"Dad?" Holding her breath, she could feel her heart jolted.
'This can't be!'
'It can't be true!'
What happened to her?
Why she's imagining things right now?
This man in front of her is already dead a long time ago.
Memories came flashing into her mind.
They were on the edge of the cliff. The force of gravity was pulling her dad's stretcher.
With her weak body, she was gripping the side railing of his stretcher to stop the wheels from rolling down.
She used all her strength left to save him.
She held his hand all her life not wanting to let him go but fate intervened.
Under the scorching sun, her frail body collapsed along with the blasting plunging sound.
She lost her dad.
Her hand slipped from his.
Her dad died because of her.
All she could see was darkness but she could hear her mom's sorrowful scream.
That was the most painful at that time.
She was helpless.
She was a useless daughter.
She let her father fall into the water.
She failed to save him when she had all the chances.
She was blaming herself for losing her father.
She suffered a lot.
Her mom suffered the worst.
But who is the man in front of her right now?
Is fate was joking with her again?
No!
This can't be!
Arabella shook her head repeatedly.
Maybe she was just caught with the brutal incident last night and Bill's wound.
She may not be in a proper mind right now.
He blamed Bill Sky for making her delusions.
She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply.
These should pass.
"Arabella... my daughter," He called out her name again.
No!
He's not real!
Wake up, Arabella!
"Baby... It's me, dad." His voice was getting closer.
She quickly opened her eyes.
Her heart was beating so fast and cold sweats were around her forehead as her face turned paler.
She was like seeing a real ghost.
"No! Stop!" She roared raising her palm. "Don't come closer."
At this time, her mind was in a deep mess.
He couldn't be breathing.
He was already dead.
Her mom suffered a lot because of his death.
"Baby, this is me... daddy." Her dad sounded sincere.
His look was older than before as his hair had dyed white. Wrinkles were already shown visibly on his forehead.
Arabella didn't know what to do as her mind was still not absorbing everything or it resist to absorb the current situation.
Even her feelings didn't want to cooperate.
She couldn't feel happiness but hatred.
She was like in the state of solving the most difficult puzzle in the world.
An extreme shock was screaming all over her face.
"No! You are already dead. You can't be my dad." She uttered with strong refusal.
Even her heart was refusing him too.
"Baby, I know what you're feeling right now but let daddy explain, okay?" Her dad spoke very melancholy.
He was obviously nervous too seeing his daughter again.
Slapped by reality, her body started to tremble.
"No!" She refused to believe him.
"You can't be my dad!"
"I can't listen to a ghost!"
"My dad is already dead.'
She could not believe him.
If he was really alive, how could he allow his family to suffer?
How could he leave his family behind?
How could his dad turn out to be so irresponsible?
Why she could not find happiness with his sudden presence as her mother's sufferings flashed across her thoughts.
She couldn't find her calm.
"Baby, listen to me first please." Her father took a step closer to her but Arabella took a step back.
"Stop! If you are really alive then I hope that I will not see you again. You are the reason for our miseries. You left us! You made our life crumble." Along with her tears, she couldn't help blaming herself.
Her heart was clenched hard seeing him again after so many long years.
She didn't welcome him properly instead an overwhelming disappointment and hate were controlling her.
"Baby... I regretted everything. I can explain..." Her father uttered.
"No! You don't need to explain. And to tell you the truth, I don't want to hear your explanation. You are already dead. Just remained one." She couldn't control her anger.
The feeling of betrayal was very painful when it was made by a loved one.
Someone who she trusted the most.
Someone who she loved.
The man who stood to be her pillar growing up.
The first man she saw when she opened her eyes in the world.
The man who took care of her and play with her when she was young.
She even considered him her secret best friend because he was the one who spoiled her with everything behind her mom.
He was her best buddy.
She grew up believing her dad was a good man.
That is why when his company encountered bankruptcy, she did everything to help him.
She even sold herself to the cruelest man, Bill Sky.
She entered a contract with a monster.
But what happened now?
What happened to her dad?
What happened to the man who he trusted the most?
She could not believe that he was alive but he never showed up when she and her mother needed him the most.
“Just remained dead and do not show up again!” She yelled at him then she turned around running back straight to her apartment.
She left her dad who froze on his spot.
When she was already inside her room, she slammed the door in anger.
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