ESTELLE
The car slowly pulled up in front of the mansion. I was still sitting quietly beside father, wondering what was in his mind.
He has been silent all through the drive, tapping his finger on his lap. The aura escaping his body was filled with heat, causing me to panic from within.
As soon as the car came to a stop, I immediately rushed out of the vehicle, making my way into the mansion.
“Fast, fast, fast,” I repeated, hurrying towards the staircase.
But as soon as my leg touched the first step… “Get back here!” Father ordered strongly from behind, stopping me in my track.
I froze in my spot, slowly retreating from the staircase. My heart was already pounding, hoping he doesn’t talk about what had happened today at Argon’s place.
As per his order, I turned around and walked up to my father, slowly. He had his eyes on me, with his face having no single emotion. His gaze fixed on my face coldly, causing my innocent heart to beat fast.
“Say something, Estelle! You can’t just stay shut!” I panicked within, feeling my hands shaking.
When I noticed father’s lips opening to utter a word, quickly, I brought up the matter of the green-eyed wolf.
“I knew that monster was real. That night it attacked me in my bedroom, it was really here in our home!” I reminded, retracing my steps to the spot father and I stood when that wolf had attacked me here in the mansion
“That beast had tried to kill me by poisoning and tossing me off the terrace, and she did it again! She almost took my life, Daddy. Oh Goddess! ” I sobbed out, covering my face innocently.
“By now, I’d have been known as the Luna of Wolf Crest. But that demon…” I cried out fake tears, just to make Dad see how hurt I was. “That monster shattered my dreams. It must be found! We have to trace it down,” I suggested, drawing nearer to my quiet old man.
Using my charm as his only child, I held Dad’s hands in mine and began to play my card, showing off my wet eyes and begging him for help in fighting my enemy.
“You now know the truth. The creature isn’t an illusion. With you by my side, I can fight that demon, Dad. Jerome would have been a great assistant in this case, since he’s also going through the same issue, but that moron wants to blame us for his problem. Can you believe that animal?!”
I groaned out, now talking about Jerome and how he ditched us.
“He’s a fool! I pray he ends up on the streets begging for food. Then he’ll learn his lessons and never accuse us for his own personal issues!”
“Will you stop acting all innocent!” Father sparked, grabbing my arm in a swift. My whole body shivered when he yelled and held me by the arm.
I thought my plan was working, but it’s not!
“That personal issue you’re talking about was caused by your foolishness!” He roared, tossing me against the wall.
My face almost kissed it, but I was rescued by my hands. I immediately held the wall, saving myself from meeting my doom.
What father just did, left me startled. He has never behaved this way towards me.
Never!
“How could you do this, Estelle? How could you kill that baby without telling me?!” He questioned, turning me over, and slamming my back against the hard rampart.
A gasp escaped my mouth while I stared at father in fear, listening to him to express his rage towards my action.
“We were so close to getting what we wanted. Just this close! ” He indicated with his fingers, bringing it to my face. “Argon would have been married to you, and I would have been made his father in law. But my useless daughter decided to act all smart by killing my grandchild, and thinking she could get away with it!”
“Father,” I called in fright, trying to break free from his grip.
My hands found it hard to stop him. He was just too strong. I shook before father, letting out a few tear drops. “I know you’re mad, but… You need to understand me.”
“Understand what?!” His hands fell off my body, followed by a slam into the wall by my side. I shrieked when he did this. My heart was pounding.
I didn’t wait for him to unleash another strike. I made an attempt to run from his point, but he blocked my path, dragging me back to the spot he left me.
“What do you mean by ‘Understand?'” He questioned, shimmering his eyes at me.
I couldn’t speak. In fact, I dared not to utter a word before my furious father.
That’s when he reminded me of the time we both found out about my pregnancy. “I asked you that day, if you wanted to keep the baby. But you expressed your happiness over the news and told me you wanted to be a mother!”
I recalled that moment at the hospital when the news of my pregnancy was delivered to us. Father was worried about my career, knowing well that I was a model. So, he asked me to pick an option. Either I take the baby out or keep it.
“You know you have a lot to fulfill. If you keep this child, you may not get your freedom anymore,” He had said to me.
But my desire to be with Argon overshadowed my thinking. I ended up accepting the baby, persuading Dad to support me in this decision of mine.
