CHAPTER 26
**WINTER**
Sliding into my seat, I was all too aware of Zion's presence next to me, his posture tense and eyes glittering with a dangerous amusement. The soiled panties he had forced me to wear were a constant, humiliating reminder, making me shiver as they pressed against my skin. Zion's smile grew, clearly enjoying my discomfort.
He leaned in, his voice dropping to a low, taunting murmur.
“So, how does it feel?” he asked, his voice laced with derision. “Is the sensation of my cum against your skin getting to you? Does it turn you on?”
His eyes searched mine with a cruel curiosity, his smirk widening as he waited for my reaction. The closeness of his body, combined with his invasive question, made it impossible to ignore the unsettling intimacy of the moment.
Despite my anger and humiliation, I couldn't stop the shiver that went through my body
at his proximity.
It was infuriating.
“So, how was the party, Winter?” Jenny asked as she set a glass of orange juice in front of me.
“Well, not great,” I admitted, feeling the panties shift uncomfortably against me. “I didn’t know anyone, so I ended up getting bored and coming home early.” I glanced at Zion, who was eating his breakfast with an air of indifference.
“Clark was kind enough to send me home with his driver since someone was too busy to drop me back,” I added, my frustration evident in my voice.
"What?" My dad's voice boomed, making me jump. I heard Zion snigger beside me, clearly revelling in the chaos.
Dad’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“Zion! You took my daughter to the party and then left her there without a ride home?”
Zion leaned back in his chair, his tone smooth and unnervingly calm.
"I told Mom I wasn’t going to play babysitter," Zion said with a dismissive shrug.
"Besides, she was busy with that campus manwhore, Ethan Wilde. They were all over each other. I figured if she wanted to hook up with him or whatever else she had planned, who was I to stop her? I didn’t expect her to come back so soon, but then again, quickies don’t usually take that long." His tone dripped with mockery as he spoke.
Everyone’s head turned to him, mine included. He kept his gaze on my dad, not even sparing me a glance. The lie stung, and I felt a surge of anger.
“Winter, what am I hearing? Is this how you’re behaving?” My dad’s voice was seething with rage.
I tried to dismiss his comments with a shake of my head, but he pressed on relentlessly.
“I know all about that boy’s reputation. It’s clear that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. But to think my daughter would be so easy—it’s beyond disgraceful. You’re here to study, not to tarnish my name with your behaviour! Let me make this clear, Winter Chandler: You’re not here to be the campus slut!” His words cut deep.
I stared at my dad, my mouth hanging open as if I’d just been slapped. His words felt like a physical blow, each one landing with cruel, precise accuracy. How could he judge me so harshly when he hadn’t been around for the past five years? He didn’t know me—he didn’t know anything about what I’d been through, the person I had become. And yet, his opinion of me was so disgustingly low.
I wanted to scream, to tell him how wrong he was, but the words stuck in my throat. All I could do was stare, a mix of anger and hurt churning inside me.
The tension in the room was thick, and Zion’s smirk only deepened. He was feeding off the chaos he had created. I clenched my fists under the table, trying to hold back tears of frustration and anger.
“I hope Ethan used a condom. You’ll be wanting to make an appointment at the STD clinic, otherwise.” Zion curled his perfect lips at me in disdain, his gaze cold.
“Zion Royal! That’s enough,” Jenny admonished.
“Yes, Mom,” he replied, his tone dismissive as he turned his attention to his breakfast.
The room fell into a tense silence, but I could feel Dad's fierce gaze burning into the side of my face.
I sat there, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks as my father’s voice grew louder and more indignant.
“I can't believe this! Your mother and I may not have been perfect, but I trusted her to raise you with some sense of decency. She failed!”
Having had enough, I finally looked at him.
“Enough!” I shouted, my voice cracking with emotion. “You don’t get to judge me, Dad, when you’ve barely been in my life! I hissed
“I didn’t do anything wrong, so stop judging me,” I snapped, my frustration evident.
“Ethan and I just talked, that’s all! I was there for less than an hour, and I didn’t do anything that deserves this slut-shaming,” I snapped, my frustration bubbling over. It stung even more that he was suddenly so concerned when he’d been absent from my life for most of it.
"Watch your tone with me, young lady!" Dad said, his tone icy
The silence that followed was thick and uncomfortable. Breakfast was just as awkward as the day before.
Dad’s phone suddenly chimed, cutting through the tension. He glanced at the screen, stood up, his chair scraping back noisily, and left the room without a backward glance.
As soon as he was gone, Jenny turned to Zion, her eyes scrutinizing him.
“Zion, grow up already,” Jenny snapped, her voice quivering with anger. “You did that deliberately, didn’t you? Just to get a rise out of my husband?”
Zion’s smirk remained, a chilling display of his satisfaction. He leaned back in his chair, clearly revelling in the chaos he’d stirred.
“It was kind of fun,” he admitted, his tone dripping with malice.
“You’re no saint, Zion. What time did you come in last night?” Jenny demanded, her voice tight with frustration.
“I noticed you weren’t home when I got up for a glass of water at 3 a.m. What were you doing out so late? And don’t even think about denying it—I have a pretty good idea what you were doing.”
Zion’s reaction was immediate. He shifted uncomfortably at her pointed question but quickly recovered, his smirk widening.
"Why would I want to be a saint? They’re always so boring," he replied with a lazy smirk.
"And bad boys have more fun!"
"Zion!"
“Ok, Mom, relax... If you must know, I was doing exactly what you’re thinking. I’m a young, hot-blooded male. I have urges,” he said unabashedly, smirking.
Jenny let out a weary sigh, her frustration palpable.
“Zion, you need to take life more seriously. You have to be more responsible. The last thing I want is for us to deal with any unexpected pregnancies or complications.”
He shrugged, his nonchalance infuriating.
“Mom, you’re hurting my feelings,” Zion said with a playful grin.
“I’m very responsible. I always use protection,” he added, giving her a wink.
Jenny let out a frustrated sigh.
I clenched my jaw, feeling the weight of this dysfunctional family dynamic pressing down on me. It was clear that this was going to be a long, painful ordeal.
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