Suggest me some good Netflix series? I have already seen Friends, B99, The Office, Lucifer, Stranger things.

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Chapter 5: Stay in your room. Okay?

It's Saturday by the time my father arrives home and I have to resort to the option of confining myself to the four walls of my room so I can avoid him at all costs. The last thing I want to do is face him, especially when he is already so irked and frustrated. I don't know what happened but either way, I'd rather stay in my room than go and ask him about it. I can hear him yelling something downstairs, I have no idea what it is this time – too much salt in the vegetable, someone breathed too loudly, the maid didn't clean the chair properly, he found his newspaper a little crumpled. It could be anything. It could be nothing.

I flick through my Instagram lazily, looking at people travelling and exploring and eating and just having fun in general. I scoff and roll on the bed, glaring at them. "Must be nice to be able to go where you want, whenever you want, huh?"

Ryan is on some new cruise ship and I like his post with a heavy heart. He did invite me but with my father back in town, it's impossible to go anywhere that isn't beneficial to his campaign.

I exhale and look at the clear blue sky. What a beautiful weather to have a picnic by the lake. "Can someone trade lives with me, please?"

There's a light knock and I don't even look up at the door, I mutter a loud "Come in." continuing to scroll through the social media posts.

"Your father is here." Nimit informs, his voice firm and business like. I resist the urge to roll my eyes. "Yes, I can hear. Good for him."

"He wants to see you in his office." There's light pity in Nimit's voice that catches my attention and I sit up on the bed, frowning at him. Nimit manages to keep a straight face but I can see the flicker of guilt and sympathy in them. That expression is never a good sign. My back stiffens and I glare at him.

"Why does he want to see me?"

"It's best if you go down and ask him yourself."

I grit my teeth and scowl at him. "Can you take my side for once?"

Nimit blinks and his tone turns sincere. "I am always on your side." I hadn't expected that response so it makes me flatter a little but not enough to forget the reality. "So you say but never act like it. You always do what he says. You always take his side and do his bidding. Just because he is the one who pays you. Is he in his office?"

His lips part, as if to counter attack my taunts but after a second thought his lips press together and he simply nods. "Yes."

"Fine." I get off the bed and grab a denim jacket to wrap around the red tank top. My white shorts reach till mid thighs and I take calming breaths to gain the courage to go downstairs and face my father's wrath. Only if I was prepared for whatever it is this time.

The door is slightly ajar and I push it further open, entering his office room. My father is sitting on his rolling chair in front of the large glass desk. Even at home, there's a sophistication and an air of determination around him. Tall and well-built, he easily exudes an aura of poise and domination that draws people toward him. His neatly groomed salt-and-pepper beard and piercing eyes reveal absolutely nothing.

I force a smile on my face as I sit in front of me. "Hey, dad. How's it going?" I can feel Nimit standing at the door. Usually, he walks out, giving us privacy but this time he is choosing to stay in the room.

My father's eyes narrow at me and his lips press into a thin reprimanding line. It's an expression I am all too familiar with. "How's it going? Hmm, I don't know. You tell me!" He grabs the newspaper on the desk in front of him and flings it towards me. It hits me straight on the chest before falling into my lap. I flinch a little at the attack. I look down to the paper and gasp, eyes widening.

There splattered on the front page is a photo of me and Joel. He's wearing only his boxers, showcasing the toned chest and back and from the angle of the photo, it looks like he is far too close to me – intimately so. And the label is rather eye-catchy – Politician's daughter having an affair with a hunky model?! 

I have to blink a few times to make sure that I am seeing things right. I pick up the newspaper with shaky hands as I quickly scan the short report. It describes my presence at the show, how much I enjoyed it and how much time I spent with Joel. It says I was charmed by his body and attended the show solely to try and get into his pants. There's even a comment from Joel – 'It was a pleasure to meet her. She couldn't stop staring at my abs – I mean, can you blame her? Yes, I'd love to date her.'

My hands clench around the paper, crumbling it from the sides and my nose flares. That bastard! I can't believe he'd stoop so low. They are exaggerating so much. I talked to him for like two minutes – at the max. And just because of that I am dating him? I want to jump his bones and claim him? That's insane!

