CAPTAIN AMIR

Fifteen

I stormed into the house, my anger boiling over like a volcano erupting. "Safiya!" I bellowed, my voice echoing off the walls. "Safiya, get down here now!"

I could hear the tremble in her voice as she called back.

I didn't answer. I just kept yelling until she appeared at the top of the stairs, her face puffy from crying, her eyes red and swollen.

She knew she was in trouble.

As she descended the stairs, I could feel my fury intensifying. How could she be so irresponsible?

My mother had entrusted her to this...this...woman for babysitting.

I couldn't fathom why.

Normally I deem Safiya as an irresponsible woman but I didn't think it had reached the extent of burning my daughter's hands.

"Safiya, how could you?" I fired at her, my words like bullets. "How could you leave my daughter unattended? Anything could have happened to her!"

She tried to explain, but I shut her off. "No, no excuses! You're always so careless, so thoughtless. I don't know why my mother thought you were capable of taking care of Layl."

I pinned her to the wall, my grip like a vice. "You're supposed to be her mother, her protector. But you're nothing but a selfish, irresponsible—" I paused.

"If anything happens to my daughter, you'll be held responsible."

Safiya's eyes widened, her voice trembling. "Amir, please... I was just—"

I pulled back, letting out a string of curses. I ripped at my temples, trying to stop myself, but the anger had a hold on me. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I couldn't rein it in.

Suddenly, I released her, my breathing heavy. "Get out," I snarled. "Get out of my sight before I do something I regret."

Safiya fled, tears streaming down her face. I collapsed onto the couch, my head in my hands. What was I doing? I was better than this.

But the anger and fear for my daughter's safety had taken over.

No matter how much I want to hurt Safiya or inflict the amount of pain she has caused me, deep down I couldn't, it's disturbing that I can't.

She fucking deserves every bit of it but somehow my soft spot for her always gets in the way.

I sat there, trying to calm down, trying to rationalize my behavior. But the guilt and shame lingered and irritated me.

I was still fuming when Safiya reappeared, her eyes red and puffy from crying. She approached me hesitantly as if she knew she was walking into a lion's den.

She did, cause I was trying too hard to keep my composure, her sight alone disgusted me.

"Amir, please listen," she began, her voice trembling. "I didn't mean for Layla to get hurt. I would never wish bad upon her, even though I'm not her mother. What happened was a mistake, that's all."

I stared at her like she had grown horns, my anger boiling up to the surface. How dare she try to justify her negligence?

"A mistake?" I repeated, my voice low and menacing. "You call nearly killing my daughter a mistake? You were supposed to be watching her, Safiya. You were supposed to keep her safe and I don't even know why I wasn't informed about Layla's—." I paused pinching on my nose in annoyance.

Safiya took a step back, her eyes welling up with tears. "I know, Amir. And I'm so sorry. I was distracted for just a moment, and it was a mistake. I love Layla like my own, and I would never intentionally harm her I know you won't believe me, Amir, I don't know why I'm always the bad person in your perspective and I'd be lying if I said it doesn't bother me—" she chokes on her spite.

I snorted, my anger and disbelief palpable. "You love her like your own? Really? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you couldn't care less about her well-being and nothing you say would ever be believable. You're nothing but a hypocritical liar and it saddens me that I considered marrying a despicable woman like you Safiya."

Safiya's face crumpled, and she began to sob.

Seeing the hurt in her eyes somehow brought pleasure to me and there's a lot of where that's coming from.

I shook my head, my mind racing with thoughts of how I could have been so blind to her incompetence. "You'll do anything to make it right? Do you think you can just apologize and everything will go back to normal? My daughter could have died because of your carelessness, Safiya. Died."

Safiya's sobs grew louder, and she fell to her knees, her body shaking with grief. I stood there, my anger and hurt radiating from every pore, unsure of how to process the emotions swirling inside me.

After what felt like an eternity, I spoke, my voice cold and detached. "Get out, Safiya. Get out of my sight before I tear you apart."

"Amir—"

I cut her off by grabbing the nearest glass cup hitting it on the center table and leaving a sharp edge that had her bolt up instantly but before she could seek escape I clutched onto her moving the glad to her throat.

"I regret the times and memories I ever shared with you. If it was up to me, I'd have you buried six inches under the ground" I mumbled enough to her hearing, moving the glass to her throat till I manage to slit slightly earning a painful scream that was like music to my ears.

"Please—" she cried out as went deeper.

"AMIR!"

___

Faixatuu.