Chapter 3

The hefty black iron gate opens as we approach it.  We drove in and it took us about a minute or two to arrive at the main entrance of the house. I step out together with my father’s best man. Looking at the huge prison-like building I call home, it made me sick and upset—this is the first time I’ve ever felt distraught coming home.

I don’t know the reason why my father summoned for me, but whatever the reason is, I just hope it’s not as ruthless as my guts is warning me about. I love my father, so much but sometimes I just wish I could change him. Sometimes I wish to just wake up and find myself in a different house. I don’t mind if my new home wouldn’t be as elegant and good looking as this house looks. I prefer peace of mind of wealth.

As I walk in, my heart beats promptly—as though it’s going to drop out of its place. I don’t know what I’m going to walk myself into, I don’t know what my father has in mind, but whatever it is—I just know I’m going to hate it for the rest of my life, possibly.

I ran up the stairs and headed straight to my room. I know my father wasn’t home yet and my mother might be in her room or in the study reading a book, she loves doing that. I drop my backpack and sauntered out, heading to her room.

I find her pacing back and forth as she spoke angrily through the phone. It sounded like she’s talking with my father. She immediately halts and ended the call. “Jean, my baby, yourhome,” she says, making her way toward me. I smilecumbersomely, reaching out with arms extended. She hugs me and we held each other firmly. It has just been a couple of weeks since I have last seen her last but every second of my life, I miss this woman.

She’s the only reason I keep going in life. She’s the only reason why I’m still in this house…

“I’ve missed you so much, honey.” She held my cheeks in her warm, loving palms. She looked so pale and it seems like she has lost a bit of weight. Something isn’t adding up here. “Mom, are you okay? You look… not okay,” I said to her, unsure of the right word to call how she looks. Whatever the case, I know there was something wrong.

She managed to smile but I could see the unhappiness behind that forged beam. I could see the sorrow in her eyes. “Honey, I’m fine. I assure you,” she affirmed but I shook my head. She was down and I can see it in her eyes. “You know you can talk to me about absolutely anything, right?”

The last thing I wanted in life was to see my mother lookinghopeless. “Did dad do anything?” I asked but she immediately shook her head, her smile fading away. She hates it when I blame him over her sadness even if he is the one behind it.

Of course, he’s the one behind her sorrow. He’s always upsetting her, giving her hard times despite how she has gone through thick and thin with him. How she has been with him through rough times—through shoddier times.

This is yet another reason I can confess that I slightly dislike my father even more. He’s such a jerk and full of himself.

“Jean, you can’t just blame every single thing that happens on your father. I know you don’t quite see eye to eye but you can’t change the fact that he is your father and he tries as much possible as he can to do what’s best for you…”

“Oh, like locking me up in my room like a tower princess or having a control over my own life? Is that what you call ‘the best’, mom?” I was already pissed. She always defended him, knowing he screws up all the time. He’d punish me to the extent that I have the right to take the law and sue him but she still gives him benefit of doubt and somehow tries to brainwash me over it.

It’s sickening.

“No, baby. I don’t mean that. Look, your father loves you, so much. And he’s doing everything just to protect you. You know the type of man he is and what kind of job he does. So, just trust your instincts and embrace your life as it is, all right?” She said, her hands gently squeezing my arms. I roll my eyes in annoyance and shrug off her hands off me.

“My instincts always tell me to run away from home, mom. Do you really want me to believe that?” I haphazardly ask as I made my way to her fridge. I opened it and took a bottle of water. Uncapping it, I took a huge gulp of it. My mother didn’t mind that I didn’t use a glass cup to take it, knowing I wouldn’t even if she told me to. It takes so much of my time just to take water that I could do it without taking that much long process.

“Don’t you ever think of running away from home again, Jean. How do you expect me to feel when you’re gone? How you want your father to feel when finds out you’re even having a thought of running away? The world out there is dangerous, baby. So, just trust me when I say your father is doing the right thing, okay?” She was now inches away from me. She wanted to touch me again but was afraid I would shrug her off again—I would.

“Could you at least tell me why you look miserable and why on earth I’m back home when he evidently knows I have classes,” I say to her, throwing my arms in the air. It’s obvious my father doesn’t really care about anybody’s feeling, including mine and my mothers’. He only cares about himself and his mafia gang. They are his life and I am pretty sure he might choose them over us.

The only thing I could say I am impressed with him is, I have never for once caught him hitting my mother and he has never hit me also. This is one of the few things I can admit I love about my father.

“I am fine, Jean. And about your reason for coming home, I’m not quite sure of it. Just know that we’re having dinner together tonight. Your father is coming home early because of it. Whatever it is, we’d find out tonight. I just know it’s something you shouldn’t stress yourself about, okay?”

