But Daddy, I Love Him

Chapter 09 Grounded for a week

***Olivia's POV***

I took a deep breath, smoothing the fabric of my dress before stepping into the dining room. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me in a hangover.

The room smelled of coffee. Chandler was at the head of the table, his eyes fixed on his laptop, looking every bit the cold, efficient man I remembered.

He didn't even look up when I pulled out my chair, but I could feel his gaze track my movement the second I sat down.

"You’re on time," he noted, his voice a low rumble.

"I can follow a clock, Chandler," I said quietly, reaching for the already made coffee. "I wanted to talk. About the... new arrangement."

He finally closed the laptop down, leaning back and crossing his arms. The movement made his shirt pull tight across his chest, and I quickly looked down at my plate.

"I'm listening," he said.

"I know last night was a mess. I'm embarrassed about it, honestly," I admitted, keeping my tone soft and reasonable. "I shouldn't have let things get that out of hand with the drinking, and I definitely shouldn't have been in that state. But grounding me and taking my phone... it feels a bit extreme, don't you think?"

He tilted his head to the side. I wanted to slap him across the cheek when his lips tugged, like he was amused that I was suddenly being calm and composed after freaking out earlier.

But I continued anyways.

"Let me have my phone back, and let's forget the week-long grounding. I’ll stay in for the next few nights and I'll be home by ten. I just want to be able to talk to my friends. To Drake. I need to sort things out with him."

I thought I’d actually reach him when his lips formed a genuine smile. I was stunned. He looked at me, really looked at me, and I felt that weird heat from start to crawl back up my neck whenever he looked at me.

"You're trying to be the adult in the room," he started. "And I appreciate the effort. Truly. It’s better than the insults and tantrums."

"Then allow me to leave today. I have plans with Hannah, we're supposed to go cafe hopping today and I don't want to cancel that. I'll be on time tonight." I pushed, a small hopeful smile forming. "Last night is the last time, it won't happen again."

The silence stretched. Chandler’s jaw worked, his dark eyes searching mine as if he were looking for a lie.

"No."

My heart sank. "Chandler—"

"The phone stays in my office just for today and you're not leaving the house," he said, his tone final. "You’re acting this way because you want something, but the second you get that phone back, you’re going to call the boy and come running to him."

"That's not your choice to make!" I snapped, the composure finally slipping.

"In this house, it is," he emphasized every word as he spoke. "Eat your breakfast. If you think you’re getting out of those gates before Saturday, you’re mistaken."

I gripped the edge of the table, my knuckles turning white.

"Fine," I said, my voice indifferent. I stood up slowly, pushing my chair back with a sharp, piercing screech against the floor.

"You're not leaving the room without eating," he warned me.

"Oh, I'm not gonna leave," I assured him with a smile.

Then I walked around the table slowly until I was standing directly behind him, I felt his eyes follow my movement.

I leaned down, my hair brushing against the shoulder of his shirt and his nape, I was close enough to see the muscle in his jaw move. I watched him raise the coffee he was holding tor a sip, his eyes trained on me as if warning me.

"You want me here for a week? Fine. You got it."

I watched him put down his coffee. The smile didn't leave my face when I reached for it and took a sip, not breaking eye contact. His eyes dropped to my lips as I sipped, his pupils dilating.

I returned to the cup on the table... and then deliberately, slowly, tipped his coffee over.

The dark liquid pooled across the table, soaking into his clothes and inching toward the edge of his closed laptop. He didn't move, but the air around him turned dark.

"Well... congratulations. You just locked yourself in with someone who has nothing better to do than make every single second of your stay here a living hell."

I straightened up, looking down at the mess I made with a cold, satisfied smile. I pulled away from him, walking around the table to go back to my seat and continue my breakfast.