My Dad Tried to Kill Me, for His Mistress' Son - Chapter 4: Chapter 4

The way my uncle talked made one thing crystal clear—my mom's family wasn't just unusual, they were something else entirely. I couldn't wrap my head around how she'd kept this secret from me—and from Dad—all these years. Still, knowing my uncle had my back gave me some small comfort.
At the hospital, I paced outside the ER like a caged animal. Within the hour, Dad came barreling down the hallway.
"What the hell happened? How'd your mother end up in a car accident?" His phony concern made my blood pressure spike. My hands balled into fists so tight my nails bit into my palms.
"It was your precious 'business partner,' Eden!" I spat out. "She mowed Mom down like roadkill and took off!"
His face darkened as he snapped, "Get a grip! Stop shouting like some spoiled brat! Your mother's coddling ruined any manners you might've had!"
"Eden wouldn't have any reason to hurt your mom," Dad continued, his voice dripping with fake reason. "There's obviously been some mistake. Don't go making wild accusations until we know the facts."
A mistake? This from the man who'd fathered Eden's love child? The hypocrisy burned like acid in my throat. "Too late," I shot back, locking eyes with him. "Cops are already on it. We'll know exactly what went down soon enough." Dad just rolled his eyes and moved away to make a call.
I itched to rip off his mask of respectability right then—but what good would it do? Without rock-solid proof of his scheming with Eden, I'd just look like a hysterical kid.
Earlier, when I'd updated my uncle, he'd ordered me to stay put by the ER. "Let me handle your father and Eden," he'd said in that calm-but-deadly voice of his. He'd warned me not to push Dad too far before he arrived—cornered rats get dangerous, and right now, I was the vulnerable one.
With every minute the ER doors stayed shut, my nerves frayed further. My hands grew slick with sweat. Then Eden waltzed in, and seeing her smug face lit a fire in my chest that nearly burned through my self-control.
She approached me with this sickeningly sweet expression. "Your father filled me in," she cooed, "but I swear it wasn't me. I was home with my son all day—never left the house."
"My car got stolen last night—filed a police report and everything. I'm just devastated about your mother." She even had the nerve to dab at dry eyes. "When they catch whoever did this, I'll make sure they pay dearly."
Dad jumped in like her knight in shining armor. "We appreciate you coming down, Ms. Watson. Just a terrible misunderstanding—hope you're not offended."
Eden waved it off like we were discussing bad weather. "No trouble at all. My son's actually a patient here too. Thought it'd be better to clear this up face-to-face."
Dad's eyebrows shot up with Oscar-worthy surprise. "Your son's here? What happened?"