DEGREE OF FANCY

I still remember the day my father scolded me for getting into a fight at school. I was only seventeen years old then. He hit me with his belt, and I was left with scars and bruises all over my body.

"You're so much trouble," he said, his voice filled with anger and disgust. "I wouldn't have adopted you if I knew you'd be such a problem."

His words cut deep, and I felt a surge of pain and sadness. But I knew I had to be strong, so I didn't cry.

After he left, his secretary, Mr. Cruz, came in and saw me lying on the floor. Instead of helping me, he just smiled and said, "Next time, don't take my words for granted."

I was shocked and hurt by his response. I realized that I was truly alone, with no one to turn to for help.

This wasn't the first time my father had been cruel to me. It had been happening since I was nine years old. I grew up in an orphanage, not knowing who my real parents were. The nuns who took care of me told me that my mother had left me outside the orphanage when I was a baby.

But I never held a grudge against her. Instead, I waited for her return, hoping that she would come back for me one day.

Then, a mysterious man appeared in my life. I thought he was my mother, but it turned out that he was my adoptive father.

"You're now Antonio Jose Placido," he said, handing me a chocolate bar. "That's your new name."

I was so deceived by his fake smile and charming demeanor. I had no idea that my life was about to become a nightmare.

As I grew up, my father's cruelty only intensified. He would lock me in my room for days, denying me food and water. He would beat me mercilessly, leaving me with scars and bruises.

One day, I decided to sneak out of my room and explore the house. That's when I stumbled upon my father's office, and what I saw shocked me.

My father and my private tutor were hugging each other, whispering secrets to each other. I was stunned, and I didn't know what to make of it.

My father saw me standing there, and he immediately became angry. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

I was scared, but I tried to stay calm. My father warned me not to tell my mother what I saw, threatening to send me back to the orphanage if I did.

I was terrified, so I kept my mouth shut. But the memory of what I saw haunted me, and I knew that I had to escape my father's cruelty someday.

“Anton, whatever you saw today, don't ever tell your mommy, do you understand? You don't want us to separate and go back to where you came from, don't you?” he whispered to me, while I just silently looked at him. Fearing that I might return to my old life where I was alone, I chose to keep my mouth shut and hide everything I knew from my mother. “Very good, Anton.” He added to me while placing one of his hands on my head and ruffling my hair. After a few moments, my mother came inside, and he immediately came to her and hugged her tightly. Then she came to me with a smile on her lips, and then she hugged me while I just focused on my father who was staring at me intently.

My mother's hug was warm and comforting, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. My father's words kept echoing in my mind, and I felt like I was trapped in a web of secrets and lies.

As my mother pulled back and looked at me, I forced a smile onto my face. "Hey, sweetie, how was your day?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with kindness.

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say. But then I remembered my father's warning, and I knew I had to keep quiet. "It was fine, Mom," I said, trying to sound casual.

My mother nodded and smiled, seemingly unaware of the tension in the air. "That's good, sweetie. I'm glad to hear that."

As we stood there, my father's eyes never left mine. I could feel his gaze burning into my skin, reminding me of the secret I was keeping. I knew that I had to be careful, that one wrong move could mean disaster.

But as I looked at my mother, I felt a pang of guilt. She was so kind and loving, and I knew that she would be hurt if she found out about my father's secret. I was trapped between my loyalty to my father and my love for my mother.

As the silence stretched out, my father finally broke the tension. "Let's go have dinner, shall we?" he said, his voice booming through the room.

I nodded, relieved to have an excuse to escape the awkwardness. As we walked to the dining room, I couldn't help but feel like I was living a lie. And I knew that it was only a matter of time before the truth came out.

As we sat down to dinner, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. My father's secret was weighing heavily on my mind, and I knew that I had to be careful not to let anything slip.

My mother chatted happily throughout the meal, oblivious to the tension between my father and me. I tried to join in, but my mind was elsewhere.

As the dinner drew to a close, my father pushed his chair back and stood up. "I have some work to attend to," he said, his eyes glinting in the light. "Anton, come with me."

I hesitated, unsure of what to do. But my mother just smiled and nodded. "Go ahead, sweetie. Your father needs you."

I got up from the table, feeling a sense of trepidation. What did my father want from me? And what would happen if I didn't do what he said?

As I followed my father out of the dining room, I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was in grave danger. Little did I know, my life was about to take a dramatic turn.

We walked in silence to my father's study, the only sound being the creaking of the floorboards beneath our feet. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and I knew that I had to be brave.

As we entered the study, my father closed the door behind us and turned to face me. His eyes were cold and hard, and I knew that I was in trouble.

"Anton, I know you saw something today," he said, his voice low and menacing. "Something that you shouldn't have seen."

I swallowed hard, trying to think of what to say. But before I could respond, my father's expression changed. He looked almost...sad.

"I'm sorry, Anton," he said, his voice cracking with emotion. "I never meant for you to see that. But now that you have, I have to make sure that you don't tell anyone."

I felt a chill run down my spine as my father's words hung in the air. What did he mean? And what would happen if I didn't do what he said?

My father's eyes seemed to bore into my soul, as if he could see right through me. I felt a shiver run down my spine as he took a step closer to me.

"Anton, I'm going to give you a choice," he said, his voice low and menacing. "You can either forget what you saw today, or...or you can face the consequences."

I swallowed hard, trying to process what my father was saying. What consequences? And what would happen if I didn't forget?

My father's eyes seemed to gleam with a sinister light, and I knew that I had to be careful. I didn't know what he was capable of, but I knew that I didn't want to find out.

"I'll forget," I said quickly, trying to placate him. "I won't say anything."

My father's expression changed, and for a moment, I thought I saw a glimmer of relief. But then his face hardened again, and he turned away from me.

"Good," he said, his voice cold and detached. "I'm glad we understand each other, Anton."

I watched as my father walked over to his desk and sat down, his back to me. I knew that I had to get out of there, to escape from the suffocating atmosphere of the study.

I turned and made my way to the door, my heart pounding in my chest. As I reached the door handle, I heard my father's voice behind me.

"Anton."

I turned to see my father looking at me, his eyes cold and hard.

"Don't think that this is over," he said, his voice low and menacing. "I'll be watching you, Anton. Always."

I felt a chill run down my spine as I realized the true extent of my father's power. I knew that I had to be careful, to watch my every move.

I nodded, trying to show that I understood. And then I turned and walked out of the study, leaving my father's sinister presence behind.