My Enemy's Daughter (Edited)

chapter 27

Fiona's POV

I woke up to the soft morning light filtering through my curtains, but my heart was heavy, still entangled in the events of the day before. I rolled over, staring at the ceiling as memories of last night rushed back in—a whirlwind of emotions that I hadn’t yet processed. Samuel’s voice, his touch, the lies he spun so effortlessly, the way he carried me so gently up the stairs, and yet how he continued to push me into situations that made me uncomfortable. Everything about him confused me, and it left me feeling vulnerable, conflicted.

I reached for my phone on the nightstand and pulled it to my chest, feeling the slight vibration of notifications waiting for me. When I unlocked the screen, the first thing I did was scroll to Samuel’s contact. His name stared back at me, taunting me with unanswered questions. I hovered over the call button, torn between wanting to hear his voice and knowing that talking to him wouldn’t give me the clarity I needed. It was Sunday, the day I usually went to church and cleared my head. Maybe I should wait, give myself time to think before jumping into another emotional conversation with him.

I dropped my phone onto the bed, frustrated. I wasn’t ready. Not yet.

But just as I was about to push Samuel out of my mind and focus on getting ready for church, the phone buzzed again. His name flashed across the screen.

“Of course,” I muttered under my breath. It was like he knew I was thinking about him, like we were linked in a way that both frightened and fascinated me.

I took a deep breath before answering. “Hello.”

“Morning,” Samuel’s voice was smooth, steady, the same tone he always used when he was trying to gauge my mood. “How are you feeling?”

I hesitated, unsure of what to say. “I’m… fine. Just thinking about last night.”

There was a pause on his end. I could almost picture him, brow furrowing slightly, as he calculated how to respond. “I know it was a lot to take in. But, Fiona, you have to understand—everything I do, it’s for a reason.”

I exhaled sharply, my frustration boiling just below the surface. “And that’s supposed to make it okay? To lie to those people, to lie to me?”

“I didn’t lie to you,” he said, his voice suddenly sharp, defensive. “I never lied to you. I’m protecting you.”

“Protecting me from what, Samuel? From the truth? From whatever is going on in your life?” I shook my head, feeling the anger rise within me. “I can’t keep doing this. You say you’re protecting me, but I feel like I’m being dragged deeper and deeper into something I don’t even understand.”

“I’ll hope to explain everything when the time is right,” he said, his tone softening again. “But not over the phone. I need to see you.”

I bit my lip, torn between wanting answers and needing space. “I’m going to church,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’ll talk to you afterward.”

There was another pause, and then he sighed. “Alright, fine. But I’m coming over afterward. We need to talk.”

I hesitated. Something in his voice sent a chill down my spine. “Samuel, I—”

“See you later,” he cut me off, and before I could protest, the line went dead.

I stared at the phone in disbelief. He was coming over whether I liked it or not. Typical Samuel. He always found a way to control the situation, no matter how hard I tried to resist.

But I couldn’t think about that right now. I needed to clear my head, and church was the one place I knew I could find some peace. I quickly got dressed, grabbed my things, and headed out the door, hoping that an hour of quiet reflection would help me make sense of the chaos swirling inside my mind.