved your mum dearly that was probably the reason why I almost went crazy after she died. It was all my fault for neglecting you. I forgot that I wasn't the only one who was suffering, I didn't just lose my wife, you lost your mother too. You suffered greatly too and I only added to it because I thought you reminded me of her," he said remorsefully. His voice filled with pain and sadness.

"It was all my fault. I'm sorry. I feel ashamed of myself as your father. I'm deeply sorry for everything that has happened and I know I have no right to say this but please forgive me," he pleaded, his eyes filled with tears. I stared at him without responding for a while trying hard to fight back my own tears. I moved towards where he was seated and he pulled me into a hug.

"I'm so sorry dear. I'm sorry," he repeated multiple times as he cried. This was the first time I saw him cry. Even when Mum died, he never cried in front of me. He always used to drown his sorrows with alcohol. But this was my dad, he had always been there for me before Mum died. We were the perfect family and I had no idea I missed him this much till today.

"It's fine. I forgive you. Mum wouldn't want us to be on bad terms," I replied with a smile.

"Thank you so much. You have no idea what this means to me. I haven't been myself since you left," he responded.

"About my stepmother, I know you married her because of us, the kids. But we aren't kids anymore and if you are not happy with her, you can always leave. You don't need to stay with her because of anyone," I assured him. He nodded in response. "I'm sorry about Nick..."

"It's okay. It doesn't bother me anymore. It's all in the past. I have Mason now," I replied with a smile.

"I can see you have that glow on your face. Does he treat you well?" he asked.

"Mason is amazing. He treats me more than I could have ever imagined," I replied tenderly. I spoke of our shared memories, the moments of laughter and joy, and the way he made me feel like the most cherished person in the world.

With each description, my heart swelled with pride and gratitude. I recounted his kindness, his generosity, and the way he always knew how to make me feel better when the world seemed against me. He was my rock, my confidant, and my greatest support. As I shared stories of our adventures together, my face lit up as I relived those cherished moments, the way we could communicate without words, and how he knew me better than anyone else.

But it wasn't just the grand gestures that I cherished; it was the small, everyday acts of love and affection. His morning kisses, his warm hugs, and the way he made my favorite meal just because he knew it would brighten my day. I love Mason with a depth that words could hardly capture. It was a love that was unconditional, enduring, and profoundly beautiful, a love that lit up my whole world and made my heart overflow with joy and gratitude.