I know she’s lying. She knew why he summoned me home. And I am so sure they were fighting about the reason I’m home on phone earlier. I wasn’t going to push her to tell me. I nodded my head and walked toward the door.

“We only have four hours until dinner, honey,” she yells as I walk out of the room. I didn’t answer her—she knew I heard her. And even if I did answer her, I have someone that’d come remind me every hour. I literally have someone for everything in this house. I have someone for ice cream, someone for junk food, someone for shopping.

My life isn’t all that bad. Basically, my only problem is my overprotective father.

**

I threw a nice knee length peppered-red fitted gown and did my makeup after taking another shower. It was already time for dinner and my parents are already at the dining hall, waiting for me. I took my time to finish up, knowing my father would be upset about coming in late. I did it on purpose, to aggravate him just like he did by dragging me out of school campus just for his injudicious unspecified needs.

I walk out of my room and headed to the stairs. I could hear him yelling at the butlers to come check up on me again. My heart dropped to the floor but I composed myself and approached the room.

He immediately goes mute when I came to sight. I had my head high as I greeted him, “Good evening, daddy.”

He scans me from head to toe, almost making me to trip on the carpet. I settled down adjacent to him, my eyes everywhere but his side.

“Why are you just coming in?” He asked angrily. His booming voice going right through my ears. I shivered a little and face him. “I had a headache,” I say and turn my head away. I could sense the worry in my mother’s look—I didn’t look at her either.

“Did you take any medication?” He asked me and I only nodded. “Look and talk to me while I ask you questions, young lady!” He shrieked at the top of his voice. My heart sunk with agony. “Yes, daddy. I took aspirin and I’m feeling better now.”

He nods his head and turn his attention to my mother. “Shall we?” He says and the workers begin to serve us. The room fall silent with only the clicking sound of utensils hitting ourplates.

I have never felt so distressed in my life like I did that moment. I wanted to know what I was doing here and why we’re having dinner together. I usually have dinner in my room when I’m not forced by my father to join them at the dining hall.

From time to time, I share looks with my mother and I could see the fright, the distress in her eyes.

What is going on?

I drop my fork same time my father clears his throat. I took a glass of water as I set my gaze on him.

“Jean?” He called him. “Yes,” I say as I drop the glass back on the table. I settle my eyes and attention on him, eager to hear what he has to say. Oh, I just pray it’s not something that’d make me lose sleep tonight.

“I know you’ve been wondering why you’re asked to come back home on such short notice…”

Asked to? I was forced out of my dorm when I was about to celebrate my 18th birthday. My freaking 18th birthday. This better be worth it!

“I have a very important announcement to make and I hope you’ll cooperate with us,” he says looking at my mother. I look at her also and she immediately lowers her eyes. This is bad… this is so bad…

I felt the sickening in my stomach and felt the urge to throw up the little amount of food I ate. I knew it was something bad. Seeing my mother stressed out before I even find out what it is gives me enough reason to believe that my night or life is going to be ruined in just less than a minute. It only depends on what he has to say. I just hope it’s not as bad as I’m imagining it.

“Jean, do you know Zayn Usman?” He asked me, he held a stoic look but I could see the slender uneasiness in his eyes. If my father is worried, then it has to be something I’m going to hate him for. He wasn’t going to confiscate me from Nursing school, is he?

I slowly nod my head. I’ve heard of the name before but I’m not sure if I know his face. I know my father had business with him. He is also a Mafia boss, but I can’t say I’ve seen him before. “His name sounds familiar,” I told him and he nodded. “Good,” he mouthed.

He heaves a sigh, as if regretting what he wanted to say before he even blurts it out.

“He’s going to be your husband, in a couple of months,” he announced and I felt the world come to a halt. I could swear my jaw dropped to the floor and my heart stopped beating for a minute. Did I hear him right or is it just my ears mishearing words?

I’m being married off to a Mafia lord that I know nothing of? This is worse that leaving nursing school. Worse than being locked up in my room for days.

“Daddy… you’re joking, right? Mom, are you hearing this? Did I hear him right? Da…”

“Do I look like I’m joking to you, jean?” He spoke in a heatedtone. I heard him right and he wasn’t joking.

I was shaking and my heart felt like exploding. “But dad…” I mouthed, my eyes getting watery already. The only thing I could think of at the moment was Peter. Oh, peter… what am I supposed to tell him?

I can’t just leave school and go back with the news that I’m engaged to a Mafia boss that I don’t even know how he looks, left alone know anything about him.

This is a mess I have to find a way out.