Accidentally Yours, My Super Rich Second Husband-Chapter 88: A Rescue

Her hand rose shakily to her cheek, the heat from the slap lingering. Her fingers brushed against the tender flesh, and she winced. The impact had been so forceful that she felt a faint warmth—blood. She dabbed her thumb at the corner of her mouth and stared at the crimson streak on her skin.

She glanced up slowly, catching the fire in her father’s eyes. Robert stood stiffly, his chest heaving as he glared down at her. The heat of his rage seemed to press down on the room, making it hard to breathe. Beside him, Helena’s lips curled into a smug smile, her satisfaction practically oozing from her posture. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Delphinia’s jaw tightened, and she straightened in her chair, her hand dropping to her lap. She refused to give Helena the pleasure of seeing her crumble.

Robert’s voice cut through the thick silence like a whip. "You disgrace this family, Delphinia. First, a failed marriage, and now this? You’ve made a fool of the Harrington name."

There was fire in her eyes, though her voice was calm, carrying the faint tremor of pain. "I’m your daughter," she said, her voice trembling slightly but growing steadier with each word. "Why wouldn’t you listen to me first before assuming the worst?"

"You’ve given me no reason to trust you," Robert shot back, his face darkening further. "Do you expect me to believe you’ve done nothing to tarnish our name? Look at you—flaunting such behavior after the divorce."

Delphinia inhaled sharply, her fists clenching in her lap. "You think I’m some kind of—" She bit back the word that threatened to spill out, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Is that what you think of me now? That I’m a slut because my marriage failed?"

Robert’s expression hardened further, but Delphinia pressed on, her voice rising with emotion. "You’ve never cared to hear my side of the story, have you? You’ve already decided what I am, what I’ve done. And why? Because it’s easier to believe I’m the problem than to accept you’ve failed me as a father!"

"Enough!" Robert roared. The noise reverberated around the room. "Then tell me, Delphinia. Where have you been living all this time? What have you been doing out there? If you’re so sure you’ve done nothing wrong, enlighten me!"

Delphinia met his fiery gaze, her voice trembling only slightly as she replied, "I stayed with Valerie before—"

"Don’t lie to me!" Robert snapped, cutting her off sharply. "I know you weren’t living in Valerie’s house. So, tell me, where were you?"

Delphinia froze for a moment, her nails digging into her palms. Her father’s anger wasn’t new, but his accusations stung more than she cared to admit. She glanced toward Helena, whose smug expression was a silent declaration of triumph.

Her voice turned cold, slicing through the heavy atmosphere. "You really let her put this idea into your head, didn’t you?" Her gaze flicked to Helena, her eyes filled with open disdain. "Your wife has been whispering poison about me, and you’ve swallowed every word without hesitation."

Helena’s smirk widened as she stepped closer, her tone dripping with mock concern. "Oh, don’t be so dramatic, Delphinia. Your father is only trying to protect the family’s reputation, something you seem intent on destroying."

Delphinia turned sharply to Helena, her eyes narrowing. "And what are you doing here, Helena? Meddling, as always? Are you so bored with your life that you can’t help but provoke others?"

Helena’s face tightened briefly, but she recovered quickly, tilting her head with a patronizing smile. "I’m just here to ensure that someone keeps this family in line, dear. Looks like you don’t know the meaning of respect anymore."

"Stop it!" Lyvia’s voice rang out, breaking through the escalating tension. She got to her feet quickly, holding her hands up in an attempt to calm things down. Her wide eyes darted between her father, Helena, and Delphinia. "This isn’t helping anyone. Mother, please, just stop."

Helena turned her sharp gaze to Lyvia, her smile vanishing. "Stay out of this, Lyvia," she said coldly.

"But—"

"I said stay out of it," Helena shot back.

Lyvia hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line as she reluctantly sat back down. Her hands fidgeted in her lap, her worry etched clearly on her face.

Robert exhaled heavily, his patience clearly wearing thin. He pointed a finger at Delphinia, his voice low and dangerous. "You will not leave this house again, do you hear me? I will not allow you to embarrass this family further."

Delphinia’s heart pounded in her chest, but she forced herself to meet his gaze, her chin lifting defiantly. "You can lock me in this house, but it won’t change anything. I am not your puppet, and I will not live my life under your control."

"You will do as I say!" Robert barked, his voice ringing through the room.

Delphinia opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, the door to the common room creaked open. All eyes turned as one of the maids stepped in, her hands clasped nervously in front of her.

"Sir," the maid said timidly, her eyes darting between the tense faces in the room.

Robert’s glare shifted to her. "What is it?" he snapped.

"There’s a guest, sir," the maid said, her voice shaking slightly under his intense gaze.

Robert frowned, his irritation clear. "Who?"

The maid hesitated for a moment before responding. "Evander Walton."

The name hung in the air like a thunderclap. Delphinia’s breath caught, her eyes widening in shock. Evander? Here?

Robert’s expression darkened further, his anger simmering just below the surface. "What does he want?" he demanded, though the question seemed more rhetorical than anything.

Delphinia, however, barely registered her father’s words. Her mind raced, her heart pounding in her ears as emotions crashed over her. Relief, confusion, and something she couldn’t quite name.

Evander had come.

Her fingers curled against the chair as a tiny, almost hidden smirk crept across her face.

He had come to save her.