Mr Night

Book 2: Chapter 7

-HER-

"When is the wedding?" I asked him.

"In two days," He replied. His answer made my heart stop for a moment. I didn't know what to say anymore. I looked at him and looked around me to realise that it was already too late. I couldn't escape this anymore even if I tried to.

He owned my life now and there was nothing I could do to change what he had decided for me. A feeling of dread washed over me as he showed me around the house. I couldn't focus on anything around me anymore. My ears were ringing with his words and a thousand thoughts were running through my head.

"But I haven't met the groom yet," I told him, my mouth had completely gone dry and I could feel beads of sweat appearing all over my forehead. My heart was ramming in my chest as if it was trying to get free.

"That's alright. You'll meet him soon. I know this for sure that you two will get along very well," He told me.

"But, we have never met each other before. Does he even know me?" I asked him, I was starting feel trapped all of a sudden. There was no way out of this. I had to live with this now.

"After you two get married, you will have enough time to know each other," He told me dismissively as he led me upstairs. I could feel his hold tighten around my arm, his fingers were almost digging into my skin as if he was afraid that I would escape him. This fed the feeling of dread inside me even more.

"But... isn't it too early? I thought I was going to live with you for a while before you get me a married," I told him.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. Your husband will let you come see me whenever you'd wish. He's nice. Now come on," He dismissed. We were on the first floor now and were walking down a corridor lined with doors. We abruptly stopped in front of one of the doors.

"Look, what I have done for you," He announced before opening the door for me. Reluctantly, I stepped inside. It was a huge, lavishly decorated bedroom. Before I could say anything, my father announced, "This is all for you, my child. What do you think?" He asked, his twinkling.

I gave him a nervous smile, still not over the initial shock.

"I have arranged for everything you could even need, my child. See... what I have done for you," He started showing me two walk in closets full of expensive dresses. Then he showed me all the drawers and drawers of expensive jewellery and accessories I could have never imagines that I'd own in this lifetime.

"All this is for you, my child. I'm so sorry that I couldn't be in your life sooner. I hope all this is enough for you to forgive me. I know I have been an absent and neglectful father till now but I have been working hard all those years away from you so I could provide you the best of everything," He went on, trying to look emotional and wiping his cheeks even though a single tear had never left his eyes.

"I bet your aunt couldn't have provided you with such fine things," He sneered.

"Well, she looked after me all those years. That's something in itself," I told him. I could see what he was trying to do with all those expensive and fine looking things— he was trying to buy my forgiveness, he was trying to buy me. However, it wasn't working.

Surely, I was somewhat impressed by all those things because I had never had the best things growing up. I was always handed down the worn clothes and second handed items form my cousins. The idea that all those things could be mine made me happy but only for a fraction of a second. There was a void inside me and no matter how many closets of expensive dresses my father got me, he'd ever be able to fill that void.

My father didn't seem too pleased with my words but he did his best to hide his displeasure behind a fake smile.

"My sweet sweet daughter. I will do anything for you. I want to compensate for the absences in your life. I wish I could go back in time and change things but that's not possible. But I promise to always be there for you, give you all my undivided time and attention. I promise to—" He was interrupted by a knock on the door. He paused for a second and went to look at who it was.