Chapter five

"I need to use the bathroom!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, my voice barely audible over the deafening music and raucous laughter that seemed to shake the very foundations of the mansion. Leia's response was a dismissive wave of her hand and a shouted direction, "Just take the door at your right in the hallway!" before she returned to dancing, her body swaying to the rhythm like a leaf caught in a hurricane's vortex.

I needed more help than that, but I decided to find my way through the labyrinthine mansion, navigating a maze of corridors and rooms that seemed to stretch on forever. I entered the grand foyer, my eyes adjusting to the soft, golden glow of the hallway lights after the bright, dazzling glare of the pool area. The hallway stretched out before me like a vast, carpeted tunnel, lined with museum-worthy artifacts that seemed to whisper secrets to each other in the silence, their intricate carvings and delicate porcelain glinting like treasures in the dim light.

The spiral staircase beckoned, its curved railings like a siren's call, drawing me upward with an otherworldly pull that seemed to awaken a deep curiosity within me. I climbed, my heart pounding in my chest like a drum, my curiosity burning like a fire that threatened to consume me whole. What secrets lay hidden above?

At the top of the stairs, I found myself in a hallway lined with family pictures, each one a window into the soul of the family, revealing their joys and sorrows, their triumphs and tragedies. And then, I saw him - the man I had slept with, my best friend's father, his eyes seeming to bore into my soul like a cold, hard drill that threatened to shatter my very being.

The picture suddenly seemed less appealing, and I turned away, my feet carrying me into the first door I saw, as if drawn by an unseen force. I found myself in a master bedroom, the epitome of luxury and refinement, with a bed that seemed to stretch on forever, its silken sheets and plush pillows inviting me to surrender to their softness.

And then, I saw him - Rael, his eyes wide with shock, his mouth hanging open like a trap, his face pale as if he had seen a ghost. "Who in the goodness sake are you?" he thundered, his voice like a crack of lightning on a stormy night, shaking the very foundations of the room.

I jumped, my heart racing like a wild animal, my bikini-clad body feeling vulnerable and exposed, as if I had been stripped bare and left to face the wrath of the storm. "How in the god's name are you here? hedemanded, his anger visible like a palpable force that seemed to fill the room with an electric tension.

I tried to look confident, but my eyes betrayed me, darting around the room like a trapped animal searching for an escape. "You promised..." his voice trailed off, his eyes fixed on me like a predator, as if waiting for me to make a move, to surrender to his will.

I sighed, my confidence growing with each passing moment, as if I had finally found my footing in this strange and unfamiliar world. "What if I had changed my mind, Mr. Rael?" I asked, my voice steady, my eyes locked on his, as if daring him to challenge me.

His body tensed, his hand in his pocket, his eyes flashing with anger, as if he had been waiting for this moment, this confrontation. "You're such a little girl, and you don't know what you're saying!" he spat, his words like a slap in the face, but I just laughed, the sound echoing through the room like a challenge, a defiance that seemed to shake the very foundations of the mansion. And in that moment, I knew what I truly wanted.

I took the opportunity to walk to the armchair next to the bed, its plush cushions inviting me to sink in. I made myself comfortable, my hands stroking the soft fabric as I gazed at Rael. "You asked me what I wanted from you the last time we met? "I said, my voice laced with apology, my eyes locked on his. "I think I know now."

Rael's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "You need to leave...now!" he ordered, his voice low and menacing. But I defied him, my body seemingly rooted to the spot.

"It's drawn to me now that if I'm going to get what I want, I'll have to put away fear, no matter the situation or how scary you might seem," I said, my voice steady. Rael's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?" he repeated, his voice dripping with impatience. I stood up, my movements deliberate, and smiled sweetly. "Why don't I make this more interesting? We could keep the suspense!" I whispered, my eyes glinting with mischief.

I turned and headed downstairs, leaving Rael's frustrated growl behind me. I made my way back to the party, but fate had other plans. I bumped into Mia in the hallway, her eyes wide with worry. "For goodness' sake, Leia, where have you been all this while? I thought I'd find you dead in the bathroom!"

I reached out and held her hand apologetically. "Sorry, I lost my way around." Mia's expression softened, and she smiled. "No, it's my fault. Sorry that I left you all alone."

I smiled back and continued on my way home, my mind reeling with thoughts of Rael and what I had just done. When I arrived home at 2 am, my mum was already gone, leaving my dad asleep on the couch, surrounded by the detritus of a wild night. I took a deep breath and began to clean up, my heart heavy with worry.

As I stacked the dishwasher and washing machine, my eyes kept drifting back to my dad, his peaceful face a stark contrast to the chaos around him. When I went to get a blanket to cover him, I was met with a sight that made my heart skip a beat - bottles of gin and an empty pack of cigarettes next to him.

My dad wasn't supposed to be drinking! He wasn't supposed to be taking any of this! I felt a wave of panic wash over me as I checked his pulse, my heart racing with fear. For a moment, everything was silent, his pulse faint and his body still. "The man was dying!!" I felt my heart stop for a moment!