Song: Daughters by John Mayer
Oh, you see that skin?
It's the same she's been standing in
Since the day she saw him walking away
Now she's left cleaning up the mess he made
So fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
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HANNAH'S POV
Since it's Saturday so I woke up in the afternoon, which means no office today, and after having a sleepless night I was surely entitled to sleeping this long.
After taking a good long bath, I headed downstairs to the kitchen. The event of the previous night still fresh in my mind, I've decided to ask dad about it. If we are doing business with them dad must know about all this. What if he was true to his words? I can't disappoint dad when he's just given me the biggest opportunity to prove myself. He needs to know beforehand that his friend might not be as loyal as he thinks, maybe they don't want to do business with us, maybe they just want to sabotage us. I have to voice my concerns.
If I'm being fair to myself then it's not only the business that I'm worried about but a little disappointed, too. Reason? I have no idea but his words are bothering me more than they should.
"Good morning, dad," I said as I turned the coffee machine on.
"Good afternoon to you, too," reading some files, he replied sarcastically. Ah, the pain of being a daughter of an early riser.
"It's weekend, therefore, it's okay. You should loosen up a little, too. Coffee?"
Dad laughed a little, "No thank you... for the suggestion and the coffee. Your breakfast is the microwave."
I sat down in front of my dad on the kitchen island with my breakfast.
"Umm, dad, there's something I need to talk to you about," building up the courage I said halfway through my meal.
"I, too, need to talk to you about something," he said so seriously, I think my appetite died just there. "But not yet, finish your breakfast first, and then we can talk," he said and left.
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I entered the study room blankly but dreading at the same time what dad wanted to talk about. I sat across him on the table and bucked myself up. There's a weird nagging feeling inside my head that I can't explain.
"Um, dad, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" I asked hesitantly.
"First, tell me what you want to talk about, is everything okay?" he asked me instead.
"Yeah, all good, nothing important. It can wait," I lied, or maybe it actually wasn't that important. I was starting to have second thoughts about whether I should tell dad or not. But more than that, it was the look on dad's face that worried me. I can notice a change in him since he came back after my graduation but after yesterday's lunch, it's quite apparent that something is bothering him inside.
We sat in silence as none of us talked for a few minutes. The silence was nerve-wracking and unsettling. My mind however was the opposite of the situation in the room, a jumble of unpleasant thoughts and screaming voices, the havoc of sort that knew something is about to happen. Silence before the storm. I got out of my haze when dad cleared his throat.
"Hannah, whatever I'm about to tell you, please listen to it with an open mind, and know that you're the only thing that matters the most to me in this whole world." I can see the pain in his eyes and my heart wrenched at the sight of it, "And it might not look like it, right now, but I love you very much. Just please understand that your old man had no other choice."
"You're scaring me, why do you keep saying this, dad. What is it, tell me?" I sensed an automatic tone of urgency in my voice.
"If I ask you for something, would you do it for me?" his eyes were so expectant, I answered in a heartbeat.
"Of course, dad, anything you want. Anything at all." He can ask for my life and I shall not disappoint him, that's how much I love him.
"Promise me." Now I'm getting suspicious, what if he really wants my life. Is he into some weird kind of satanic occult that requires a blood sacrifice? That was my first thought.
I mentally shook my head. Too dramatic, Hannah, too dramatic.
"I promise," I said wholeheartedly, "and please end this suspense already, I don't wanna entertain weird possibilities." The previous idea still hasn't left.
He again went quiet; I can see him struggling to get words out of his mouth. I thought my heart will jump out of my body any minute now because this anticipation is killing me already. I tried to ask again but calmly this time.
"You're getting married."
"Oh, really!! That's great. I feel so excited," I fake squealed, "But Dad, you forgot that I don't have my wedding dress right now, nor do I have a groom." I had no choice but to roll my eyes. I don't know why every other conversation ends up with my wedding talk. When will dad realize that I'm opposed to the whole concept of love and marriage?
"Hannah, be serious, I'm..."
"Oh, dad, not this again." I almost whined, "I've told you already, I'm never gonna get mar..."
"YOU HAVE TO"Â he yelled and my eyes bulged out at his tone.
Once again, the silence reigned upon us and as his words finally sunk in, I started laughing, hysterically. It's been so long that dad hasn't made a joke but dammit, it's a good one. I might say he's taken it to next level this time with his performance.
It took me some moments to realize that I'm the only one laughing and dad's expressions haven't changed one bit. That made my laughter die and instead, a state of utter confusion took over.
"It's a joke, right dad, I mean what else it could be?" I asked but the guilt on his face only intensified, "Nothing else but a DAMNED JOKE!"Â I almost shouted.
