Chapter 10 #2
When my brother answered, I began to tell him everything that had happened with our father.
Tom couldn’t believe it, he was so furious that he was shouting curses at our father, and I had started crying again and couldn’t stop.
I hated having to put my brother through this situation, but Julia was right, he was the only one who could understand and help me, if there was a solution at all.
Before we said goodbye, he asked me to go to the meeting to hear what our father had to say because Naik was capable of coming back to my company and making a scene in front of all my employees.
He also advised me not to tell Hermes anything for now, since it was better not to confront someone like our father, and he finished by telling me to stay calm because he would talk to Naik and make him see reason, that I should trust him because he wouldn’t let our father impose his will.
I felt exhausted, my head felt like it was about to explode. I grabbed my purse and decided to go to my apartment. I needed to think, I needed to come up with something that would help me face Malek Naik. As I was leaving the office, my cell phone rang again. It was Hermes.
“Hello,” I answered, my voice weary.
“Can you explain what the hell is going on?!” he shouted.
“What?”
“Delfina, what is happening?! I haven’t been able to reach you, and I just received a call from someone named Malek Naik who threatened me and demanded that I stay away from you. Who is this guy and what does he have to do with you? Explain it to me, now!”
“He called you?” I asked, surprised. I couldn’t believe he had gone that far.
“So you do know him,” he stated, and I could hear the disappointment in his voice.
“I know him, but it’s not what you think.”
“If you don’t want me to think what isn’t true, explain to me right now who this guy is and what relationship he has with you. I’m heading to your office.”
“I’m leaving for my apartment.”
“Why are you going to your apartment? You don’t live there anymore. I don’t understand anything,” he said, exasperated.
“Hermes, I know this must be difficult to understand, but I promise I’ll explain everything. I’m going to my apartment and I’ll wait for you there so we can talk calmly.”
I was going to follow my brother’s advice and not tell him about my father’s absurd plans, but I had to tell him who this man was and the power he had to prevent Hermes from confronting him. But it was better to talk in person and make sure he wouldn’t intervene.
“Why are you going to your apartment during work hours? What’s happening?” he asked desperately. “Tell me something because I’m going crazy!”
“Let’s talk in person, please,” I begged.
“Of course we’re going to talk. I’m heading there now,” he declared, and hung up.
I couldn’t risk him confronting my father because I knew he would lose, and probably lose a lot.
I also wasn’t sure what my father had said to him, but it was obvious he hadn’t mentioned that I was his daughter, because Hermes had asked about the relationship between us.
I didn’t have my car because we had been using Hermes’ car these days, so I hailed a passing taxi and got in.
On the way to my apartment, I noticed I was being followed by a black car.
I wasn’t surprised; it was probably one of my father’s men keeping tabs on me. Nothing surprised me anymore.
As soon as I got out of the taxi, the car parked across the street. They didn’t even bother hiding; evidently, my father wanted me to know I was being watched. It was also his way of intimidating me.
When I entered the apartment, I collapsed. I sat on the living room sofa and began to shake uncontrollably. When I couldn’t hold it in any longer, I started crying and screaming, screams that released all the anger and frustration I was feeling.
Hours passed, but Hermes didn’t arrive, and my worry grew exponentially.
I called him several times, but he didn’t answer.
When we had spoken, I was left with the impression that he was on his way to my apartment, but he should have been there hours ago.
It was four in the afternoon, and I had to leave to meet my father.
I tried to reach Hermes again, but without success. I sent him a message:
“Are we going to meet? I’m heading out now, but we’ll talk tonight. I love you”
I knew this situation was a test of Hermes’ trust, and I was also sure it wouldn’t be easy for him to pass it.
If I was honest with myself, I would have been furious too if a woman had called me demanding that I leave him, and with threats on top of that—threats that until now I didn’t know the nature of.
Most likely Hermes was furious, and that’s why he hadn’t contacted me.
But I knew that I would have always listened to his version, and deep in my heart, I hoped he would trust me enough to give me the chance to explain what was happening, that he wouldn’t condemn me without hearing me out.