My father, unfortunately, doesn't listen to my reasoning. His tone is sharp and mocking. "Is this what you do when I am outside the city? Go to sexy shoots and date models and sleep with them?"

I glare at him, livid by his choice of words. Does he ever stop being so inconsiderate? I am his daughter after all – his only daughter. "No! I do not sleep with them, Dad. I just talked to him, that's all. This was the first time I even met him. And we talked for 5 minutes at the most. It was nothing. It meant nothing. They are blowing this out of proportion. It's all a big fat lie!"

"Did you read the headlines? It doesn't say your name, it taints mine!" My father pointed at the newspaper, anger radiating off him in strong waves. I look down, knowing he is right. This affects him way more than me. But that's always been the case. "How could you be so senseless to go to such an event? A lingerie show? For hot male models who are wearing that – that shorts which barely hide anything. For heaven's sake! What were you thinking? You didn't think of asking my permission first?"

"Permission? Dad, I am 22! Why do I need permission to go out? I am an adult! I can make my own decisions!"

"Not if your decisions end up threatening my campaign and my life! I taught you better than this. I thought you were smarter than this." His hands flay in the air and he is wearing his signature disappointed expression. "After all these years, this is how you repay me? How can you be so insensitive, Aisha? Why couldn't you think this through?"

"Insensitive?" I bellow, scoffing at his choice of words. "I have only ever thought about you and your campaign. I have lived for it. This is first time I went out in months and I didn't even stay for the after party! Others enjoyed so much." I argue back vehemently.

"Others don't have obligations on their shoulders."

"Others don't have you as a father!"

There's stunned silence. Dad's eyes narrow into slits and his jaw ticks. It's not hard to guess that he is fuming mad but I am too. How long will I have to live as the Politician's daughter. I have my own identity, my own life and I get to enjoy neither. I don't back away, I lock my eyes with his, showing defiance.

"And Nimit!" He turns his attention to the person who wouldn't answer him back, his employee. "How could you let this happen? You have one job and even that-"

"Don't blame him for this!" I quickly jump in, afraid that Nimit might end up taking the fall for this and start hating me – or worse, lose this job and I'll never get to see him again. "He had nothing to do with my choice. I managed to escape and he caught me. He tried to persuade me to go to my room but I was done being a perfect doll put up on display for you. So despite his protests and warnings, I went to the show. You should thank him for following him and bringing me back home safe, even after I was so rude to him."

My words only make my father more furious. "I am not going to thank him for doing his job. And he knows better than this. He shouldn't have let you leave in the first place. He made a mistake and now he will have to pay for it."

"What? Why!?" I shriek in objection, glaring at my father. "You are being unreasonable now."

"Am I? Good. Now you know how you behave! Go to your room!" He mutters under his breath, looking away and leaning back on his seat. "You are grounded."

My jaw falls down and I scoff in disbelief. "What? Grounded? I am not 12! You can't ground me."

"I am your father." That's his winning argument. Like that should be an answer enough to every single question in the universe. "And you live under my roof." Ah, the second easiest path to victory. "As long as you are here, you abide by my rules. If I say you are grounded, you are grounded."

His expression is stern and firm, irrefutable and conclusive. There's no space to retort or oppose. This is it. His say has to be the last. And from experience, I know that arguing about this will only result in my loss. Or getting Nimit fired. And I certainly don't want that. So, I take a deep breath, trying to calm my anger and smile at him – a fake, overly sweet smile. "As you say, father."

I stand and turn around, not meeting Nimit's eyes. I hear my father's heavy sigh and he tells Nimit to stay back but I don't linger around to find out what they talk about. All I can do is hope that my father doesn't make the mistake of firing Nimit. If he does that, I am never talking to him again.

I run up the stairs, into my room and lock it. I look around the space, the messy bed, the clothes lying on the chair, the scattered lipsticks in front of the mirror table, the half open cupboards and I grin to myself. I only have to abide by his rules as long as I live under his roof. The answer is clear here – don't live under his roof.

There's a human limit of tolerance and although mine had broken long back, it was stitched back together multiple times, until now, now it's far too torn.

