11. Face off

Delilah

“Thank you for checking up. Yes.”

“I will make sure I send your regards to her.” My arms were folded across my chest as I waited for my father to finish his call.

When he dropped the phone, I commenced. “What did he say?”

“Why did you lie that you are sick?” He asked instead. I rolled my eyes before slouching down on the bed. “To show him how crazy I can be. I’m sure he’s on the edge right now.” A smile dangled at the corner of my lips from the memories of the stunt I pulled. He won’t leave the house all soaked waiting for me to come and clean it up.

If I fake a sickness for a day or two, he has no choice but to clean up the mess himself. “What did you do Delilah?” Father’s words brought me back from the trance I ventured into.

“I didn’t do much. I left the bathroom tap on so the house will be soaked wet. And now I’m here sick. No one will clean up the mess but him.” I said with a grin.

“Why would you do that dear?” I blinked my eyes. I thought he’d support me. He knows quite well what Liam did to me. All the bad names he called me with.

I rose up and walked up to him. “Because he deserved it. For calling me plain and calling me unattractive. I’m paying back for what he did. And why getting worried. I didn’t scam him again, did I?”

Father’s gaze didn’t waver on me as if trying to read something from my eyes. He was about to say something when his phone began ringing. “Go on take it. Let me go freshen up.” I declared then made my way to the bathroom.

I strip down and got under the shower. As the water began cascading down my body, it warmed up all the joint in my body. “Mr. I know it all, you have no choice but to clean up the mess I made.” I muffled out.

I pictured how he’d squeeze his face while cleaning up the house. With Dixon frustrating the life out of him. A giggle erupts out of me as more images of Liam working his ass off surface before me.

I wasted time in the bathroom probably because I have been talking to myself and imagining more trouble I would cause for Liam. He would know he had met a crazy tomboy.

I changed into my nighties before proceeding to hop in bed to call Emma and tell her all about my devilish plans. A knock sounded on the door followed by my father’s face. “Getting ready to call it a night?” He asked closing the door behind him.

“Yeah. I’m sick so I need the rest.” I could swear my father rolled his eyes which looks cute on him. “I might have to remind you that you’re pretty much fine. You’re not under any sick bed.”

I nodded my hand boringly. “You’re right. What’s up then?” I asked sensing the distant expression on his face. I patted the empty space next to me and he slid down. “Now tell me what’s bothering you.”

“Well…. I got a call from Madam Edna.”

“Uhm?” I urged him to go on.

“She has a job for me. She sold one of her buildings and the new owner is building a Wellness Center. So, she wants me to take on the project.”

“Really? That’s good news, Father. You haven’t gotten any contract for a while.” I expressed my excitement, side hugging him. However, he doesn’t look happy.

“What’s wrong? You don’t want the job?”

“It’s not like I don’t want the job. I don’t know whether I would do a good job. You know how the last one ended. Which was what destroyed my career.” At some point, I understand my father’s fears. The reason why father stopped being a contractor was due to the disaster that fell on him and his coworker. They were given a project to work on. They didn’t know the man who claimed to be the owner was actually a fraud.

They were almost sued. That time life was pretty much good to us. Father later started up a laundry business with the little he has remaining. Life was still tough, and we ventured into the scamming job.

I reached for his hands and gave them a squeeze. “Listen father, the fact that Madam Edna wants you to take on the project means she trusts and believes in you. And this could revive your career back. What happened has already happened.”

His muscles relax. “You’re right. I told her I will think about it first.”

“You have nothing to think about. Trust your capabilities father. You always tell me that. Let’s do this together.” He nodded his head and flashed me a smile.

“I didn’t know my daughter is a motivational speaker.”

“Come on father. I’m not a careless girl you know. And I’m smart, all because my parents are the smartest people I’ve ever seen.”

Father chuckled before pulling me in for a hug. “That’s my girl. Maybe if I take on this project, we won’t have to continue our side business.”

I pulled away. “Bet me. We won’t. But wait… what did you say the project is about?”

“Wellness Center.”

“Damn!” I was quick to jolt up to my feet. “The owner of that building is Liam, father.”

“What?” Father also sat up. “How did you know?”

I raked my hands through my hair in frustration. “He told me he’s here in Roseville for a project. That he’s going to build a Wellness Center. Liam knows your face, father.”

Father stared at me wide-eyed. “You can’t be serious, Delilah.”

“Of course I am. If he sees your face, he’d recognize you, and that will be the end. What should we do now? You can’t give up on this project.” I almost cried out. I began pacing around the room. Liam was already confident that I will come face to face with him one day, although I was in disguise when I scammed him. However, it will be a matter of time before I get busted. Either I come clean or he recognizes me himself.

I continued pacing around the room, biting my bottom lip. This is a chance for father to revive his career back to life. Definitely, he can’t work with Liam without father meeting him. Everything has to happen face to face and one on one.

“Calm down, Delilah. I will figure out how to sort it out.” Father broke the silence.

I stopped pacing and passed him a look. “Don’t tell me you’re planning on showing yourself? I’m not ready to go to jail or pay any fine when we’re hell broke. Urgh!” I groaned in frustration and continued my pacing.

An idea suddenly struck, and I turned to father with a mischievous smile on my face. “I think I have an idea on how we can sort this out.”

**

A day had gone by, and I hadn’t stepped out of the house, neither did Liam reach out to me. I didn’t even care. Father and I had already laid down the plans of killing two birds with one stone. He’d be the manager of the project while I would be the one to work alongside Liam. Father would be behind the scenes.

I just hoped it would work out. Liam might think he’s a smart man, but he can’t beat me at that. And now I was making my way to Liam’s house with a lot of plans in my head and also to brace myself for whatever he was going to throw my way. I wanted to stay sick—fake sick for another day, but father had already given his answers to Madam Edna that he’d meet Liam today.

It was when I found myself standing in front of his door that fear chose to visit my heart. “I have two motives here: Pretend I did nothing and also be my father’s shadow.” I assured myself.

A chuckle almost escaped me when I found my hand slightly shaking. Damn! I thought I had discarded fear from my heart before coming here. I steadied myself as I pressed on the doorbell.

I held in my breath when the door was pulled open, and the boss himself appeared before me. “Good Morning, Mr. Liam,” I mustered up my calm side and greeted, adding a light smile.

A loud thud resonated in my eardrums in return, making me blink. Liam shut the door on my face. “What just happened?” I mumbled through gritted teeth.

“Calm down, Delilah.” I inhaled and exhaled before stretching my hand to press the doorbell again. But I didn’t get to do that when the door was pulled open again. This time, I didn’t give him the chance to react. I pushed past him and walked inside.

“Who are you? Don’t you have any shame?” The frustration in his voice was visible. I nearly scoffed. “You have the nerve to show your face here. After what you did. Barging into my house like you own it.”

I pinned my hair behind my ear and folded my arms across my chest. “For what happened the other day, I know it was my fault. I mistakenly left the water on. We all make mistakes, right?”

The pissed-off expression on his face didn’t waver; instead, I caught a glimpse of his jaw clenching. “You can’t make a fool out of me, woman,” he hissed out.

“I was sick. And you can’t expect me to rush here when I could barely lift a finger. But that’s not my area of concern. Let’s start the meeting,” I said, grabbing my seat on the couch.

“What meeting?” he asked, confused.

“I will be in charge of your Wellness Center project. I’m the contractor Madam Edna referred to you,” I said, flashing him my most modest smile.