I hoped Hermes would be able to withhold judgment until we could talk, that he wouldn’t shut down and would let me explain everything that had happened, that his unyielding and implacable personality that wouldn’t listen to reason wouldn’t surface. It was the moment of truth.
When I left my building, I was approached by a man dressed in a black suit. He was very tall and muscular, and quite intimidating.
“Miss Naik, I work for your father and I’m in charge of taking you to the hotel where he’s staying. If you’ll come with me, the car is parked over there,” he indicated, pointing to the black car that had followed me hours earlier.
“I don’t need you to take me anywhere,” I declared, and began walking toward the corner to hail a taxi.
I heard the man’s footsteps behind me, but I didn’t bother to look at him.
“Miss Naik...”
“My name is Darner, not that other name! Don’t repeat that surname because I never want to hear it again in my life!” I shouted, interrupting him.
“I have orders to take you to Mr. Naik and I always follow my orders. Either you get into the car on your own, or I’ll have to carry you there myself.”
“Don’t you dare! If you lay a finger on me, I’ll start screaming that you’re trying to kidnap me, and I promise you I will.”
“And I also promise you that I always follow my orders,” without saying anything more, he picked me up and started walking toward the car.
At first I started screaming at him, kicking and punching him in the back, but I gave up when I saw it was useless; that man wasn’t going to let me go. I was tired of fighting against my father and his entire entourage.
We rode in silence the entire way. All I did was look out the window and watch the city pass before my eyes. I wasn’t even thinking about how to face what awaited me anymore. As the hours passed, my hopes diminished and I fell deeper into a profound well of disappointment and sadness.
We arrived at the hotel and the car entered the parking garage.
When we got out, I had no choice but to follow the man who had brought me there because I had no idea which suite my father was staying in.
We didn’t even speak to each other; I simply followed him, dragging my feet and moving by inertia.
He headed toward the most luxurious suite in the hotel and knocked softly. The door opened, and the man whom I hated with all my being at that moment appeared before me.
“Come in. Make yourself comfortable because I’m on a call,” and, without another word, he turned and gave me his back.
I entered and stood there looking out through the large windows. I checked if Hermes had responded, but he hadn’t even read my message. I don’t know how many minutes I stood there, my mind had gone blank, I couldn’t and didn’t want to think about my future. His voice pulled me from my thoughts.
“I was making arrangements for our trip. We leave in two days,” he stated, without any emotion.
“How many times do I have to tell you that I’m not going anywhere with you?
I’m not some asset you can trade in your negotiations.
The only thing you’ve ever done for Tom and me is cause us suffering, and now you arrive flaunting your unbridled power and bulldozing me with your authoritarianism to impose a miserable future beside someone I don’t know, but who benefits you by increasing your wealth.
You’re a cynical man without scruples. You have enough money to live in this life and a hundred more, but your thirst for unlimited power means you have no compassion whatsoever, not even for your children.
How do you sleep at night? Don’t you have any remorse? ”
“No, I don’t. If I did, I wouldn’t have become what I am,” he stated confidently, looking at me seriously.
“You’re right, you’re just a cold, emotionless being who only makes me feel pity. I don’t even hate you anymore, I just feel sorry for you, because you must be very miserable to treat others this way, especially your children.”
“Are you finished? Because you’re boring me with your little speech. Now sit down and let’s talk about what brought me here. My time is worth gold and I can’t waste it on useless arguments,” he ordered, sitting down on the large white sofa in the living room.
“Sir, I have nothing more to add. I’m not traveling with you and much less am I going to marry the person you’ve chosen. I have a life, you know? I have a boyfriend and...”
“Forget about Hermes Darwich, I assure you he won’t want anything to do with you anymore,” he stated with crushing certainty.
I looked at him in astonishment and fear began to overwhelm me. What had this man done? What had he said to Hermes?
“What did you do?” I asked, desperately.
“I spoke with him, told him to forget about you because you were a woman committed to marry in a few weeks.”
“You did what?”
“What I had to do. I told you earlier that your affair with Darwich was over.”