Stunned into silence by his daughterâs accusations, Thaddeus found himself at a loss. He didnât recognize the wild, frenzied woman in front of him. How could this possibly be his little girl, Sophia?
How had Sophia become like this?
Lea couldnât stand it any longer. âEnough, Sophia!â She snapped. âHow many times over the years have you manipulated Dad with your twisted version of family love?! Youâre never satisfied! Youâre the one with the deceitful heart! You lust after things that donât belong to you! And now, you dare to blame Dad? Look at yourself for once!â
Sophia glared at Lea with venom in her eyes. âWho are you to lecture me, you little brat?! Was it your place to snatch away Dadâs affection and create this rift between us?!â
Lea scoffed. âEven without me, Dad would eventually see your true colors. Youâre not worth any affection because youâre insatiable, ungrateful, and selfish!â
Enraged, Sophia shrieked, âShut up, you little pest! Iâll kill you!â
She reached through the bars of her cell and lunged for Lea.
Quickly, Bertha pulled her daughter away from the bars and out of Sophiaâs reach.
After watching this madness unfold, any shred of pity Thaddeus had for Sophia vanished. He grabbed an old coffee mug from a nearby table and threw its contents at Sophia.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updatesâ¦
The splash of cold water silenced her instantly.
Thaddeus looked at her with profound disappointment. âItâs my fault.â He said. âI indulged you and let you become this monster. You need to be here to face justice and hopefully change. Otherwise, youâll just be a menace to society.â
With that, he set down the mug, draped his arm around Berthaâs shoulders, and led her and Lea away.
âLetâs go.â
As they left, Sophiaâs cries for help echoed behind them. But Thaddeus didnât look back, not even once.
Once they were back in the car, Thaddeus slumped in his seat. He covered his eyes with his hand, choking back his tears.
Lea, who had never seen her father this way, tentatively asked, âDad, are you okay?â
Thaddeus didnât answer. His stifled tears turned into open weeping.
After seeing her usually stoic husband breaking down, Bertha gently patted his back. âThaddeus, itâs okay. Maybe this is for the best. Sophia needs to change.â
Thaddeus wept uncontrollably. âBertha, youâre right. I spoiled her. I turned her into thisâ¦this monster. I failed as a parent. If only I had listened to you, if only I hadnât indulged her every whim, maybe she wouldnât have turned out like thisâ¦â
Thaddeus,â Bertha said softly, âthere are no âifsâ and âmaybesâ in life. Itâs never too late to realize our mistakes.â
Thaddeus didnât respond. His cries filled the silence of the car.
For the first time in his life, he wept openly. He was consumed with regret over his daughterâs transformation into a menace.
In the quiet car, Bertha and Lea sat with Thaddeus, allowing him to vent his despair.
By the time they returned to their hotel, it was already late. Bertha supported Thaddeus, fearing his emotional turmoil might lead to a physical stumble. She suggested he rest while they dealt with the aftermath the next day.