Keeping His Secret

One week.

It felt strange walking through the streets of my old neighborhood, it made my current neighborhood seem even worse. I grew accustomed to the graffiti, hoodlums on every street corner, the sirens of emergency services playing out every second of every day and the vandalized buildings. In comparison the East side of town was like stepping into a palace built by the gods of cleanliness and riches. Nobody was around because everybody drove or got chauffeured around. It was strange.

I pressed the intercom, I didn't feel brave enough to key in the code - providing he hasn't changed it of course. The camera slowly swiveled in my direction and I waved with an awkward smile.

"Mia!" Geoffrey said with surprise.

"Hi Geoffrey, is he in?" I asked, now that I were here I couldn't help but hope he would say no. The large iron gates opened right in front of me and my heart sank.

"He is indeed, Mia. I'll call ahead and let him know you're here." Geoffrey said with enthusiasm. I nodded at the camera and then took small steps up the big gravel driveway.

The house I once called a home seemed intimidating for me now. It was overwhelmingly big, I couldn't imagine living here. I knocked on the door and waited.

"Mia!" Marie opened the door wide and instantly pulled me into a hug. Her lavender perfume was nostalgic and comforting. I needed that when my heart was thundering inside my chest and my palms sweated like the accompanying rainstorm. She pulled me into the house and walked me to my fathers office, knocking on the door for me. After a time far too short he called us in.

"Amelia!" His eyes moved down my body in a scrutinizing way and I stiffened in the door way.

Flashbacks of his naked, body came flooding back to me. He lay in the bed that he shared with my mother, on top of my best friend as she clawed her acrylic nails into his back. I shuddered at the memory, clenching my fists hard by my sides. I hated him so much.

"I've been trying to contact you." He said sternly, in that father voice he used whenever I needed scolding.

"I know. I've been ignoring your attempts." I admitted nonchalantly. His eyebrows furrowed in annoyance and his lips hardened to a thin line.

"Inconceivable child!" He raised out of his chair, using the wooden arm rests to support his weight.

"No, what's inconceivable is you living like a king in this palace while my mom struggles to make ends meet. Shes out there supporting your child while you contribute nothing." He reached out and slapped my face, leaving the blood rushing to the surface and a sting to my red skin.

"Your mother made her choice. She left me." I held my burning hot cheek and blinked at him. The anger in his dark eyes sizzled up throughout his whole body. His hands held extremely tensely, ready to slap me again if I dared disrespected him for a second time.

"You fucked Gabrielle and you treated her like shit, you left her no choice!" I screamed at him.

"You didn't need to go running your mouth you little bitch, couldn't wait to go crying to your mother telling her what you had seen. Then I have some delinquent knocking on my door blackmailing me for one of my condos. Go crying to him as well I bet?"

"You took advantage of Gabi. You bought her gifts, paid for things, took her out to fancy places and even on vacations when you told us you were going on business trips. For what? So she could jump into bed with you?" His hand raised again, sharply but I pushed it away, getting in between my cheek and his slap. "I've spoken to her, made her realize the reality of what happened and I'm going to convince her to press charges."

"You have no proof." He dismissed my claims immediately.  Waving me off with his hand. "She wanted it, begged me for it even. We did it every time she came round to see you and each time was consensual."

"She's under the age of consent! You groomed her, made her believe she wanted it." I shouted back, my face getting redder with anger now, not just the after mark of his slap.

"Amelia! That's enough!" He sat down his chair and wiped his hands on a cotton handkerchief. I didn't know if his palms were sweating under my scrutiny or if he just felt grimy after touching my face. "Who do you think the courts will believe? Two spoilt brats or the CEO of a major company, paying for the best lawyers money can buy?"

"I'd have to say two spoilt brats considering I've been recording this whole conversation." I answered casually. His eyes widened as realization set in among his features. "So here's what's going to happen daddy." I sat forward uncrossing my legs and scooting closer on my chair.

"You'll sign over that condo over to me, it will be in my name. Additionally, I want a lump sum of cash, one hundred thousand will be sufficient. You will give my mom fifty percent of your yearly earnings and buy her a house of her choosing. In her name, of course. Lastly, after this I never want to hear from you again. I'm going to give you a week to do it. If I haven't heard from you in seven days I'm going straight to the police station with Gabrielle and this recording."

He sighed and tapped his fingers against his desk. After a beat he nodded his head firmly in acceptance.

"I should've known the daughter of a businessman would negotiate a hard bargain." He chuckled darkly to himself and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I can assure you, you had no influence in my life." I spat out coldly. I stood up and turned for the door. "One week." I warned before leaving.

I disappeared down the endless hallway and entered the kitchen where the kitchen staff were preparing this evenings meal.

"Mia!" Hannah pulled me in for a hug and I reciprocated it. She held me at arms length and looked my figure up and down. "Mia you're too skinny, let me feed you." She pleaded. I laughed and politely declined.

"I need your help with something, do you still work for my moms old friend Jayne, the event planner?" She nodded her head curiously. "They stopped being friends because my dad got in the way of their old friendship. I want to reconnect them, could you get her to give me a call?"

I scribbled my phone number down on a piece of paper and handed it to Hannah.

"Anything for you Mia." She slipped it into the pocket of her apron and tapped it with a kind smile on her face.

"I gotta get going now Hannah, but don't be a stranger and the sooner you get Jayne to give me a call the better, I kinda need to ask her for a favor."

"Please take this with you Mia, there's a slice for your mom too." She handed me a box of chocolate cake in a Tupperware box and I smiled greatly.

"Thank you." I walked back towards the entrance door. As I passed my fathers office I shouted "One week." And then slammed the front door behind me metaphorically slamming the door of my old life behind me.

Now I had a party to plan.