Chapter 40 Daddy Permitted!
KARA’S POV
Saturday arrives heavy and bright.
The kind of heat that presses against your skin and makes everything feel restless. I wake up already tired of thinking, tired of replaying conversations, and tired of bracing myself for what the next week might bring. So I decide, impulsively, recklessly, maybe even bravely.
I file a leave on the spot.
No long explanation and no overthinking, just a short message sent before I can change my mind.
I want a day that isn’t about whispers or courage because I want a day where I don’t have to defend anything and a day that belongs only to me. I start packing a small bag, just essentials. A change of clothes, my wallet, charger, and sunglasses. I’ve been staying at Dad’s place these past weeks, telling myself I’ll go back to my condo next month once everything settles.
As if things ever truly settle.
I zip my bag shut and place it near the door, ready to leave the second I’m dressed.
Two consecutive knocks interrupt the silence.
I freeze and another knock.
“Miss Kara?” It’s our house helper's daughter, her voice gentle through the wood. “Sir is calling you. Breakfast is ready.”
I let out a small breath.
“Okay,” I answer, forcing lightness into my tone. “I’ll be down in a minute.”
“Yes, miss.”
I close my eyes briefly before turning back to the mirror. I pull on a simple summer dress, light and easy, something that doesn’t scream effort. I brush my hair, dab a little lip tint, and stare at myself for a second longer than necessary.
You can do this, whatever this is.
I grab my phone and head downstairs.
And then I stop because I heard daddy is laughing. Not just smiling, he's literally laughing. That deep, warm laugh I’ve heard since I was little. The one that fills a room and makes everything feel safe.
And sitting across from him is Finnian!
My heart trips over itself.
He’s relaxed, sleeves rolled up again, and tattoos peeking from beneath crisp fabric. He looks absurdly at ease at our dining table, as if he’s always belonged there.
“—and then she told me she wasn’t stubborn,” Finnian is saying, amusement dancing in his voice.
Daddy chuckles. “She gets that from her mother.”
I remain frozen on the last step.
Why is he here?
Daddy notices me first.
“There she is!” he says warmly. “Good morning, dear!”
Finnian turns and smiles. Not the public one and not the polished one, it's the private one!
“Good morning,” he says softly.
"Dad… why is he here?” I descend the last few steps carefully.
"Come, sit first.” Daddy gestures to the seat beside Finnian.
I hesitate before taking the chair across from them instead. Finnian raises a brow slightly, clearly amused.
“I called him,” Daddy says casually, pouring coffee into a cup. “You’re planning to go somewhere today.”
My grip tightens on my bag strap. “How did you—”
“You forget I’m your father?” he says with a small smile. “You move differently when you’re running away from something.”
“I’m not running,” I protest weakly.
“Mmhmm,” he hums, unconvinced.
I glance at Finnian. “You knew about this?”
He lifts his hands in surrender. “I was invited. I didn’t know I was walking into an interrogation.”
Daddy laughs again.
“I told him to accompany you,” Daddy continues, like this is the most normal thing in the world. “You’re going somewhere unfamiliar. I’m not comfortable with that.”
“Dad,” I say, heat creeping up my neck. “I’m not a teenager.”
“You’re my daughter,” he corrects gently. “You’ll always be someone I worry about.”
My chest softens for half a second then it tightens again.
“And besides,” Daddy adds, glancing between us, “I already know he’s courting you.”
Silence occupied the room for a moment then my fork clinks loudly against the plate.
“Dad,” I hiss.
“What?” he says innocently. “He came here properly. Spoke to me properly.”
I snap my head toward Finnian. “You—”
He smiles, slow and unapologetic. “Good morning to you too.”
“You talked to my dad?” I whisper harshly.
“Of course,” he says lightly. “I’m trying to do this right.”
Daddy nods approvingly. “He asked for permission.”
I feel like the room is shrinking.
“You didn’t tell me that,” I say to Finnian.
“I was planning to,” he replies calmly. “Preferably when you weren’t holding a knife.”
Daddy clears his throat, though he’s clearly entertained. “He came yesterday afternoon. Very respectful.”
I glare at Finnian. “And you didn’t think I deserved a heads-up?”
His eyes soften slightly. “You deserve a lot of things. I’m still learning the timing.”
Daddy cuts in before I can retort. “Enough. He’s going with you.”
“I didn’t agree to that,” I argue.
“You didn’t say no to him either,” Daddy counters gently.
I open my mouth and close it again.
Because he’s right.
Finnian leans back in his chair, watching me with that infuriating, playful look.
“If it helps,” he says, voice teasing, “I promise not to ruin your spontaneous escape.”
“I wasn’t escaping,” I mutter.
He tilts his head. “Then what do you call packing a bag at eight in the morning with dramatic energy?”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“And yet,” he says softly, eyes lingering on mine, “you’re still here.”
Daddy chuckles again. “See? You two already sound married.”
“Dad!” I protest, mortified.
Finnian bites back a grin, but it’s there. I can see that he’s enjoying this. Enjoying my fluster, my loss of control, and the way my carefully planned solo day is unraveling in front of him.
Daddy stands, patting Finnian on the shoulder. “Take care of her.”
“I will,” Finnian says without hesitation.
The certainty in his tone does something dangerous to my heartbeat. I try to speak and to reclaim at least a fragment of authority over my own day.
“Dad, I—”
But he’s already walking toward his study.
“Be back before dinner tomorrow,” he calls over his shoulder.
And just like that, I’m alone at the table with Finnian. He looks at me, eyes warm, amused, and steady.
“So,” he says softly, leaning forward slightly, “where are we running off to, Kara?”
I exhale slowly because this was supposed to be my escape. Instead, it feels like fate just laughed at me and handed him the passenger seat. And I don’t know whether to be annoyed or secretly relieved that I won’t be alone.