CHAPTER 4

As I walked into the hotel room, I couldn't help but notice the look of exhaustion on my dad's face. He was sitting on the bed, his eyes sunken and his skin pale. I felt a pang of worry in my chest, and my mind started racing with all the possible reasons why he might be looking so sick.

"Dad, are you okay?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

He looked up at me and forced a weak smile. "Yes, sweetheart, I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all."

But I wasn't convinced. I could see the lines of fatigue etched on his face, and his eyes seemed to be hiding a secret. I felt a surge of determination and decided to press him for more information.

"I don't think so, Dad," I said, my voice firm but gentle. "You look really sick. What's going on?"

My dad sighed and rubbed his temples, as if trying to ward off a headache. "Come on, sweetie, Daddy is fine. It's just a cold, nothing serious."

But I knew my dad, and I could tell when he was lying to me. I felt a pang of frustration and decided to call him out on it.

"But why did I feel like you were lying to me?" I asked, my eyes locked on his.

My dad looked taken aback, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flash of guilt in his eyes. But then, he smiled again and tried to reassure me.

"I'm not lying, angel. I promise. It's just a cold, and I'll be fine in no time."

Just then, my stepmom walked into the room, a big smile on her face. "Hey, everyone! I'm back from the hospital, and I have some great news!"

I looked up at her, curious. "What is it?" I asked.

My stepmom's smile grew even wider. "I'm pregnant!" she exclaimed.

I felt a surge of excitement and happiness, but my dad's reaction was not what I expected. He looked shocked and unhappy, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flash of fear in his eyes.

But then, he forced a smile and tried to congratulate my stepmom. "That's amazing news, babe. I'm so happy for you."

My stepmom looked at him, concerned. "Aren't you happy about it? You look so gloomy."

My dad sighed and rubbed his temples again. "I am happy, sweetheart. I just...I don't know, I'm just surprised, that's all. I wasn't expecting this right now."

I looked at my dad, trying to understand what was going on. He seemed happy, but at the same time, he seemed really upset. I felt a pang of worry and decided to try to talk to him more about it.

But as we sat down to dinner, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong. My dad seemed distant and preoccupied, and I could tell that he was hiding something from me. I decided to keep a close eye on him, determined to get to the bottom of what was really going on.

The next day, my dad took us out to celebrate the pregnancy. We went to many places, and my stepmom was all smiles. I was just following them around, watching how my dad's mood changed when he thought no one was watching him. From pain to sadness, and then to an emotion that I couldn't explain.

As the day went on, I couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness. I knew that something was wrong, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that my dad was hiding something from me.

When we got back home, I decided to visit my friend Macy. I had a lot to tell her, and I needed someone to talk to. As I walked to her house, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. I was finally going to be able to talk to someone about what was going on.

When I got to Macy's house, she was happy to see me. We talked for hours, and I told her everything that had been going on. She listened attentively, and I could tell that she was concerned.

As I left Macy's house, I decided to go to my dad's company to see him. I wanted to surprise him, but as I walked into his office, I regretted my decision. My dad was sitting at his desk, looking pale and weak. And then, I heard the doctor's words, and my world came crashing down.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Daniel, you have just a few months to live. The chemical has damaged your immune system. It has caused Bronchogenic carcinoma SCLC and Acute myeloid leukemia, which is now in their final stage."

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. I couldn't breathe, and my heart was racing. I looked at my dad, and I saw the pain and sadness in his eyes.

"Dad?" I said, my voice shaking.

My dad looked up at me.

"My Princess?" he said, his voice weak and trembling.

I felt a lump form in my throat as I saw the tears welling up in his eyes. I knew that he was trying to be strong for me, but I could see the pain and fear behind his eyes.

"Don't tell me that you heard everything," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded, feeling a wave of sadness wash over me. "You're leaving me, Dad," I said, my voice cracking with emotion.

My dad's face contorted in a mixture of pain and sadness. "I'm sorry, sweetie," he said, his voice shaking. "I didn't want to hurt you. I just didn't want to worry you."

I felt a surge of anger and frustration. Why hadn't he told me? Why had he kept it a secret?

"You promised not to hide anything from me," I said, my voice trembling with emotion. "You promised to always be honest with me."

My dad looked at me, his eyes filled with tears. "I know, sweetie. I'm sorry. I just didn't want to hurt you. I wanted to protect you."

I felt a pang of sadness and regret. I knew that my dad had only been trying to protect me, but I wished that he had been honest with me from the beginning.

"Who did this to you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

My dad's face hardened, and I saw a flash of anger in his eyes. "It was an accident," he said. "I was exposed to some chemicals at work. It was an accident, sweetie. No one meant to hurt me."

I felt a wave of sadness wash over me. My dad was going to leave me, and I would never see him again. I would never be able to talk to him, to laugh with him, or to hug him.

As I looked at my dad, I saw the pain and sadness in his eyes. I knew that he was sorry, and I knew that he loved me. But I also knew that he was going to leave me, and that thought filled me with a deep sadness and despair.

From that day on, I stayed close to my dad, cherishing every moment that we had together. I knew that our time was limited, and I wanted to make the most of it. I wanted to create memories that would last a lifetime, memories that would help me to cope with the loss of my dad.

As the days turned into weeks, my dad's condition worsened. He became weaker and more frail, and I could see the pain and suffering in his eyes. But even in his darkest moments, he never lost his sense of humor, his sense of love, and his sense of compassion.

And as I looked at him, I knew that I would always cherish the memories that we had made together. I would always remember his smile, his laugh, and his love. And I would always know that he had loved me, no matter what.