“The baby will help us in getting back with Argon. Think about it, Dad. He won’t just allow me to continue with my modelling, but connect you with his business partners, most especially Sir Derek. I want this baby.”
I used that in getting father to accept my decision. But now that the baby is gone…
“I allowed you to do as wished, Estelle! I gave you what you wanted because you were my daughter, and that child was going to help my business! But you stupidly killed the baby! ” He grabbed my arms and shook me roughly.
“DADDY! PLEASE STOP! ” I begged, feeling my head spinning.
He didn’t listen. He was mad at me. “You shamed me! You fed me with your lies and ruined everything for me!”
He had me against the wall again, pouring out his fire. “How could you, Estelle? We made so much plans together, but in this case… You kept your act a secret. Why? Why did you kill my grandchild? WHY?!”
I heaved out, shaking before my father. A voice told me to tell him about the show, while another wanted me to lie. “He’s an understanding man. Once you tell him why you did this he’ll forgive you.” “No, don’t tell him. He will be mad at you. Stay shut and lie.”
The voices echoed in my head, making it hard for me to hear what father was yelling out.
Still, I was able to make my choice. I need him to listen to me.
“Why did you do it, Estelle?!”
“That’s because my job was on the line!” I sparked, getting father to go shut.
He stared at me, looking a bit confused. “Your job? What do you mean by that?”
“My boss, he placed me on suspension because of the baby. He told me to stay at home and return when I’ve given birth.”
“And so? Is that why you chose to end that poor child’s life?” He raised, glaring at me.
I swayed my head and went on to explain why. “It wasn’t because of that alone. There’s a big event coming up next week. It’s a universal runway show. The model that gets to steal the audience’s heart, becomes the queen, globally. And my boss refused to make me a part of the show! He just suspended me and told me to leave!”
I sobbed out, showing my pains towards the situation I was in. “He said I was unfit. The organization wants to bring in a new face to represent them. But… It’s my dream to be the universal Queen. I had no choice, Daddy. It was important for me.”
His grip had loosened. I could feel my arms again. This was a sign that father was listening and taking my case into consideration.
I knew he would hear me out.
With a few more tears, I dived into Father’s arms, hugging him and begging for his forgiveness. “Your baby girl had no other choice. I can’t lose this opportunity, Daddy. I hope you understand,” I sobbed, burying my face on his chest.
His silence brought peace to my heart. He’s thinking about it.
So I thought.
“Your excuse can’t be justified, Estelle,” He said, stunning me in my spot.
I felt his hands pulling me off from his body, and back against the wall. He didn’t hold me down like before. He just pushed me away.
“So what if the show is taking place next week? It’s not going to be the end of the world. You would have stayed till a year, before making a comeback to the runaway, but no…” He pointed at me. “You placed your own interest before mine. You ignored your own father’s wish to satisfy your greed. Selfish! That’s what you are!”
“Fa… Father?” I stammered, stunned to hear this from him.
“All these years, I’ve been making sacrifices for you. I gave you the life you needed, and made you a star. But when it came to pleasing your own father’s desire, you thought about yourself. And you expect me to forgive you? No, Estelle.” He swayed his head. “I won’t forgive you for lying to me. I won’t forgive you for destroying my opportunity in being at the top with other business men! I will never forgive you!”
“Father, you… You can’t say that to me. I’m… I’m still your daughter,” I said, hoping he would calm down.
“DON’T TOUCH ME!” He roared, stopping me from getting close. I shivered at the tone of his voice, drawing back immediately.
“All because of you, Argon now sees me as his enemy. You humiliated me before his servants, making me a clown! I tried so hard to get him to like me again, and now… DAMMIT!” He covered his face, turning around and slowly walking away from me.
“I have to get Argon to take me back. I can’t allow that fine young man to abandon me because of my daughter’s selfishness. Goddess, help me,” He muttered, walking away.
“Father?” I called but he didn’t listen to me. He walked out of my sight, leaving me alone in my spot.
I felt so… Lonely.
It felt like the world had turned its back against me.
Feeling feverish over the fight with father, I wrapped my arms across my body and slowly made my way up the stairs.
“He called me selfish? They all think I’m at fault for choosing what I want? No, I refuse to take the blame.” My arms came falling, with my hands tightening into a fist.
Anger, that’s what I felt.
“I will show them all. When I become the queen of modelling, they will all come running to me, Including Argon. He will go crazy when he sees how famous I’ve become,” I decided, making plans for my return.