Chapter 72

Daniel.

"Oh, look who's here!" Angelo's familiar voice exclaimed, and I couldn't help but feel frustrated that I had run into him in this place of all places.

He was the last person I wanted to come across here, and I knew that running into him would only complicate matters further.

I could already anticipate the nature of their conversation, and witnessing it firsthand annoyed me. I used to place so much trust in Angelo, believing he would never betray me. But seeing it with my own eyes made me realize I had been wrong about him all along, and Ariana had been right.

Though I disliked his presence, there was little I could do about it. So, I decided to consider this as an opportunity to finally confront him, exposing his deceitfulness and pretentiousness that had persisted for years.

"It's been a while, Daniel dear," he greeted, rising from his seat and approaching me, attempting to pat me on the back. I swiftly grabbed his hand and pulled it away without a second thought.

"I advise you not to touch me unless you want to witness a reaction you could never fathom," I warned him, and I meant every word.

It had been a long time since I felt this enraged, and I cautioned him for his own sake. I was uncertain of how far my anger could take me, and I wouldn't hesitate to strike him if he dared to touch me again.

"Are you serious, son? Can't you even offer a proper greeting anymore? I understand you're upset, but that doesn't excuse being disrespectful to someone who has always supported you throughout the years," he proudly stated, causing a look of disgust to manifest on my face.

I found it utterly ridiculous that he would assert he had supported me all these years and use that as leverage to demand respect. In my eyes, respect is earned, and his actions in recent weeks, knowing full well how I would feel about them, only indicated that he was ready to forfeit any respect I once held for him.

"I don't recall owing you any respect, Angelo, and you have no right to demand it from me after the nonsense you've been pulling recently. I am making a genuine effort to control my anger right now, so I would appreciate it if you step aside and allow me to speak to my father alone," I responded, hoping he would listen for his own good.

I could already sense his stubbornness, and given my father's silence, I assumed he wouldn't intervene to stop Angelo from running his mouth. That meant I had to face both of them simultaneously.

"Well, if you're so eager to have a conversation with your father, then you'll have to tolerate my presence. You met me here, and unless your father explicitly asks me to leave so the two of you can talk, you have no right to kick me out," he declared, and I couldn't help but scoff.

The most irritating part of this conversation with Angelo was that there was a time when he would always claim he could never take orders from my father or find himself in a situation where he had to obey whatever my father asked of him. But here he was, contradicting everything he used to say.

Ariana had always warned me that Angelo wasn't a trustworthy person. She even went so far as to suggest that he was only nice to me and acted like a good person because he had selfish motives. I never believed her, choosing instead to place my trust and friendship in Angelo.

Now I feel like a fool for not believing her words. It turns out she was right all along, and Angelo's only interest in me was to use me as a means to access my father and further, his business ambitions, leveraging his daughter to solidify a partnership with my father.

"Fine then! I don't mind you both listening while I speak. What I came to discuss concerns both of you and it's better that you're both here to hear me out," I said, shifting my attention away from Angelo and focusing on my father, whose expression remained inscrutable.

"You should have at least shown some courtesy when you entered instead of interrupting my guest and me, throwing tantrums like a child," my father finally spoke up, surprising me.

I didn't expect him to say anything until I had finished speaking. He had a habit of staying silent and listening to others before responding, a habit I despised because it often felt like he was belittling the person speaking by his silence.

"You can go ahead and call me a child if that's what pleases you. I'll throw tantrums as I please because it's evident that the one who should be mature and sensible is not acting accordingly," I hissed.

"You want me to respect you, yet you show me no respect. You even go as far as planning a wedding on my behalf when I never asked for it. What kind of father do you consider yourself?" I asked, genuinely curious to hear his response.

"Don't be so dramatic, Daniel. What do you mean we're planning a wedding on your behalf when you never asked us to? We don't need your permission to assist our children in planning their wedding. Since you will be marrying my daughter soon, I am helping your father ensure that things go smoothly," Angelo chimed in, leaving me puzzled and furrowing my brows in confusion.

I couldn't comprehend a single word he just uttered because it made absolutely no sense, and I wondered what absurd ideas they already cooked up in their heads to convince themselves they were making any sense.

"Firstly, nothing you just said makes any sense, and I must ask you to think before you speak next time so you don't spew such nonsense. Secondly, this conversation is between my father and me, and I don't appreciate interruptions from nobodies like you," I retorted, making it crystal clear that he should keep his mouth shut and stay out of my personal matters.

I didn't plan on wasting any more time here, though I was already spending more time than I wanted to. I intended to make it clear to my father that he no longer held any sway over my life, as he forfeited that right long ago.

"Did you just call me a nobody?" Angelo asked, and frustration made me sigh.

"If you heard me loud and clear, why bother asking such an obvious question? Are you somebody of importance to me? Do you think I know you or care about you at all?" I replied, disgust evident in my expression. "Listen carefully, Daniel, you can't come in here and act so insolent. I don't know what deludes you into thinking you have any right to be here, but you lost that privilege when you walked out and vowed never to return," my father snapped harshly, and I scoffed.

"Believe me, father, I don't want to be here either, but you just had to do something ridiculous to bring me back, and I'm sure you're thrilled now that you've succeeded in making me come back despite my resolve never to do so," I retorted.

"I get it, I'm not welcome here, and I don't even want to be. This place is nothing but a haunted house, but if you want to ensure you never see me again, then refrain from making decisions for me. I'm fed up with you acting like you have a say in my life," I warned, my father's face displaying a light frown, indicating his growing displeasure.

"I am your father, regardless of what you say, and I have every right to decide for you when I see that you're incapable of doing so for yourself. You've been alone since your last relationship ended, so as a caring father, I decided to find you a new wife to help you move on from that wretched person you're still fixated on," he stated, and anger clenched my fist.

The moment he mentioned Rebecca, I lost all semblance of calm and knew he had pushed me beyond my limits.

"Did you just mention Rebecca, Father? Did you dare use her as an excuse to me? Are you out of your mind? Have you forgotten why I couldn't marry the woman I loved? How dare you call her a low life? What makes you think Christina is any better than Rebecca?" I yelled in anger, raising my voice.

"Do not compare my daughter to some random girl you dated in the past," Angelo intervened.

"Shut up, you old fool!" I immediately snapped at him, catching both him and my father off guard.

"Don't yell in my office like that, Daniel!" my father hissed, and a dark chuckle escaped me.

"Don't tell me what to do, you crazy old man!" I retorted sharply, making it clear that I wouldn't hold back in showing my father how fed up I was with him.