Petite

7 - I do whatever I want.

Daniel's POV:

Exhausted from a long day of work, I trudge back to what was once my sanctuary—my home. But with my father's actions unraveling the family's tranquility, I don't even know what to call this place anymore.

Silence engulfs the house as I enter, and the absence of life in the living room is unsettling. It's become a pattern—Mom keeps to herself, and Tiwa retreats to her room. I grab a glass of orange juice from the kitchen and settle on the balcony with my camera and laptop, still needing to finish today's work.

The cool breeze provides a brief respite, but I know a shower awaits me—whether I like it or not. As I work, I sense someone's eyes on me, but I don't bother looking up right away. Eventually, I acknowledge her presence.

"Diane," I say without shifting my gaze from the computer screen.

Her footsteps approach, and she takes a seat in the chair across from me. I continue to focus on my work; this conversation is anything but urgent.

"Oh my gosh! Should I start feeling special or..." she trails off, her voice sultry and girlish, tossing my thoughts into disarray.

My fingers momentarily freeze on the keyboard as I lift my chin to meet the gaze of my father's mistress. She's young, in her early twenties, maybe even late, but certainly not close to thirty.

I could question what she's doing with a forty-six-year-old man, but I remind myself that money often enslaves humans, leading them down questionable paths.

"Don't flatter yourself. I smelled you before I saw you," I retort, watching her eyes flash with fear as she smells herself in a panic. "You do smell nice—of flowers and those girly things. It's an unusual perfume for this house."

A smile spreads across her face, relief washing over her. "Oh, why thank you, David."

I raise an eyebrow, expecting her to correct herself, but she doesn't. "Okay," I turn back to my computer.

"How do you know my name? I'm sure I told everyone I'm 'lollipop,'" she remarks.

"I overheard my dad calling you Diane. So it stuck."

"Retentive," she purrs. "Well, I'm pretty retentive myself. I know you're a good-looking guy."

I keep my lips in a tight line, holding her gaze. She wears a silly smile, her words reeking of innuendo. "You know, I don't remember inviting you to sit."

She frowns, "Why, that's just rude! You're as rude as your mom," she declares while patting her hair back into place.

I chuckle at her weak retort. "Rude? You don't know what rude is, because I'm not being rude at the moment." I examine her closely; she's a beautiful girl entangled with an older man. "What exactly are you doing with my father?"

"Oh, is someone getting jealous?" she pouts. "Don't worry; there's plenty of Lollipop to go around," she purrs with a wink, jiggling her body to make her boobs shake.

The gesture irritates me, and I avert my eyes, unable to stand unfaithful people.

"If you're with my father, shouldn't you have some self-respect and stop trying to seduce his son?"

"And who says I respect myself?" she retorts, surprising me with her honesty. "I do whatever I want as long as I enjoy it. Don't worry about a thing, honey."

I roll my eyes and suppress a groan. Her audacity knows no bounds.

"Oh, and I came across your YouTube channel a few hours ago. I think you—"

"So, you're stalking me?"

"David, stop being hard to get—"

"Look at me, Miss!" I snap, and she flinches, her chest rising and falling with shaky breaths. Lollipop proves to be an easy scare. "I am busy, very busy. If you don't have anything important to tell me, like leaving my father's house, then stay the hell away from me. Got that?"

I lock my eyes onto hers, and her dread almost softens my resolve, but not quite.

While I never raise my voice at a woman, this one pushes my limits. Her stupidity irritates me to no end.

"Look at you," I say calmly. "You look like a scared little girl lost in a big, messed-up world where you don't belong. You crossed a line waltzing into my parents' home. Just leave."

She remains silent, trying to calm herself down.

"Keep yourself away from me. You're not my type!" I bark, and her fear intensifies. "I don't like women who go after married men! Bloody hell!" I curse as anger spreads through me like venom.

With that, I pack my things and head to my room, leaving Lollipop's words behind.