"I'm sorry, honey," He didn't say anything else but just that, his voice almost inaudible.
"Oh, come on, dad. Enough already, tell me what you really wanted to say." Why isn't he saying anything, this is getting frustrating now.
"Fine. If you don't want to tell then I'm lea..." I started getting up when finally, he talked again,
"It's not a joke, Hannah." I think I sprained my neck when I turned my face towards him with lightning speed. But that's not what I'm worried about. What worries me is the look on his face that's saying it all. He's not joking. I sat back in the chair with a thud, still not grasping the situation.
"No."
"Huh?"
"You asked and I said no, topic closed," what was he even thinking, that I'll be jumping up and down with joy?
"You don't have a choice."
"Excuse me? Sure, I do" what the hell is going on?
"Ye... yesterday, the papers that you signed..." he paused but I stated the obvious for him.
"Yes, the papers for the hotel project, what about them?" what does that have anything to do with me?
"Those papers were not for the hotel deal but the merger of our companies."
"WHAT??"
"Why would we merge our company? It does not make sense. I won't let you do that."
"It's already done, Hannah," I kept looking at him with disbelief, "I can't tell you the reason but it's for the best."
"For the best? This is our company, dad; a company that you and mom made with your hard work, her dream. How could you do this to her, how could you let go of one thing that meant the world to her? How could you?"
"Someone has to look after it after me," his face hardened like a rock, devoid of any emotions, "someone capable enough to run it, I don't have any heir on which I can rely with it," his harsh words pierced through my heart like a bullet. How can he say that?
"I am the heir, I can look after, dad." I stood my ground, "Just give me a chance, I promise you a year or two is all I need. You can teach me, I'll learn everything," I said with determination and desperation at the same time.
"I don't think that's possible, Hannah. The company was going through loss and a merger seemed like a better option than going bankrupt."
"But we were doing fine and if we were having problems then why didn't you tell me, we could've worked everything out."
"Hannah, you and I both know you can't handle it. You're not mature enough to look after yourself let alone a million dollars business. Business is a man's world. Being the heir means taking responsibility which you can't do. I'd rather let some stranger run my business than my undeserving daughter."
Ouch.
What he said crushed me beyond words could ever express. I decided not to say anything further. I don't think there's any argument left in the world that can change his perception. He doesn't believe in me, he never did. All this time, I thought I can make him proud but it was all pointless. He can't even think better of me, his own daughter.
"Alright, it's your company, you can do whatever you want with it," I said but didn't try to conceal the hurt.
"But I don't get one thing. If I'm that useless and incapable of doing literally anything, then why you give me that hotel project when the company is going to them anyway? What use can I have in that? And my signatures weren't needed either since the company was never in my name. You could've sold it to anyone and I won't have known, not that my say matters." I finally know my place and value in his life which is none.
"The merger depended on one condition," he hesitated but I already knew that he wanted to say "The marriage between both..."
'With whom?" I think I already know who it is, all those accusations are now making sense, all that hatred doesn't seem illogical now. The worst thing is it was my own father who brought all that upon me. He's the reason a random person thinks that I'm a slut, a gold digger. And here I thought I should tell him.
"With Elijah Norman. The heirs have to get married so no one can break the contract. If any of both participants try to break off the marriage within two years, they will be disinherited immediately."
"You can't do this to me, dad. How can you trick me into this? this is illegal. No, I won't do it," I with anger and finality.
"Hannah, you have to. If you won't do it then I can go to jail for breaching the contract and fraud. Please do this for me, you've always wanted my approval, this is your chance, prove it to me," I looked at him with disbelief, how can he be so selfish and heartless?
"Of course, all of this had a reason."
He looked confused, I wonder why? Did he really think I'm that stupid not to see?
I stared him dead in the eyes with numbness, no emotions, I don't think I have any left. "All these lies that you love me, that I'm mean everything to you." I laughed humorlessly this time, "When I reality I'm just a burden on you, a burden you can't wait to get rid of, a liability. All my life I've tried to be a good daughter, to make you proud, despite your continuous negligence. I always thought that problem is in me but no, you're the problem. You're self-centered and mean, you've never cared about me. Why didn't you kill me too when mom died, huh? What have I ever done to be treated like this? It's not my fault that I'm your daughter and not a son. If you had a son then he could've been the perfect heir, what good a daughter can be other than being sold like a whore on the streets, a decoration piece for you to through under the bus," I lashed out, every single thing that I've felt until now, I said it.
"Congratulations, dad! You won. You finally succeed to make me hate you.' I hissed." I hate you, I hate you so much' with that I left the room as it got harder and harder not to cry.
How someone can be so cruel to his own daughter?