The Boss Behind the Mask Was My Father Chapter 02

The Boss Behind the Mask Was My Father Chapter 02

Struggling to support her weight, I dragged Mom inside and washed the caked mud from her body. Her skin grew colder by the minute, and my eyes burned with tears.

She lay there pale and motionless, as if she were simply asleep. Yet only moments earlier, she had held my hand and smiled warmly.

“Nadia… if I’m gone one day… promise me you’ll keep living. Take good care of yourself.”

I bowed my head, fighting back the tears.

I had known since I was little that Mom didn’t belong to this world. Words constantly flickered above her head, turning bright red every time Teddy hurt her for Ivy’s sake.

I later learned those were the system’s warning signs.

Mom’s only chance to survive was to complete her quest: win over the gloomy, obsessive male lead—my father. If she failed, the system would erase her forever. And today was the final deadline.

Mom tried to push herself up, but before she could speak, a harsh cough wracked her body, and a bitter fluid welled up in her throat.

Teddy walked into the room, his face dark with revulsion. “Mabel, are you playing the victim again? Did you know we were coming today? Is this your sick little stunt to get our sympathy?”

I was desperate to tell him the truth.

Mom wasn’t acting—she was growing weaker after failing her system quest.

But Teddy cut me off before I could speak. He pushed me aside and marched to the bedside, looking down at Mom with condescension.

“Mabel, you haven’t truly suffered all these years. Every scene was just a film set, and the villagers were all actors I hired. None of them dared to go beyond the script without my permission.”

“You’re lucky Ivy has a kind heart. She already released all the footage from your shoots. I originally planned to keep teaching you a lesson for longer, but Ivy begged me to stop. We’re here to take you home now.”

“Ivy and your parents are waiting outside. If you have any sense, get up and go thank her. After all, you ruined her life by stealing the spotlight and leaving her emotionally devastated.”

My whole body trembled.

I glanced down at Mom’s hand hidden beneath the covers.

Teddy claimed the actors never hurt her—but I knew that was a lie.

Over and over, those men mistreated her whenever she resisted.

She suffered repeated physical trauma and permanently damaged her right hand.

Mom always screamed and drove me away to keep me safe.

I would find her lying weak and motionless on the ground, barely conscious.

I knew how much agony she endured.

That was why I always believed her when she said Dad would save us—those words were all we had to hold onto.

So when I discovered the cruel tormentor was my own father, despair crushed me completely.

I knew for certain: Mom’s quest was lost.

I bit back my tears. I wanted to ask Dad why he refused to see the truth, why he ignored all her suffering.

But looking at Mom’s fragile state, I fell silent. It no longer mattered. Soon, she would be free from all this pain.

Teddy grew increasingly frustrated when Mom stayed unresponsive. He finally lost his patience and reached out to yank her upright.

“Mabel, how long will you keep this up? Get up right now. We’re going to finish the remaining shots with Ivy.”

As his hand neared her, he accidentally kicked a silk handkerchief across the floor. When it unfolded, a dark, dried stain marked the white silk cloth.

My heart raced with a tiny spark of hope. If he just picked it up and looked, he would realize how serious Mom’s condition had become.

Teddy frowned and bent down to reach for the cloth—but the door burst open before his fingers touched it.

A maid stumbled inside and collapsed to her knees before him, panting.