Claimed by My Bestie's Alpha Daddy novel Chapter 23

Chapter 23

“Don’t start with that martyr crap. You want people to feel sorry for you. You always have.”

“No, Jenny,” I said, my voice trembling now. “I want to be left alone. I want to be treated like I belong. I want to

live without needing to prove my worth every second of the day. But somehow, I still keep ending up in rooms like this—being interrogated by people who are supposed to be my friends.”

Jenny stepped back like I’d struck her.

The air between us crackled.

That was when the door creaked open again.

Nathan. Of course.

He paused in the doorway, looking between the two of us like he’d stumbled onto a crime scene.

“Everything alright in here?”

Jenny whirled on him, voice sugary and sharp. “You need to make sure she stays away from my dad. From now on. Got it?”

Nathan blinked. “Uh-”

“She’s been staying here,” Jenny continued. “And I had no idea. Doesn’t that seem a little off to you? Like… why wouldn’t he tell me something like that?”

Nathan looked at me, then at the folded blanket on the couch. He didn’t say anything. But the discomfort on his face said it all. Jenny never exploded like this. And I never fought back. Until now.

“I don’t want her near him,” Jenny snapped. “She’s obviously overstepping.”

“Jenny-”

But before Nathan could finish, a shadow crossed the doorway.

Richard.

The room went still.

He stepped inside, silent and calm, though his eyes flicked between us with practiced sharpness.

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Jenny turned the moment she saw him, her voice sharp, edged with accusation. “Dad. I was just telling Nathan -Mom said she’s coming back soon. I don’t know exactly when, but she’s serious. And now I find out you’ve been letting people stay here-people I’m supposed to know better than anyone-without even telling me? What am I supposed to think? You’re hiding things from me now? From your own daughter?”

She glanced-no, glared-at me.

“You should really think about who you let stay here.”

I lowered my gaze, shame crawling up the back of my neck. I didn’t even know what I was doing here anymore. Maybe I’d made a mistake staying this long. Maybe this really was about to blow up everything.

Richard didn’t respond right away. He looked at Jenny. Really looked at her.

“And when,” he said coldly, “did you start making decisions for me?”

The silence afterward cracked like lightning.

Jenny’s mouth opened. Closed. She blinked, stunned.

Nathan looked like he wanted to sink into the floor.

I couldn’t move.

Richard turned to me next, but he didn’t say anything. Just looked. And somehow, that said more than any

words could.

Jenny tried again. “Dad-”

“Enough.” His voice was low. Final.

She flinched.

For the first time in our entire friendship, Jenny didn’t get the last word.

And for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t sure what that meant for either of us.

Richard finally turned to Nathan. “Escort Amelia back to her desk, please.”

“Yes, sir,” Nathan said, stepping forward quickly.

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