Chapter 7

After failing to find Harry anywhere, Kimberly decided to go home. Perhaps she had been mistaken, because when she called Harry, he said he was still at the office. Kimberly also didn't hear any noise like she had at the nightclub. She actually didn't want to go home, but if she didn't, Liana and Deborah would feel like they had won. She wouldn't let that happen. After all, this was her house. Kimberly wouldn't let anyone take it from her.

Kimberly entered her house and continued walking towards the stairs leading to her room. She didn't care that there were two people sitting in the living room. As far as she was concerned, she was the only one in this house.

"Kimberly!" Michael's shout sounded ordinary to Kimberly. She even continued walking without paying any attention to her father. "Kimberly Spencer!"

Kimberly took a deep breath as she stopped walking. Although she didn't want to consider Michael as her father, she couldn't erase the blood ties between them. So, she stopped, especially since Michael had started calling her by her full name.

Kimberly turned around and crossed her arms. She faced Michael, who was sitting with Liana. Her eyes stared intently at her father, showing no fear at all.

Seeing Kimberly's attitude, as if she was challenging him, Michael got up from his seat and walked towards his daughter. His face hardened, showing that anger was currently controlling him. He took long strides with his fists clenched tightly.

"Why didn't you come home last night? Where did you sleep?" Michael asked in a loud voice.

Kimberly rolled her eyes lazily, then replied, "Why are you so surprised? Isn't this the first time I haven't come home?" Kimberly's words weren't an answer but more like a challenge. She even said it while raising her chin, as if mocking her father.

Michael's fists clenched even tighter, showing that he was desperately trying to hold something back. "Is that how you talk to your parents, Kim? I never taught you to be disrespectful to others."

Kimberly raised one corner of her lip, disgusted. "You didn't teach me anything like that. All you taught me was how to destroy your family!"

"Kimberly!" Michael was about to raise his hand to slap Kimberly, but someone grabbed his arm. The man turned sharply. His face, which had been tense and full of anger, gradually softened when he saw his wife's face full of pity.

"Don't hurt Kimberly, Michael. Please." Liana came to plead. Her eyes even looked teary when she looked at Michael. There was sadness in her eyes that softened Michael's feelings.

However, it looked different in Kimberly's eyes. Even if Liana cried her heart out to save her, she would never be kind to the woman. She was the source of all the damage to this family.

Kimberly rolled her eyes lazily, looking so disgusted by what she saw. She even chose to face the other way. Unconsciously, her hands clenched. The resentment in her heart still hadn't faded until now. If that woman had never existed, the person in front of her now would be her mother, not that snake woman.

Michael regulated his breath before turning back to Kimberly. Liana could always calm him down in any situation. So, he couldn't understand why Kimberly still couldn't accept their marriage.

"Look! Even Liana has been so good to you. She always reminds me not to hit you!" Michael took a deep breath. "You have to be nicer to Liana and Deborah. Don't act like you have no education. After all, they are already part of this family."

Kimberly sighed heavily. She was increasingly disgusted with this family, but she wouldn't give in so easily. Right now, she didn't want to argue, so she didn't respond to her father's words.

"Are you done?" Kimberly asked, turning to her father. One of her eyebrows arched, staring cynically at Michael. Seeing Kimberly's attitude, as if mocking him, Michael's emotions rose again. But they gradually subsided when Liana grabbed his hand and held it. "If you're done, I'm going upstairs. I'm tired; I want to rest."

Kimberly turned, ignoring both of them. Even when Michael yelled again, she didn't pay any attention. Kimberly smirked as she heard Liana trying to calm her husband down.

Entering her room, Kimberly immediately threw her bag onto the bed. She sighed heavily and went straight to the bathroom. She needed to unwind by soaking in a warm bath.

It felt so comfortable and peaceful as her tired body was submerged in warm water, and the lavender scent continued to tickle her nose. This was her mother's favorite scent, and now it was her favorite too. Nicholas knew this, so he always lit candles with that scent when Kimberly got drunk and stayed at his apartment.

Actually, only Nicholas could understand Kimberly. He even knew everything about her. From her favorite color, favorite food, and even the most private thing: Kimberly's bra size. Maybe it was because Nicholas's soul was a woman's soul, so he could understand Kimberly.

Kimberly sighed deeply. If Nicholas were a normal guy, maybe she would fall in love with him. But the fact is, Nicholas is gay, so they can only be friends like this.

After soaking for a while, Kimberly felt her muscles relax. Even her heart felt calmer now. She got up, grabbed her bathrobe, and put it on. Then she went out, still drying her hair with a towel.

Coming out of the bathroom, Kimberly went to her bag and took her phone out of it. She sighed heavily, disappointed, when there wasn't a single message from Nicholas. It seemed like he was really busy and didn't have time to text her.

Kimberly clicked her tongue and threw her phone onto the bed. She didn't even care when she got a message from Harry. For some reason, she couldn't feel anything, even though they had been dating for a year. Kimberly accepted Harry because she knew Deborah liked him. She didn't want to see Deborah happy.

Kimberly regulated her uneven breath because of the emotions she was feeling. Apparently, one day without communicating with Nicholas was very draining for her.

After calming down, Kimberly reached for her phone again and called one of the maids to bring her hot chocolate. Not long after, someone knocked on her door. She immediately opened it and took her hot chocolate.

After getting her hot chocolate, Kimberly went straight to the balcony. She sat in a rattan chair and put her feet up on the table in front of her.

Kimberly enjoyed her hot chocolate while looking at the star-studded night sky. Occasionally, she looked towards the street when she heard the sound of a car driving by. Kimberly sighed deeply several times. She didn't know what was on her mind, but she felt completely messed up.

Kimberly didn't even know how long she had been on her balcony, but when she looked at the night sky, it looked very dark. It seemed like it was very late. Kimberly sighed heavily before finally getting up, ready to go to sleep. But as she was about to turn around, she heard the sound of a car stopping in front of the gate. Curious, Kimberly shifted her focus to that direction. From her position, she could see Deborah getting out of someone's car. Even from a distance, Kimberly could see that Deborah's face was so cheerful.

"Who's driving her?" Kimberly didn't look away. She wanted to know who Deborah was close to now. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the car that was driving Deborah. The type of car was the same as someone she knew. "Could it be...?" Kimberly's voice trailed off. "Ah! But it can't be!"