Chapter 3

The air was different and unlike the other days. Petal's father, Xavier Brooks, had hired a paid service to the willing teen wolf who volunteered to help him do some menial work in his huge house. 

Yeah, those were supposed to be cleaned by Petal but Xavier Brooks was feeling different for that day. He even went as far as preparing and throwing a huge party for Petal, so he told her. 

On that day, Petal would be completing another circle round the earth surface yet again. It's her nineteenth birthday and Xavier Brooks had decided to throw it in a grand style which he has never done since her existence. 

Petal was shocked at the sudden announcement which made her wonder for minutes if those words were coming from her father. 

"I think I'm in a dream." She uttered under her breath, more like talking to herself as she pricked her skin very painfully. "Ouch...!"

Well, she deliberately pricked her skin very painfully to be sure she is not imagining things or in her dream. It sounded too good to be true to her. Maybe her ears had started playing tricks on her. 

"Stop hurting your precious skin because you are definitely not your dream." Her father's cautioning voice shot through the air, breaking her own train of thought. "It's really okay?"

Even with her father confirming his own words, Petal still finds it hard to believe him. She had grown not to believe any positive words coming from him, he always made sure to be negative with her.

"I'm sorry, sir but..." Petal was still talking... 

Xavier Brooks cut her off smoothly and calmly. "It's okay, you can refer to me as your father. What can I say?" He made sure to sound soothing and calm to her. "Don't worry, I won't make a fuss when you do."

Really, these sound too good to be true. Arrgh, she should not be believing such words except that of false words. Right!

She knew better than getting him angry with her sensitive words she would be asking him but she cared less at that moment, she only wanted to be sure of the scene that was slowly unfolding before her.

"Can I ask a question? Can I?" She requested with politeness laced in her voice but she was barely audible, luckily to Xavier Brooks' hearing.

"Sure, sure. You can ask as many questions as you want, Petal." He replied to her, sounding gracefully. Petal's ears grew hot immediately when she heard her name from her father for the first time since her existence.

Her name has never fit perfectly as it did on her father's lips. It sounds surreal and ear soothing, blending perfectly with his husky and manly voice.

If her name was supposed to sound this nice from him, what hasn't he called out her name? Even if it'll come out as a mistake. But no, he never did but was sure never to miss calling her ‘slave’.

Her heart hurts as well as it soared with a little high, at least with a hint of hope. If that is the case then, is she supposed to expect more of such treatment from him? 

She knows she can never get used to such a new attitude of his but she would persuade herself in trying. What if this is all false but he's just trying to paint it like it's real? She needed to be sure of it first. 

 "I'm sorry to ask again, father." She uttered a sincere apology earning a quick and simple response from her father. "Is this really happening?"

Xavier Brooks let out a faint chuckle. "Of course, it is." He replied calmly and slowly, wearing a smile Petal was finding hard to interpret. "I understand how hard it is for you to believe me at this time but you have to try."

Petal finds herself believing him, finding no cause not to. She has never seen him get so sincere with words since she remembers, carelessly believing him. 

"Thanks, father..." She uttered with a small and faint smile on her lips. It was really hard for her to let out the small smile but she forced herself too.

"I think the reverse should be the case, yeah." He told her, his smile almost leaving his lips. "I made you go through pains and abuse, I should thank you for still seeing me as your father even after all of the things I've done to you."

Petal felt it was of no use for her father thanking her or being sorry for what he has done to her since he made up his mind to be changed towards her. Those should be in the past, they should matter less, shouldn't they? Of course, yes!

"It doesn't really matter now, father." She told him convincingly. "What matter is I can now look up to you as my father without the fear of being abused any more."

Sincerity was laced in her voice as she speaks and it sparks in her eyes always. She might have lived her entire life in pain but she's still soft and emotional too.

Her father has decided to be changed, it makes no difference if she still bears a grudge against him. Well, she never did from the start and she would never!

"I'll make sure this turns out to be the most memorable night of all your days, Petal." Xavier Brooks enounced with a serious and husky voice. "That's my promise for you."

Petal's heart soured high in delightfulness. What's more to say when she could not fathom the strange new feeling she's having within her and her body finds it hard to contain it either?

Is this how it felt to be happy? That was the self question she asked within herself, unable to hide how happy she is at the moment.

Little did she know that her new profound happiness would be very short and won't last for long. If only she had known…