DARK SEDUCTION

chapter; 27

My dad called me again sometime in the evening. The sound of my phone buzzing against the nightstand jolted me from my thoughts. Reluctantly, I picked it up, already dreading the conversation that awaited me. He didn’t even wait for me to say hello before launching into his tirade.

“He exhaled sharply as if the entire conversation already irked him. 'Look, Delilah, you’re saying we don’t spend time with you? We’re out here working our butts off to give you a good education and make sure you turn out to be a responsible young woman, and this is how you reward us? Whining? Even your spending has increased, and we have to fund all that! And all you can do is follow bad friends, party, and get drunk! Your teacher called—your grades are slipping. We trained you better than this!’”

I muttered under my breath, just loud enough for him to catch a few words, “If you were ever there to train me…”

“What?!” Dad exclaimed, his voice rising. “What did you just say?”

“Nothing, Dad,” I lied quickly, but I knew he had already heard me. Great, just great. I was officially the world’s biggest idiot. What was giving me this sudden burst of bravery? Or was it stupidity?

I took a deep breath, trying to control the rising panic. “Okay, Dad. I’ve listened and understood your points and your concerns. I accept all corrections made. I’m so sorry for my recent behavior, and I promise to change.” I crossed my fingers behind my back at the obvious lie. Who was I kidding? There was no way I was giving up this life for anything in the world. For the first time, I felt like I was actually living. I woke up every day excited. I was popular, beautiful, and things were going amazing for me. I hung out with the coolest people and partied with the best. There was no way I was going back to my old life. I’d rather slit my wrists and bleed out than do that. But, like my father pointed out earlier, he and my mom funded my lifestyle. If they ever got furious enough to cut me off, my life would literally be over. I wouldn’t be able to fit in anymore, so I had to be smart and do whatever it took to appease him and Maya, of course. How did she even know I wasn’t in bed? I really should start locking my door and cutting off those apron strings.

“Well, it doesn’t matter anymore,” he continued, his voice stern and resolute. “You don’t have to do a thing anymore. Your nanny said it’s those girls corrupting you. This is your last year of high school, and after your graduation, you’ll attend a good Christian university. Let them shape you up. Just make sure you graduate with a good result—that’s all I’m asking. I’ll take care of the rest.”

“What? Daddy, this is unfair!” I screeched, feeling the walls of my world closing in on me. “I haven’t even decided if I want to go to college or not! No! I won’t go! You’ll have to drag me there, kicking and screaming.”

“Well, I’ve already decided that for you,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “And you’re going—even if I have to drag you kicking and screaming. You’re my daughter, and you’re right. I haven’t been keeping an eye on you, but that changes now.”

“Daddy, I said I’m sorry!” I pleaded, my voice cracking with desperation. “This decision you’re making will ruin my life! I mean, this is just a way of punishing me, but you can’t make me commit social suicide as well!”

“Your life?” he sneered, clearly unmoved. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t care about your opinion, Delilah. I thought you had a good head on your shoulders, but I was fooling myself. So, I’ll train you like the spoiled brat you’ve become. You’ll do as I say, or I’ll throw you out of my house and cut off your credit card. Understood?”

I felt the ground shift beneath me, the weight of his words crashing down like a tidal wave. This was no idle threat—my father meant every word. I could feel my world slipping away, the life I’d built unraveling at the seams.