Chapter 56: Goal
Not long after the “Butterfly Fall Incident,” Everly entered 9th grade, and her height had already shot up past 1.7 meters.
Perhaps due to the witch incident, nothing particularly major happened at school that year. Most of the students had basically moved past the shadow of Seradiya’s death and returned to their normal, peaceful lives.
It was also during this year that Everly received a sudden call from her long-uncontacted scumbag father, Shelly. He had some news—he was getting remarried.
Ever since Shelly gained fame in Pukati for a series of paintings, it was as if a dam had burst inside him. He went on to create several more series based on myths and supernatural stories, all of which were surprisingly well-received. Shelly Minas had thus leapt from being an unknown painter to a name of note in the U.S. art scene, enjoying both fame and fortune, living a wealthy and lavish lifestyle.
The saying “money makes men corrupt” could not have suited Shelly better. Every time he called, he would put on a sentimental act, reminding Everly of her late mother Rachel, professing how much he loved and missed her. But Everly wasn’t naïve—she could go online. Gossip about the famous painter Shelly didn’t require any special searching; opening any entertainment section would be enough.
Thanks to his undeniably handsome face, over the past ten-plus years while Everly was away, Shelly had been involved romantically with his assistant, a certain widow, and even the illegitimate daughter of some wealthy man. Now in his early forties, perhaps suddenly seeking stability, he decided to marry the illegitimate daughter of the wealthy man with whom he had the longest entanglement.
“The wedding is on the 18th of this month… the timing is a bit tight, but Sophia insists on marrying this month and then honeymooning together in Sunford City…” he said, then stammered as he asked Everly if she wanted to attend the wedding. Everly glanced at the calendar. Good grief—it was already the evening of the 15th! If she left on the 16th, she wasn’t even sure if she could get a plane ticket. Just thinking about all the transfers and the bumpy travel alone was enough to make her dread it.
Waiting until now to tell her the news, Shelly clearly didn’t want her at the wedding, didn’t want her to interrupt the sweet moments with his new wife, Sophia.
Sure enough, as soon as the question was out, before Everly could answer, Shelly went on: he knew she was busy with her studies and that the trip was too far, so even if she didn’t attend the wedding, it would be fine—he and Sophia would understand, and so on…