Baleigh's POV 

I almost fell backwards. I caught myself on the handle of a cabinet. Dad just stood there. His face was blank, like he wasn't surprised to see his daughter. 

"What are you doing here?" I barely got the words out. Kiera came over to me and grabbed my hand. 

"I'll get you some water, dear," said Evelyn. She opened up a cabinet and grabbed a glass cup. Kiera guided me to a chair and sat me down. I couldn't stop looking at my father. I wanted to scream but also cry. Why did he have to be here? 

Evelyn handed me my cup. I took a sip, my hand shaking. 

"Baleigh, please calm down. Your father isn't here to hurt you." Dr. Stone placed his hands on the counter. "He's here to help. 

I placed my cup down. "Help? He's here to help? Why would he help me? All he's ever done is hurt me and try to keep me away from all of you! He would never want to help anyone!" Tears started forming in my eyes. 

Dad put his head down. He didn't dare to look at me. Kiera gave me a hug as I tried not to cry. I examined my father. His knuckles were cut. He had a freshly new scar on his eyebrow. His hair was all out of wack like he just got out of bed. I could tell that he hadn't slept in a while from the bags under his eyes. Part of me felt bad for him, and the other part wanted me to hate him. 

Dad finally put his head up and looked at me. I wiped the tears from my eyes and looked back. I kept a straight face, ready to take on any blow he gave me. 

"I know you hate me, Baleigh," Dad began. "But I'm not here to take you back home. I'm here to help you find you mate." The last word came out very softly, almost as if he didn't like the word. 

"And why do you want to help me find him?" I asked. I crossed my arms. 

"Because-" he sighed. "Because I messed up. I messed up everything." He put his head in his hands. 

He stood there for a few seconds, and then put his head back up to look at me. His eyes were red from crying. 

"When I found out your mother left me to live with Professor Brian, I lost it. I knew I wasn't the perfect husband, but I would never try to hurt her in any way." 

"Then why did you hurt me?" I asked. 

"I was angry. I was angry because all I could see was your mother every time I looked at you. I felt like it was my fault that I let her die that night." 

"What really happened?" 

Dad hesitated for a second. He looked too hurt to talk about it. He finally opened his mouth and spoke. 

"We were on the boat, having a wonderful time. It felt like the old times when we met in college. It seemed like everything went back to normal. But then-" Dad stopped. I didn't think he could finish. 

"But then another boat came out of nowhere. We didn't see it coming. It can right at us. Didn't even try to stop. I tried to steer the boat away, but it kept coming back. I didn't see the rocks in front of me. I smashed the boat right in the rocks. The other boat escaped the scene. Not a single trace of the boat was there. 

 "I got blamed for the crash, for killing your mother. There was no evidence to prove I really did it on purpose, so they let me go. All I had left was you, so I tried everything to keep you safe." 

"Is that why you filed harassment papers to Dr. Stone's family? To keep them away from me?" Dad looked away from me again. 

"I thought they were trying to take you away from me. I couldn't let that happen. I did everything I could to keep you safe. I didn't want to lose you like I lost your mother." 

I could see a tear fall on Dad's cheek. I felt an urge to go over and give him a hug. I second guessed myself and stayed in my seat. I had so many questions. If he didn't want to hurt me, why would he beat me every day? Why would he never let me leave the house or make any friends? Why would he lock me in my room for days? 

"Then why did you always beat me?" I asked. 

"Beat you? Why would you think that?" Dad gave me a confused look. Everyone looked at me. 

"Mr. O'Conners, Baleigh has told us that you would beat her. She came to us with a broken rib, a clear sign that someone beat her enough to break it." Dr. Stone looked at Dad. He had the same confused look. 

"I would never beat Baleigh. I'll I ever did was yell at her. I would never put a finger on her." Dad's voice had a sound of worry in it. 

"Then what about your wife?" The tall man spoke. From what I know, he must be Nate's older brother, Tyler. 

"You guys think I would beat my wife?" Dad's look started to scare me. 

"From what the records say, yes." Dr. Stone folded his arms. 

"You'll all crazy! I would never beat my wife! I never did!" Dad put his hands in the air in frustration. 

"Then how can you explain the bruises and cut marks on you daughter and wife?" Dr. Stone said. 

Dad thought for a second. How could he deny not beating me? I have scars from him hitting me. I never saw anyone else hurt me except him. 

"I do remember coming home from work and seeing Isabelle with bruises and stitches. She claimed that I hurt her, but I never did. I was always at work. You can check my records. My former boss had proof of me never leaving the office." 

"That doesn't make any sense!" I jumped from the seat. "I saw you hurt me! You always threatened to kill me! You would beat me until it hurt you! How could you deny it! How?" Tears fell down my face. I couldn't hold it in anymore. 

I burst into tears. Kiera pulled me close to her. She let me cry all over her new blouse that she bought when we went shopping. I couldn't stop. It was as if all of my feelings and emotions burst  like popping a balloon. 

"Baleigh," Dad tried to give me a hug but Kiera pulled me away from him. 

"Don't touch my friend!" she said. I'm so glad I have Kiera as a friend. 

"Fine," Dad said. "Just listen." 

I pulled away from Kiera and turned to Dad. I wiped away the tears, ready to listen. 

"I don't know what makes you think I would beat you. You can deny it all you want, but I would never, never in a thousand years, try to hurt you. All I ever wanted was to protect you." 

I looked at Dad's eyes. I really wanted to not believe him. I wanted to turn away and make him suffer with what he had done. But I could see in his eyes that he was telling the truth. 

I couldn't hold it back anymore and hugged him. He took it by surprise but hugged me back. 

"I believe you," I said. 

"What?" I turned around. Kiera looked angry. 

"Why would you believe him? He beats you and always threatens you! Why would you believe him?" 

"I don't know, but I do." That was all I could say. I just did. I felt like he wouldn't hurt me. I could see a gentle soul under all of that mess. I didn't know why, but I trusted him. 

"I think I might know something," Sydney said. "It might explain all of this." 

"Explain what?" I asked. 

"Mr. O'Conners, what company did you work for?" she asked. 

"I worked at the head office in for some medical company. I helped order the supplies to make the medicines that they made in their labs." 

"And have you ever been inside the labs?" 

"Only once," Dad said. "I had to deliver a few boxes after the original deliverer got sick." Dad scratched his head. 

"Although, I don't remember what happened after I dropped off the boxes. All I remember was leaving the office super late with a huge headache. I couldn't go back to work for a few days." 

"Hmm..." Sydney turned around, facing away from us, and began to think. 

"What is it, Sid?" Tyler asked. 

"I've been researching many medicine company's who have been having many of their employees quit because of having strange encounters at their labs. I worked on the case for years but have never been able to find any evidence to prove it. Until now." 

I looked at Kiera. She shrugged at me. I looked back at Sydney, confused at what she was talking about.

"Mr. O'Conners, I believed that you have been brainwashed." 

YAY! I really wanted to get this one out, so here it is! Hope you guys liked it! I know you're all thinking, "What in the world just happened?!" Don't freak out too much. All of it will be explained soon! Vote and leave comments!!