Chapter 24 Gone

Chapter 24 Gone
Malik bounced back, almost stumbling as he turned away and looked at me in horror.

I could tell his breath had caught short. He didn’t say a word, so I stood and walked toward him.

"He’s here?" I asked.

For a moment there was nothing but silence, then he whispered, "He’s here." He repeated it again, softer, almost as if he were trying to convince himself.

I’ve never seen him this pale. He looked like he had seen a demon or something worse. 

I was about to respond, but in the blink of an eye, Malik was gone. He bolted out of the room with a speed I had never seen before.

I stood frozen, completely unsure what to do. Fear prickled at me, but mostly I was stunned by how quickly he had vanished without a word.

Was he coming back? Where had he gone? Why had he run like that? I knew he feared his father, but this level of terror made me wonder what kind of man his father really was.

I walked to the window and peeked outside. That was when Malik’s father’s eyes locked with mine. He was smiling, and his grin only widened when he noticed me.

He looked exactly like Malik, the same sharp features and expression. The only difference was his hair, which was the same color as Dominic’s.

He waved at me, grinning, and I found myself lifting my hand to wave back before I even thought about it. Then his lips moved, and I caught the words: “Meet me downstairs.”

I nodded, though every part of me resisted.

I pulled back from the window, my thoughts racing. Could I really do this? Meet Malik’s father after all the warnings? And Malik wasn’t even here. I had no idea where he’d gone, but I was certain he was nowhere near the mansion.

I started pacing the room, torn between what I wanted and what I felt I had to do. I didn’t want to meet him, not after everything I’d heard. But at the same time, how could I refuse?

As I sat there thinking, a knock came at my door, followed by Emma’s voice. "Eli, are you in there?"

"Yeah," I answered, my voice faint.

"Dad is here, and he wants to meet you. Could you come down, please?"

My heart dropped. I hesitated for a moment before replying, "Okay… I’ll be there in a minute."

Her footsteps faded down the hall, and I sank onto the bed in a rush of panic. My heart was pounding harder than usual.

You just have to do this, I kept telling myself.

But it didn’t help. How could it? Malik was terrifying enough, and now I had to face his father. The same father Malik himself can’t face. 

It took me a while to gather the courage, but eventually I pushed myself up and walked out of the room.

He was waiting in the living room. With every step I took toward him, it felt like I was moving closer to my own end. When I finally reached him, he only smiled. He didn’t say a word.

I thought about speaking, but the words wouldn’t come. My throat was tight, my mind blank. I was really scared. 

At last, I forced something out, my voice shaky and low. "H–hello, sir. I mean…"

He laughed, cutting me off before I could stumble any further. "You can call me Joseph. Or Dad. Whichever you’re comfortable with."

Then, without warning, he wrapped his arms around me.

I froze, confused as to why he hugged me at all. When he pulled away, his eyes flicked over my posture. "I’m guessing you’re not a hugger. Just like Malik."

I shook my head, trying to seem casual.

"Speaking of Malik, where is he?" He asked, glancing around. "Please don’t tell me he ran off like he normally does."

I gave a little shrug, forcing a hint of a smile. "He did." 

For a brief second, Joseph’s face looked pained, but then he laughed it off. "It’s alright. He’ll be back before midnight."

His response only made me realize that it’s normal for Malik to run off like that. I had never thought Malik would be like that, I mean after all the ‘alpha male stiffness’ he shows. I’m really shocked. 

He leaned over and reached into his bag. "Anyway, I got you a gift." He pulled out a small box and handed it to me. "Malik didn’t tell me if you’re a diamond girl or a gold girl, so I just went with diamonds. I hope you like it."

I opened the box to reveal a diamond necklace. One that I’ve only seen in movies. 

My breath caught. "Wow. It’s beautiful. Thank you."

"You should put it on," He said eagerly.

Emma stepped forward, gently pulling my hair aside so I could clasp the necklace around my neck.

"Beautiful," Joseph said with a wide smile.

"Thank you for this."

"Oh, please, don’t thank me. I’m happy to do it."

I smiled back. Joseph is nothing like I had thought. He didn’t sound cruel, and he didn’t act the way I had been warned he might. Maybe I had just been scared for nothing.

I excused myself, leaving Joseph behind, and returned to my room. After a shower, I changed into something nicer. 

When I came down for breakfast, Joseph spotted me right away. He called me over to the garden, and I followed.

There were light snacks laid out on the table, but he didn’t touch them. He was just sitting there, watching the birds.

"How’s life with Malik?" He asked suddenly, his voice carrying a hint of concern. "I hope he’s not troubling you."

"No, not at all," I replied quickly.

He gave a weak smile. "I know you won’t tell me the truth, but that’s alright. I just want you to know—I get it. He’s a lot to handle. But underneath that shield of his, he’s a good man. A great man, really."

I didn’t believe him for a second, but I nodded anyway. Malik was no great man. He was a demon through and through. There was no hidden kindness in him.

"Malik didn’t tell me a thing," Joseph went on, "But I know this marriage was arranged."

My eyes narrowed. "How do you know that?"

He glanced at me, then smiled faintly. "I know my son. There’s no way he would fall in love again that quickly. Not after what happened last time."

That caught my attention. I leaned forward. "What happened last time?"

He sighed, his gaze dropping. "It’s not really my place to tell you. Maybe one day Malik will open up and share it himself."

I was about to speak when something strange stung my eyes, like a sudden gust of wind had hit them.

My hands flew up as I tried to clear my vision. Joseph leaned closer. "Let me help you." He blew gently into my eyes, trying to ease the irritation.

When my sight cleared, I turned to thank him only to freeze.

Malik was standing a few feet away, his face hard and unreadable.

I gulped heavily. I can already feel him killing me.