Unfilial daughter.

"That is Mrs Wade. She's one of the few people Delaney cares for." Erick explained, pointing to the old woman who was now munching on the apples.

"What is their relationship?" Xander asked.

"I have no idea. They're not related in any way. Mrs Wade has a mental illness and sometimes she doesn't even recognize herself. Delaney is always at her aid during those times."

"So who else does she care for?" Erick didn't know how to answer that question. Did Delaney care for anyone? No, she only helped Mrs Wade a few times and she was very protective of her. She didn't even care for her family. Collins had been one of the closest people to her but that was until he betrayed her with Elsie, her younger sister.

"I might have used the wrong words. She does not care for anyone. She's only very protective of Mrs Wade and sir Malcolm. I think I can say that those are the only relevant people in her life.

____

After escorting Mrs Wade to her house, Delaney thought of spending the night in her old house since Malcolm was not back yet. Standing in front of the wooden gate, memories flashed across her mind and she hesitated before walking in. The house hadn't changed one bit. She used to take care of the garden at the front of the house with her father but now it didn't look as refreshing as she remembered. Even with dusk falling, she could still point out a few dead plants. But that was no longer her business.

Walking into the house, she heard the sound of the creaking armchair as Angela sat up in surprise. But her face contorted with annoyance the moment Delaney's features came to view.

"You witch!" she cursed, raising her hands to pull her ears. Delaney could've resisted but she just stood there in silence. "You dare set foot in this house after what you did to your sister. Can you even call her your sister? Why won't you just let her be. Collins fell in love with her because she's better than you. And you tried to jeopardize that on her wedding day?" She reprimanded angrily.

Delaney was starting to get annoyed but she tried to maintain her countenance. She didn't want to lay her hands on her father's wife afterall.

"Why did you have to be just like your mother? You even left a curse for their unborn child?" Her voice kept on getting louder and Delaney was getting more agitated by the second.

"I'm talking to you!" she shook her violently and still not getting any reaction, slapped her across the face. "You cursed thi- " She didn't get to finish her words before Delaney slapped her back but with so much force that she stumbled a few steps back.

"Delaney!" a loud voice bellowed from the entrace as mr Palestine walked in. He could not believe what he just saw. "You..." he wanted to scold Delaney but on seeing his wife's sorry state, he decided to tend to her first.

Angela was still seeing stars from the slap she had just received. She was in shock. All these years she had been hitting this cursed child but she had never complained but today she actually hit her back? she couldn't believe it. She held her left cheek that was stinging in pain as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Angela, are you alright?" Her husband asked worriedly. His anger flared, the moment she removed her hand and he saw the red mark on her face.

"You- how could you do this? you dare hit your mother? What kind of daughter are you?! All this time I was defending you, I thought you were innocent!" His face had now turned red from anger, which was further fueled by what the unbothered girl said.

"She's not my mother." she uttered emotionlessly.

"Of course she is. She might not have given birth to you but she raised you. And you actually hit her?"

"Darling, I was just scolding her a little because of what she did at Elsie's wedding. She went to ruin it but she even slapped me." Angela sobbed pitifully, hiding behind her husband, pretending to be afraid of Delaney.

"Is that true?" Delaney just stared at him emotionlessly. Although her eyes always seemed cold, they had gotten icier and her face darkened tremendously. Even her father would have been afraid of her, if it wasn't for the fact that she was his daughter.

"It's true," Angela only wanted to turn the father against his daughter so she kept adding fuel to the fire.

"Leave my house! Right now. Go pack your things and leave! Don't ever come back here. You.... I don't recognize you anymore, I never raised a daughter like you." As much as he was aggrieved at the idea of cutting ties with his daughter, he couldn't help but feel that she had wronged them all. Delaney didn't retort. She didn't complain, or talk back, she just climbed the stairs and packed the few belongings she had left. She had moved out a long time ago and there weren't many things she owned.

When she climbed down the stairs, she found her father comforting his wife, while applying medicine on her bruised cheek. They looked up at her, but she didn't say a word. She just walked out quietly.

The cold breeze hit her face as soon as she walked out of the wooden gate and a single tear fell from her eye but she wiped it quickly.

She spotted a shadow from the corner of her eyes and she became alert. Her hunting instincts kicked in and she withdrew her sword, ready to attack. The shadow approached her and she sighed in relief when she saw the face.

"Mrs Wade," the old woman looked at her pitifully and held out her hand to her.

"Child, you have suffered a lot." she said, pulling her in an embrace. Delaney cried in the woman's arms and she took her to her house. She prepared some hot soup for her, then left burning incense in the room to help her sleep. When she heard her snoring softly, she went ahead to take off her shoes, then carefully put away her weapons and the hip flask. She covered her with a quilt then sat quietly, observing her sleeping face.