Parental Guidance (Ice Knights #1)(74)

Needless to say, the Andreous weren’t some upper-crust blue-blooded family. Her mother grew up in a house with more mouths to feed than there was food to go around. And her father was a glorified blunt instrument, the muscle who’d gone on to inherit his boss’s property development company after the man’s untimely death.

So her father had switched steel-toe boots for pinstripe suits and wanted a reputation to match. But that didn’t change who they were underneath it all. Or her father’s “do whatever it takes” personality.

“Can’t you start a new company with the money from the sale?” she asked. “Wouldn’t that be better? You don’t need to hang on to this one. You could have something of your own with your name.”

For the first time in as long as she could remember, her father’s hard mask slipped, and she glimpsed the weary face of a burdened man beneath it. “When I took over the company, I had no idea Aristos had racked up so much debt. The sale will barely cover everything he owes. If I sell it now and don’t have money coming back in, then your mother and I will have nothing. You’ll have nothing.”

Sophia wanted to point out that their house was worth a small fortune, especially since her father had owned it for years. But he wouldn’t see it like that. They needed to keep up appearances, maintain their picture of success and wealth. Selling the house to get by would make them look bad. Like failures.

And she was their only cash cow.

Her breathing came quicker. What had started off as a laughable suggestion suddenly felt like a nauseating reality.

If it wasn’t for her mother, she would have taken off years ago to chase her dream of a quiet, happy life of independence and solitude. She’d been busting her ass working as a virtual assistant for over two years now to save for a place of her own. She loved her work, loved helping people get their lives in order, and she had a good chunk of her deposit for a place of her own set aside. Better yet, her father knew nothing about it.

The only thing stopping Sophia from acting on her dream was her mother. The older woman was gentle. Vulnerable. She wasn’t emotionally strong enough to stand up for herself. Not only did she suffer spells where she couldn’t get out of bed, but even in her “good times,” the older woman didn’t have much confidence. She didn’t see her worth.

Sophia would always shield her mother from the brunt of her father’s temper and his need to control everything. But that responsibility was like a pair of hands around her throat, squeezing. Drawing up a fluttery panic her stomach.

“Do you really want to leave your mother with nothing?” he asked.

The man had always known her weak spot.

Sophia slumped in her seat. “Of course I don’t want to leave her with nothing,” she said, massaging her temples. There had to be another solution. Something that would keep her family safe and secure while not landing her in a loveless marriage with a stranger. But what?

“It’s not like I’m marrying you off to some disgusting old pig,” he added. “Look him up on Tweet Face or whatever you kids use these days. He’s young, and he’s Greek, which gets my mark of approval, and he’s as rich as a king. You’ll be living on an island in the Mediterranean. It’s not going to be a difficult life. Frankly, he’s a better option than what you could have found yourself.”

She gritted her teeth. Okay, that was uncalled for. At twenty-six, she’d hardly been concerned with finding a husband. Especially since anyone she dated had to meet her father’s high standards—a feat she thought impossible until Dion—or be willing to sneak around behind her father’s back. That left only the guys who had a death wish or had no idea what they were getting themselves into. Needless to say, pigheaded and stupid were not qualities she looked for in a potential love interest.

“This isn’t open for negotiation. Your mother is counting on you.” He twisted the knife further, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms across his chest with a self-satisfied air. “Your flight is already booked. You’ll leave for Corfu early next week.”

Heart thundering in her chest, she pushed up from her chair. It felt as though the world was tilting beneath her feet. How could she possibly get out of this? One glance at her father’s stony expression told her that arguing now would only end up in the worst possible scenario: him railing about it to her mother until the woman dissolved into tears and resigned herself to bed for the week. The last time it happened, it’d taken Sophia days to convince her mother to eat a full meal. Even longer to leave the house and face the world.

And this time, she’d be stuck in Corfu, unable to fix it.

She bit down on her lip. She’d tried so many times to get her mom to leave—begging and pleading and offering a simple, uncomplicated life. They’d find a way to make it work, Sophia was sure of it. But her mother steadfastly refused, not even willing to consider it. Was it out of fear? Pride? Something else?

All Sophia knew was that she wouldn’t leave her mother, and her mother wouldn’t leave her father.

Which meant she was trapped.

“We’re very proud of how you always put your family first,” he said, assessing her calmly. Could he read the riot of emotions swamping her? “It’s an admirable quality. I’m sure your future husband will appreciate it.”

Sophia nodded numbly and excused herself from the room. As she walked through the house, the chunky heels of her pumps echoing against the wooden floorboards, her stomach rocked in time with each step.