Little Game

Chapter 43

Isabella went towards a familiar door that had her father's name written in front of it. She looked back at the supporting group that only gave her a smile when they saw the look she had on her eyes.

"You're going to be okay." Rafael said, smiling gently. "You're okay. It's okay. We'll wait here for you."

Isabella nodded, trying to will herself not to look like death had ran over her. She wasn't going to let her father see how scared she actually is over this situation. She's a Torres. Her grandmother may not approve of her but that doesn't mean that she can take her away from her family.

"Okay..." Isabella muttered, her hand over the doorknob. She was so thankful that nobody had stopped to question them. Isabella had an inkling feeling that it was because of Dmitri. They probably know Dmitri with the way everyone's glancing at him in wary.

Without a knock, she twisted the doorknob slowly. The door creaked quietly but for Isabella, it sounded like bells ringing over her ears.

She winced at the sound as her hands started sweating. She was so nervous.

"Pa." Isabella chocked out in relief and fear.  For the first time in weeks, she finally saw him again.

And it had been weeks of not seeing him sitting at the center of the dining table, telling her off to eat something that she hates, weeks of not seeing him smiling gently at her as he tucks her in and sings her songs that makes her sing along, weeks of not seeing him laughing so freely at his children's foolishness.

Weeks of not seeing him smile.

Weeks of not seeing that bright light in his eyes that tells Isabella that it's all all going to be okay.

And Isabella missed that. She missed her dad but where is he? Where's the father that she once played with over dolls and toys? The father that would embrace her so tightly  whenever he comes home from work, the father that would say: 'I love you, sweetheart. Always remember that.'

Dante was sitting on his desk with his glasses on and with piles of paper littered across his desk. There was a file of some sort in his hand as well that he was looking at so seriously that he didn't even notice that little creak by his door or even the daughter that came to visit him out of worry.

"Papa?" Isabella repeated a little louder this time, finally catching his attention.

And oh, and she reveled in the surprise on his face when he looked up to see who the owner of the voice was. It just means that he wasn't ignoring her. That he was real. That her papa won't run away from her.

The amount of joy that was pouring out of her was priceless. She took a step forward with little hesitancy than before. A bright smile plastered on her face. All she wanted at that moment was to run to him and tell him how worried she'd been. "Papa——"

He held out his hand, stopping her from continuing what she was about to say. Isabella tried not to look hurt at the sudden cold attitude from her father.

"What are you doing here?" He asks.

What does it look like? I'm here for my family. "You... You and the rest didn't come home. I just wanted to..."

He looked like he couldn't care less on what she wants to say to him. Like he decided that all her words would just seem childish.

And that had hurt her more than she could ever imagine.

"Is it so bad to worry about my family?"

He looks away with a big sigh that sounded more like he was sick and tired of her shit. "I don't know, Isabella. Is it? You tell me. You seem to know the answer."