Beneath Those Glasses

Chapter 04

Trigger Warning: Violence.

Khiane Courtney's POV

"Dad." I uttered when I opened my door. I slowly closed the door and followed him.

He was wearing his business suit, halatang kakagaling lang sa trabaho. His large steps made me gulp.

Kagaya ni Miss Alyona, ang mga yapak pa lang ni Dad ay nakakatakot na. 'Yun bang, marinig mo lang ang pamilyar na tunog ng sapatos niya, alam mong siya na 'yon.

Minsan nga'y hindi ko alam kung business trip o trabaho pa ba ang dahilan kung bakit hindi nakakauwi si Daddy.

Iniisip ko na baka ayaw niya lang talagang umuwi. Ayaw niya lang talaga akong uwian.

Nakarating kami sa pamilyar na pinto ng opisina niya. This office of him reminded me of jail.

Para kasi akong prisoner kapag pumapasok ako dito, because apparently, whenever Dad asks me to come with him, he'll go here and reprimand the shit out of me.

Even if I don't remember myself doing something wrong.

He doesn't even give me the benefit of the doubt. He just go and do what he wants to do with me, with no one trying to stop him.

"How's your grades?" My mouth parted a bit the moment he asked that.

Wow... Just wow... Hindi man lang niya tatanungin kung kamusta ba ako? Kung... Kung maayos lang ba ako sa mga nakaraang buwan na hindi niya ako inuuwian?

I cleared my throat. "Maayos pa rin ang grades ko," sagot ko kay Dad, which was true although we haven't had our cards out yet.

Dad sat down on his swivel chair while I remained standing. He looked at me like he was observing me if I was telling the truth or not.

"As it should." Aniya lang kaya napahingang malalim lang ako. "You give me that report card once it's out, are we clear, Courtney?" Dad authoritatively said.

"Yeah, you didn't have to tell me what to do, I've memorized it anyway," hindi ko na napigilang sabihin.

It was like a cycle.

Dad looked like he was taken aback before straightening his back and leaned on the chair. His eyes remained on me while I remained stoic.

"You keep that grades on top, Courtney, 'yan na lang ang ambag mo sa bahay na 'to," he said again. "You are carrying my name, don't waste what I've been keeping for years."

"Keeping?" I sarcastically said. "You're keeping a what, Dad? Reputation?"

He does have a reputation... I just don't know if it's clean or what.

"I'm keeping everything, Courtney, my name, my money, my reputation." He stopped. "And I don't want a useless child to destroy what I've started."

I scoffed. "To hell with your freaking reputation, Dad!" I exclaimed. "I don't like me carrying your name for Pete's sake either!" A tear started to stream down my eyes.

Dad stood up and went 1 foot away from me.

Oh, this happens everytime.