Falling for her oppressor

chapter 19

Nelly stumbled into the house, her heels clicking loudly against the tiled floor, the soft rustling of her dress filling the otherwise quiet space. She was fumbling with her phone when she spotted her dad standing in the living room. Her eyes lit up immediately.

“Dad!” she squealed, rushing over to him and leaping into his arms. She wrapped herself around him tightly, grinning from ear to ear. “I missed you so much! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back? I would’ve stayed home!”

Her father, James, chuckled, gently setting her down on her feet. “I wanted it to be a surprise. Looks like it worked,” he said, smiling warmly.

Nelly stepped back, smoothing her dress and fidgeting with her hair. “It totally did. I can’t believe you’re here!” She glanced around the room, a little nervous. "Uh... where’s Mom? And Kyra? Aren’t they home?”

James raised an eyebrow, his smile fading slightly. “That’s what I was going to ask you. Where are they?”

Nelly’s face paled, and she laughed nervously. “Uh, Mom… Mom must be around somewhere,” she stammered, pulling out her phone. “I’ll give her a call.”

James gently placed his hand over hers, stopping her from dialing. “No need to call her, Nelly,” he said softly, his gaze steady. “I’m sure she’ll turn up.” His voice was calm, but there was a hint of suspicion in his tone.

Nelly swallowed hard, nodding quickly as she put the phone away. She avoided his gaze, suddenly feeling a lot more nervous than before..

James watched as Nelly fidgeted with her phone, her earlier excitement fading into a more subdued demeanor. He crossed his arms and frowned slightly. "Nelly, you shouldn’t be coming back this late. It’s dangerous for a girl to be out at this hour."

Nelly nodded quickly, guilt flashing across her face. “I know, Dad. I’ll be more careful next time,” she promised, offering a small smile. Then, her eyes brightened again, and she tilted her head. "Have you eaten dinner?"

James shook his head. “No, I haven’t.”

“I’ll go change real quick and make something for you,” she said, grateful for the opportunity to escape upstairs.

It was already past 10:00 PM when Nelly came back down to the kitchen, dressed in more comfortable clothes. As she busied herself with preparing a simple dinner, James sat at the table, his gaze occasionally flicking toward the clock. He glanced at the front door, still waiting for his wife, Lorna, to come home. The longer the silence stretched, the more his unease grew.

They ate quietly, the clinking of silverware the only sound in the room. When they finished, James leaned back in his chair and sighed. “Call your mother, Nelly.”

Nelly nodded, wiping her hands on a towel before reaching for her phone. She dialed, waiting as it rang, but after a moment, her face fell. “Her number’s switched off,” she said quietly.

James sighed, a furrow appearing between his brows. “Where could she be this late?” His eyes darkened with suspicion as he looked at his daughter. “Do you have any idea?”

Nelly shrugged, avoiding his gaze as she began to gather the dishes from the table. “I don’t know. Maybe she’s… with friends?” She hoped her voice didn’t sound as unconvincing as it felt.

James studied her for a moment longer, then asked, “And where’s Kyra? Why isn’t she home?”

At the mention of Kyra, Nelly’s hands faltered, nearly dropping a plate. She swallowed nervously, her pulse quickening. “Kyra… uh… she decided to leave home,” Nelly blurted, her voice shaky. “She didn’t tell me or Mom until it was too late.”

James sat up straighter, his eyes wide with shock. “She *left*? Since when? And why didn’t anyone tell me?”

Nelly glanced toward the kitchen, desperate to escape the conversation. “Not that long ago,” she mumbled, rising from her seat. “I’ll clean up now,” she added hastily, avoiding her father’s questioning eyes as she began clearing the plates.

James stared after her, his mind racing. Something wasn’t right.

As Nelly finished cleaning up, she wiped her hands on the towel and glanced toward her father. “I’m going to bed now, Dad,” she said softly, her voice barely hiding her unease.

James looked up from where he sat, nodding absently. “Alright. I’ll wait up for your mother,” he replied, his tone calm, though his eyes carried a shadow of concern.

Nelly hesitated for a moment, but when he didn’t say more, she turned and quietly made her way upstairs, her footsteps fading into the stillness of the house.

James remained in the living room, his thoughts swirling around Kyra. *Why did she leave without telling me?* His chest tightened with worry as he replayed Nelly’s rushed explanation. Something wasn’t adding up. Kyra wouldn’t just leave without a word, He had always been close to Kyra, almost like a second father to her, and the idea that she might be in trouble or hurt made him restless.

As the minutes ticked by, the house grew quieter, the only sound the soft ticking of the clock on the wall. Time dragged, and by midnight, James was still sitting there, his mind no closer to finding answers. His worry for Kyra was now mingling with suspicion about Lorna. *Where is she?* He checked the time again. *Who stays out this late without telling anyone where they are?*

With a heavy sigh, James finally rose from the couch. It was late, and his body was tired, but his mind wouldn’t let him rest easily. As he made his way upstairs to bed, his thoughts remained fixed on Kyra’s sudden departure and Lorna’s absence. Something was wrong—he could feel it.

********

Lorna quietly pushed the bedroom door open, her movements careful as she slipped inside. She was exhausted, her mind still racing from the events of the night before. But the moment she stepped into the room, she froze, her heart skipping a beat.

James was sitting in the corner, his arms crossed, eyes fixed on her with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. He was supposed to be abroad. What was he doing here?

“James?” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. “What… what are you doing here?” She swallowed hard, her throat dry. “When did you come back? Why didn’t you tell me?”

James didn’t respond to any of her questions. Instead, his gaze sharpened, cutting through her like a knife. “Where are you coming from, Lorna? And where did you sleep last night?”

Lorna’s stomach dropped. She looked away, avoiding his eyes. “I… I stayed at a friend’s place,” she muttered, shifting uncomfortably. Her pulse quickened, but she forced herself to sound casual.

James sneered, his lips curling into a cold smile. “Which friend?” he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Go ahead, call them. Let’s confirm.”

Her heart pounded as she fumbled for an excuse. “M-my phone’s low,” she stammered, her hands shaking.

The air in the room seemed to thicken with tension. James slammed his hand on the table beside him, the sharp sound making Lorna flinch. His voice rose, filled with fury. “Don’t lie to me, Lorna! Are you cheating on me?!”

Lorna backed away instinctively, her hands trembling as she shook her head. “No, James, I’m not! I swear, I would never—”

His eyes bore into hers, filled with distrust and anger. “I’ll find out,” he warned, his voice low and dangerous. “You better not be hiding anything from me, Lorna. Because if you are…”

She swallowed hard, nodding frantically. “I’m not hiding anything,” she whispered, her voice cracking.

James stood up, pacing in front of her, his frustration mounting. “And Kyra?” he demanded suddenly. “Where is she?”

Lorna blinked, caught off guard by the shift in his questions. “Kyra… Kyra ran away,” she said quietly, hoping that would be enough to pacify him.

James stopped in his tracks, turning to face her. His expression darkened, suspicion filling his eyes. “What did you do?” he asked, his voice deadly calm.

“Nothing!” Lorna exclaimed, her voice rising defensively. “I didn’t do anything, James. She just left on her own.”

James stared at her for a long moment, his jaw clenched. Without another word, he stormed past her, leaving the room in anger, the door slamming behind him.

Lorna stood frozen, her heart racing, fear and guilt battling inside her.