It's clear that the only thing my father cares about is his image and his political campaigns. He didn't ask how I was, he didn't care about me or if this fake news affected me in any way. All he thinks about is himself. How can I live with a man like that? Why must I sacrifice my life and happiness for a man who doesn't care about mine? Just because he is my father, I should condone his actions and suffer quietly? I think not.

I am completely engrossed in my own thoughts when there's a light knock on the door. I already know who it is. I exhale and move to unlock the door. I open it to find Nimit standing outside, a look of sympathy in his eyes. It only makes me feel worse.

"What do you want now?"

"Are you okay?" His question is a little baffling, especially when I hear the concern in it.

I shrug a shoulder, leaving the door open and walking towards my bed. I notice Nimit pause for a second, before he walks inside my room and shuts the door behind him. I wonder what to reply to his question and decide to go with the truth. "No, I am not okay. I am hurt, furious and just... tired of living with him."

"I'll handle it, don't worry."

I scoff and roll my eyes at him. "Handle my father? I don't think anyone is capable of that."

"No." Nimit shakes his head. "I'll handle Joel."

I blink in surprise, eyebrows furrowing. "For that comment?"

"Yes. He shouldn't have said that. It was clearly a lie and it was an easy way for him to get some fame." Nimit's tone is tight, like he is on the verge of punching through a wall. "He messed with the wrong person."

I shrug a shoulder, looking down at my lap. "It's okay. The worst part is, anyone would have done the same thing in his place."

"Not me." The assertation and promise is clear in his firm tone. It makes me smile a little.

"I know." I whisper back. It's crazy how much I trust this handsome hazel-eyed devil.

Nimit's eyes scan the room and although he has been in my room many times before, the door has always been wide open. My heart spontaneously accelerates and the air heats up, I am suddenly far too aware of the close proximity and all the things that can happen when there's such raw attraction between a man and woman.

I lick my lips and force my eyes to wander around instead of being locked on him. "What about you? Are you fired?"

"He wouldn't fire me over something like this." Nimit assures me with a flickering smile. "I am not going anywhere."

I hate how much those words make my chest swell with relief and my stomach flutter. I smile back. "I am glad."

Eyes lock, neither of us saying a word. I find his hazel eyes just as intoxicating as ever and my lips part. With much difficulty, I blink and break the connection. "Anyway, thanks for checking up on me."

"He insisted on it."

My mood turns sour and my lips twist at that. "Good to know that you didn't care enough."

"That's not what I meant."

"That's exactly what it sounded like. You can tell him I am fine and you may leave." But he makes no motion of leaving. I raise my eyebrows and look pointedly at the door. Instead of walking out, he takes a step towards me.

My eyebrows rise and I have to swallow hard, he takes another step and then he's right in front of me. I have to strain my neck to look up at him. Nimit leans lower, his face hovering just above mine, inches away, so close that I can smell him, I can almost taste him. It's highly intoxicating. His breath fans my face and he's close enough to be able to hear the loud erratic beating of my heart. My hands fist on the bedsheet, lips parting slightly to exhale.

"If after all this time you still think that I don't care about you, you need to get your brains checked, Aisha." His tone is low, almost like a whisper caressing my cheek. I try to think of a sassy response, something rude but I come up blank. I am far too lost in those piercing hazel eyes.

And then he does something unexpected, he touches my cheek... caresses it... lovingly.

His hand is warm and tender, his touch gentle, almost hesitant, as if it could break me. He traces his fingers along my jawline, like a delicate brushstroke on a canvas. His thumb lightly grazing the soft skin, leaving a trail of affection in its wake.

My breath quickly catches in my throat as I feel the tenderness of his touch. My heart skips a beat before racing against time. Time that seems to have momentarily paused, letting the connection last for an eternity.

I catch a flicker of emotions in his eyes, a mixture of admiration, longing, and adoration, and I am sure mine reveal vulnerability, trust, and desire for him. I didn't know how to react or what to do. This isn't professional by any means – no, this touch is personal, intimate, affectionate – a lover's touch.

