Chapter 5: Fatherless Daughter

DAHLIA'S POV

“No, ma'am! You can't see him without an appointment! Or a prior notice from him.” My father's secretary insisted.

I've been standing in front of his office for almost two hours and she, her name tag reads Ella, first told me he was in a meeting and now she just keeps vomiting different excuses why I can't see him.

“I understand that you're new, so I have no choice but to repeat myself. Tell him that Dahlia is here to see him. He'll… fuck, I am his daughter!” I curse, biting my bottom lip to hold back my brewing anger.

It was already late when I finished at the hospital yesterday. Taking care of Jerome and looking after Cleo who still looks at me like a lost puppy, my hands were so full that I felt too exhausted to think about Miss Nani and her offer.

Sunny paid another visit to the hospital to check up on me before heading to work earlier in the morning and when I don't get any calls from Mr Peter, I know that I really don't have a job as a driver anymore. I can only think of one solution, going to my father. Even though I know he'd turn me down as usual since his Jezebel of a wife and her daughter would draw their last blood to make sure he never listens to me, let alone, give me anything.

They don't surprise me when I show up in the house and the security refuses to let me cross the gate. Even when I run past security towards the house, Christina refused to let me in.

“Stop wasting your time and go home, Dahlia. You don't belong here anymore!” She'd said to me through the doorbell camera. She didn't even open the front door at least.

“I belong here. It's my father's house.” I held myself from adding “bitch” to the last sentence, knowing it'd not be helpful if I wanted to gain favor from my father.

“Alright, then break in. After all, madness runs in the family.” She says and I hear her footsteps recede as she walks away from the door.

How dare her bring my mother into this? She's the one who betrayed her, snatched her husband and made her an addict while presenting herself as a friend. Now she could easily say such hurtful words to me simply because I want to meet my father. I stand in my father's property, not hers! But of course, she's coverted everything to herself and her dumbass daughter.

“I'm sorry, but you can't see him. I don't want to lose my job.” Ella's insistent voice brings me back to the moment.

I can't believe I have been standing here in front of his office and he won't see me? Sunny warned me and I knew this would happen, but I don't have a choice.

“You'll be losing your job if he finds out about this.” I try again, tasting the bitterness of the harsh truth in my tongue.

She shakes her head doubtedly. “He gave me the orders himself.” She looks like she wants to say more, but a telephone starts ringing.

I watch her from the corner of my eye as she walks around the counter to take the call, and I immediately grab the opportunity and dash into my father's office before she could catch up.

“Dad, I am not going anywhere unless you listen to me! What you're doing to me is so unfai–” I stop short when I see that he has a visitor and my heart jump into my mouth when I see the face of the visitor.

That arrogant, mean and rude man from yesterday morning?

“You want to know what's unfair? It's that I had to marry the stupid woman that gave birth to you!” My father's words breaks my resolve.

For a moment, I don't breath, not because I don't know how to, but I just couldn't seem to do it. And I feel warm liquid flow freely from my eyes and wet my face. I know that my father hates me, he is capable of doing anything to me, calling me names, but he has never spoken about my mother in this manner.

I can tolerate it from Christina and her daughter, but my father of all people? After everything my mother went through because of what he did to her? How could he?

“You don't mean that. Take those words back!” I cry, forgetting the man sitting in front of my father, watching me without any show of emotion.

Well, he's a heartless man and that's why he's probably my father's business associate. Likes attract like.

My father… No, scratch that! Mr. Kanye Shannon dry laughs as he slowly stands up as if holding back rage, then hits his desk.

I should be the one throwing tantrums, not him…

“Leave, Dahlia! I don't want to do or say something inappropriate in front of my guest. Something we'd both regret. Now!” He points at the door and that's when I notice Ella standing there, she hurries out at once, bowing as she leaves.

“You know what… I apologize for being so rude and intolerable! For interrupting a moment of your life! For being born into this world by a lunatic! I really want to say sorry and ask for your forgiveness.” I am wailing, and I hate the way my nose is running like that of a child, but I don't care.

I'm a mess and I can't hide it.

“You've just made me realize that I don't even need you, or your fucking help.” I don't care to apologize for the language, throwing the last respect I have for him into a trash can.

“I never did, I always win on my own while all you do is try to push me down ever since I decided to have a voice of my own instead of walking the same path as you! I know you'll regret this, and by then, I shall be right under your nose and you won't find me!” I raise my chin, flip my hair as I turn around and walk out of the office without looking back, or at the man whose eyes are burning my back.

I don't know how, but I just feel it and I wonder why he didn't say anything.

Maybe he's too thrilled to say a word or believes what goes on between Father and daughter is none of his business.

I bang the office door closed behind me and blindly take the stairs instead of using the elevator for fear that I might bump into people and have them glancing weirdly at me crying like a hungry kid.

When I reach my house, I don't recognize it again. That brings more tears to my eyes as I look at the dangling rooftop and the damages done to the entire building. What is left of our belongings are ashes and half-burnt house utensils.

When I moved here, I had signed a lease agreement which states that the tenant bears the consequences of such damage. How do I fix this? What do I do when I can't access any of my insurance?

I just sit down in what's left of the front porch and cry even more, unable to contain my anger and frustration. Where do I go from here?

Confused and unable to come up with any other option to savage my situation, I get a text from the doctor requesting for the advance payment to schedule a surgery for Jerome before he gets worse and another from Sunny convincing me that Miss Nani’s offer was the best way out and nobody has to know.

Well, the latter would be hard because pregnancy can't be hidden and I can't be away from my family for such a long period.

Sighing, I request for Miss Nani’s contact information from the doctor and he forwards it in a matter of seconds as if he has been waiting for me to ask him for it. I call the number after a few seconds of contemplation and hesitation, and as if she too has been expecting my call, she picks up on the first ring and just waits for me to speak first.

“I've thought long and hard about your…”

“Dahlia dearest, I don't want you to make a decision you're not sure about. You've all the time in the world to think about it before accepting because there's no going back once you sign the agreement.” She interrupts me, sensing my hesitation.

“I. Will. Do. It.” I say, letting the words roll out from my tongue.

“Oh. Are you sure?”

“Where shall I come?”