Chapter 4 CONSEQUENCES. DIANA'S POV.

I stood up and saw my clothes, lying neatly on the couch in the room. I hurriedly put them on and headed outside. I saw some maids standing outside of the room and some walking around.

Part of me wanted to ask them questions about what had happened but my mind was so fixed on what was happening at home that all I wanted to do was get out of here.

I got a cab and as I sat there, I listened to the angry voice notes sent by my dad and the one from my best friend.

"Earth to the girl who went AWOL!" her voice echoed on in the phone and I rolled my eyes.

"Where the hell have you been? Your dad has called me a billion times. I hope you're okay."

"I know but I am also so confused right now. I think I might have made the biggest mistake in my life."

"Tell me, what is it?"

"I think I slept with someone, a STRANGER."

"How was it? Was it good?"

One would expect that she would be alarmed, but she sounded so calm about everything. I know she was dying to hear the whole gist.

"I do not know if it was good or not, but I was supposed to meet Michael, and somehow, I ended up in this stranger's bed. He must have thought I was a prostitute because he left me a note and some money "for a cab."

"Oh no! Do you know his name?"

"Well, I think you might have to help me find that out. I know his name is CAMERON, and he lives in a very big mansion; from the looks of things, he has a lot of money."

"Do you know why what he looks like?"

"It was too dark and I think I was a little tipsy too. I will talk to you later, it is time to face my dad."

I entered the house to a silent living room. My dad stood in front of the TV, staring at me as I entered and as soon as I was close enough, he slapped me hard on the left cheek. That was the first time he would do something like that and for a while, I stood there, petrified.

All this for a boy?

"Dad!"

"You have disappointed me enough in your life. Is it not enough that I entrusted you with something that our lives depended on and you had to go and ruin everything?"

"Dar, it was you who..."

"Did what? Force you to disobey me? Tell me what you did last night."

"Well, like you said, I was supposed to go to him but I entered the wrong car mistakenly and went home with the wrong man. There was no way I would know he wasn't Michael! I did not have his picture, I did not know where he lives or what to expect so I was just expected to go with the flow."

"Are you saying all this is my fault?"

"Yes! If you hadn't made me do something I did not want to do, then we wouldn't be here right now. If you had not asked me to get a gift, I would not have got in the wrong car and most of all, if you had not been thinking only of yourself, then you wouldn't have to pawn your daughter out for a promotion at work."

He looked like he would slap me again but I was already prepared to get out of his reach.

He sank into the chair with a sudden sad expression.

"You knew you were all I had and you had to mess this up? How am I going to take care of you and myself now?"

Now, he was blackmailing me emotionally. It was typical of my dad but I did not know what to do.

"I'm sorry, okay."

"It is not me you need to say sorry to, it is MICHAEL."

"Wait, you are not serious about that, are you?"

He suddenly grabbed my arms and began to plead.

"If only you can apologize directly to Michael, I still have a shot at the promotion. Please, do this for me."

"No, why should I be the one to apologize when I was the one who was wronged? Dad, I am your daughter. Are you going to ignore the fact that your and Michael's mistake was the reason I spent the night in a stranger's home? I bet you don't see it but for all it's worth. I won't leave here to go and say sorry to him."

"You think you get whatever you want in life by just having everything come easy to you, without making any mistakes?"

"If that is the philosophy you want to live by, Dad, do that. I won't be a part of this anymore."

"I am your father, Diana and you do whatever I tell you to do."

"Yeah, maybe in the past when I still thought you loved me and had my best interest at heart, but not now, I am sure your loyalty lies more with that promotion than your daughter."

I left the living room angrily. I was more than angry at myself and most importantly at my dad for making me do this but it was more than that, I just didn't know what to think as I lay in bed, and for the first time in a long time, I cried hard and then I heard knocks in my door. I knew it was my dad but I went to open it anyway. He was used to doing this so I was not surprised.

"What do you want this time?"

He came in with a remorseful look on his face and sat in my bed while I sat quietly beside him.

"I am sorry for everything I said to you. I know I was being insensitive and I am sorry."

"Well, you are not exactly sorry if you don't see the mistake you are making."

"What do you want me to do then, lose my job?"

"Well..."

"If I lose my job..."

All right, this is sickening.

"If I beg him, he would let me off, maybe l should just swallow my pride and get this over with.,

"It's all right. I will go there and apologize to Michael."

He looked at me happily, and a few minutes later, he saw me off to a car, which was waiting for me outside.

Throughout the ride. I was silent as I thought of the events that have happened in my life in the past few days and how dramatic they have been but then, maybe my life was long overdue for all the drama.

The car stopped In front of a huge mansion. I could not help but compare it with the one I had slept in the night before.

This mansion was big, but it gave off an old-fashioned kind of appeal like it had been passed down from generation to generation and needed some remodeling.

Not too long after I got out of the car, I was shown into the living room where I waited about fifteen minutes for Michael.

Michael walked majestically into the room, giving off the air of a spoilt heir, but it did not faze me at all. I was only here to apologize and that was all.

"Here you are. Everyone said I was mistaken about you but look at you, as beautiful as ever."

He said as he sat in a chair opposite me.

I stood up immediately, not wanting to be here any longer than necessary.

"I was told I need to apologize to you so that my dad can keep his job; now here I am; I am sorry for standing you up."

"No, my dear. I'm afraid it is a lot more than that already."

"What do you mean?"

"Your dad will not be able to keep his job and I can do more harm than that if you don't give me a name."

"Name?"

"The name of the man you spent the night with."

How did he know? Dad!

"Why?"

"No one touches what is mine!"