As he continues to caress my cheek, he leans in even closer, his breath mingling with mine. The attraction is palpable, sizzling in the short distance between us. Our lips are mere inches apart, and the air crackles with electricity. I want lean forward and close the distance, kiss him and then face the consequences but I am frozen in place.

"You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen." His words, although a whisper, echo through the room and my mind. I am far too lost, lost in the abyss of his eyes.

"Yours too." I can barely recognize my own voice, it's so low, so needy, so desperately seeking him.

His thumb grazes over the corner of my lips and they part further, eager for more. "Such pretty lips." His words are a direct hotline to my core, it throbs urgently and I am panting, a quivering, moist mess and he's barely touched me yet. I match his dark gaze, the lust in his eyes, matches the one burning deep in my belly.

But of course, Nimit has far more control than me. He shakes his head and then his touch is gone. I let out an involuntary whimper at the lack of contact. I want to reach out, pull him back, wrap my arms around him. He steps back, breaking the intense bond that was created. "Don't do something rash, Aisha. Stay in your room. Okay? It's for your own safety. Trust me."

Without waiting for my reply, he walks out, the door closing behind him in a soft thud. I am still reeling from the intense shared moment, my eyes focusing on the empty space previously occupied by Nimit. My cheek and lips are tingling for his touch and my insides are a withering damp mess. It takes me a few moments to gather my thoughts and I close my eyes, shaking my head out of the trance.

"Stay in, he said? Trust him? As if!"

I connect my phone to the Bluetooth speaker and blast some music. It helps to drown the sound of packing. Once I have small suitcase filled with necessities and some urgent clothes, I type a message to Sania. 'Hey, where are you staying? With your parents?'

Her reply is within minutes. 'No, at the Embark residence. All alone. Why?'

'Can I stay with you for a few days?' I drum my fingers on the suitcase as I wait impatiently for her reply. Thankfully, she's living in her father's spare flat, he bought it as an investment as a way to hide his ill-gained wealth. Now, it's usually used by Sania when she's in the country and it's enormous, spacious and beautiful.

'Sure, would Nimit be joining us? 😉'

I glance at closed door and inhale deeply. 'No, just me.'

'Always welcome. I am at Carina Restro, will be back late late night. Spare key in the building locker. Code – 0948.'

I have always admired how Sania never asks too many questions. She knows something is wrong and that's why I am asking to stay with her. But until I am ready to talk about it, she would never pressurize me to talk about it. And I am grateful for it. the last thing I want to talk about is my father. 'Thanks, you are a life saver.'

'I know. You are making breakfast tomorrow.'

'Deal.'

I wait for the night to come. I hear footsteps outside my house till 11 PM but after that it's silent and dark. Nimit must be asleep by now and most of the staff too. The only awake people would be the gate security.

I wait till its midnight and then slowly open the door, just enough to take a peek outside. It's clear, not even a shadow to be seen. I pick up the suitcase so there's no sound of the wheels and start to descend, one step at a time. I am not even breathing, scared it might wake up someone. I manage to get past the security at the main door who is snoring in his chair. He's going to hear an earful tomorrow.

I turn towards the garden, walking in shadows, keeping my eyes and ears strained for any sound. It's a half moon night so there's not much light but that's good, it gives me the perfect route to escape. I walk towards the end of the wall, where there's the old doghouse, covered in bushes and scrubs. The wall is the lowest at that end. I fling the suitcase above the wall and then it takes me three tries to jump over the wall myself.

I wait outside, staring at the empty dark road, my heartrate is rapid and the thrill of escaping is nerve-wrecking. I can barely believe that I managed to do it. without getting caught. It's like a dream come true.

A part of me is guilty about ditching Nimit like this. He will surely bear the wrath of my father tomorrow but I couldn't stay in that jail anymore. It was far too suffocating.

I look back at the dark house and there's still no one screaming for security or yelling my name. So far, so good. I grab the suitcase and start to walk in the opposite direction. Luckily this part of the road is safe and once I am on the main street, I manage to get an Uber and head straight to Sania's address.

It's only the next morning that my phone starts to blow up and I promptly switch it off.

"Day 1 of freedom starts now."

~~~

Ayo, did you vomment?!