Chapter 55 A Gambler's Excuse

Anthony regretted every bit of it. What could he do now? He had already walked down a path with no way back. He called it remorse, but to Gardenia, it was nothing more than a gambler's excuse. Back when she had just been taken in by Ansel, she used to think Anthony might come looking for her. She had hoped that he would show up one day and take her home. After all, she had only been 15. No matter how distant or disappointing Anthony had become, he was still her biological father. That had to mean something. It had to mean more than Ansel, a man who had taken her in but wasn't truly family. She stopped thinking that way once Ansel gave her the one thing Anthony never could, which was a stable life. "I don't care about your stuff, and my safety isn't your responsibility. Don't ever contact me again." With that, she ended the call. Tessa had picked up enough from her tone to piece together what was going on. It was a family matter, and no amount of advice could change anything.