Deadly Affairs

43

IM ALIVE WOO

Charlotte

"I need to see my dad." Roman stares at me, across the table plucking the piece of fruit into his mouth. We were currently in town, Romans treat of course eating breakfast.

"I can take you if you like..honestly I have no plans. None that matter anyway. I can take a few calls if you'll let me-" He scrambles, moving to get his phone from his pocket.

"No it's fine..I should probably go myself. Like we said baby steps." I smile, stirring my hot drink.

"Baby steps." He repeats, moving to take a sip of his own drink. "But honestly, if you need anything please call..i'll be there for you."

"Thank you Roman." He takes my hands in his on the table, giving them a reassuring squeeze.

"Charlotte. I didn't expect to hear from you for a while sweetheart." He says, as soon as I take a seat in his office. When I arrived at his building, my father didn't great me. Nor did anyone in the family. Only one of his underpaid workers.

"Well I needed to talk to you." He sits across from me, his desk in between us. He won't even look at me, his eyes scanning the papers in front of him.

He hums, "About what?" He asks, adjusting his glasses, acting as if nothing had gone on in the last couple of months.

"Why did you do it?"

silence.

"Do what?" He asks again, and when he does it makes my blood boil. Everything feels tight, and I suddenly feel on edge.

"Sign me off to Roman. A man you hated..dare I even say it Despised." That's when he looks up at me. But he doesn't look up with remorse, or an apologetic look. He just looks..unbothered.

"Well I knew he would be good for you! Look at you now. He came to me before hand." He laughs afterwards and now I feel sick.

"You can't just load me off though to a man..I'm not just cargo i'm your daughter." He won't even meet my eyes.

He just tuts mockingly, "Of course I know your my daughter sweetheart. Look I gave you everything you've always wanted in life. A beautiful home, a loving family and everything a girl could ask for. What's more for there to be said?"

I scoff, "Just the fact you tossed me out the picture just for what..some business agreement. I'm your daughter! Your only daughter. You didn't even ask me about it."

He slams his hand down on his desk, the loud sound making me jump. "Because you would of said no! I mean look at how your reacting! We both know you wouldn't be able to handle this life anyway. That's what girls do. Marry off, have a family and be happy! That's the life I wanted you to have."

"I don't want that life! I want to be my own person, not just living in the shadows of the men around me. Why can't you see that?" I stand up now, my eyes watering but I refuse to let him see me like this. See me vulnerable .

"So what you don't want to be with a Roman?" He asks, crossing his arms, scowling at me like i'm a child. I feel small.

"That's not what i'm saying dad! Can you just listen to me for once. It hurt to find out my own father, the one person I thought loved me the most go behind my back and sell me off just for what.. his business? One that won't even impact me. My downfall would always be your success and you didn't even care!"

"Look Charlotte just listen to me-"

I cut him off. "No! You don't get to do this again. Not again!" I move out the office, ignoring his yelling and calling after me. His workers stop and look around after me, moving out of the way.

That's when the first tear drops.

I hear him running after me, but I can't look back. I wont look back. My chest hurts. It feels tight. My throat feels raw and my head is spinning.

I need to get out.

I Walk out the building, more tears falling now, my chest heaving to breath but it all feels so difficult right now. I shove my hand into my handbag, pulling out my phone and I call the one person I need right now.

He answers straight away. Like I knew he would.

"Hey my love, how's it going?" He asks, I can hear the noise of what sounds like someone arguing in the background

"Please..Please come get me." I stutter, walking down the street not wanting to be anywhere near my father.

I hear muttered grunts and groans from the other side of the phone, but Roman shushes them and answers me back with a hushed voice. "Okay darling, i'm on my way okay? Can you go somewhere quiet? I'll be there as soon as I can." I hear him rushing around in the background, grabbing what sounds like his keys.

"Okay..I can go into the diner." I say walking closer to it, wiping away the tears.

"That's it. Your doing so good okay? I'm gonna be there any minute now. Are you okay right now?" I hear his car door close, and the accelerating car.

"I-I think so. Please just hurry up." I open the doors to the diner, moving to take a seat in the booth round the back part trying to ignore anyone and their stares.

"Okay okay. See look i'm almost there." He says, and I rest my head on my hand, wanting nothing more than to just hide myself away.

Another two minutes is all it takes.

Roman comes rushing in and doesn't even say anything to me.

Instead he wraps his arms around me, keeping me close to him. He holds me so I can't see anyone we pass while walking out to his car. He helps me inside, keeping his hand in mine the entire time.

It's only when we are pulling up at his apartment that he speaks.

"I've got you."