Delilah's hands trembled as she unlatched the bedroom window, careful to keep the noise to a minimum. The soft glow of moonlight spilled onto the terrace outside—the only fragment of freedom she could grasp these days.
Her breath hitched in her throat. Tonight, she had to get out. Just for a little while. Just enough to remember what it felt like to be herself.
She lowered herself over the ledge and dropped lightly onto the fire escape. Her heart thundered against her ribs, loud enough to drown out the silence.
Each step down was a whisper of rebellion.
Minutes later, she slipped into the quiet streets, the city's night air cool against her flushed skin. She wandered with no destination—just the raw need to be somewhere outside the penthouse's suffocating walls.
Her pulse raced every time footsteps echoed behind her or a shadow shifted in the streetlight but she finally felt like she could really truly breath.
She ducked into a small café, ordering coffee with shaky hands, staring out the foggy window and savoring the normalcy—the hum of voices, the clatter of cups, the smell of fresh bread.
Just out of eyesight, Lucien watched the relief on Delilah's face at the feeling of normalcy. He knew she needed this but he still couldn't risk her being fully alone.
She didn't take unnecessary risks and kept to the same routine each night. He probably was letting this continue longer than he should have but he thought allowing her this false sense of freedom was better than locking her down harder and her doing something even more rash in an attempt to feel free from the confines of her circumstances.
After three consecutive nights of slipping out It was now early morning when Delilah stepped through the penthouse door, quiet but drained. Her clothes still faintly smelling of street air and espresso.
Nathaniel Langston sat behind his massive desk, fingers steepled, eyes burning with something fierce and unforgiving.
"You think I don't know what you've been doing?" His voice was a low growl, barely contained anger rolling beneath the surface.
Delilah's throat tightened. "I... I needed to get out. To breathe."
Nathaniel slammed his fist down on the desk with a sharp crack that echoed like thunder.
"Get out? You call sneaking out—without so much as a warning—a way to breathe?" His gaze blazed. "You jeopardize everything. Your safety, our security protocols, my peace of mind!"
She flinched, but met his glare. "I'm not some fragile child to be locked away. You don't own me."
Nathaniel's face twisted with rage.
"You are my daughter! And you will do what I say. No more 'escaping.' No more risks!"
Lucien, standing near the door, stepped forward cautiously.
Nathaniel whirled on him, eyes flashing.
"And you," he spat, voice sharp and accusing, "allowed this to happen? You let her slip through your watch? You are supposed to keep her safe, not let her run wild like some reckless child!"
Lucien's jaw tightened.
"I tracked every move. Every footstep. I was with her." Not once has she been unprotected."
Nathaniel sighs with relief at the realization that Lucien was in control the entire time.
Delilah watched the interaction in disbelief knowing there's no way Lucien could have been there all those times she snuck out. Despite wanting to confront Lucien she decides it better to keep these thoughts to herself until her and Lucien are alone not wanting to further worry her father any further and risk Lucien losing his job. As against the idea of security as she was she knows her father will simply give her another suffocating shadow if Lucien is sacked.
Delilah swallows her pride enough to say goodbye to her father but as soon as they reach the car she practically yells to Lucien
"I can't believe you would lie like that to my father"
Lucien completely caught off guard says,
"but I wasn't lieing!".
Delilah retorts with
"you may have fooled my father but you and I both know I was out there alone all those nights".
Lucien calmly responds
"if you were alone those nights how would I know that you snuck out at exactly 12:34am each night stopping at the cafe on the corner of 22nd and 11th ordered yourself a cappuccino and a croissant and the talking the long way home to see the lights on 6th street while finishing your coffee before heading back to slip inside before the morning shift change".
Delilah gasps in disbelief that Lucien really was there the whole time but instead of saying anything she just ponders this betrayal of her trust in silence.
After a moment Lucien starts again saying,
"but wait just a minute, you really thought I would not only lie to your dad like that but that it was ok to let me get away with it".
Delilah now realizing how silly the idea seemed replied,
"I just didn't want to worry my dad any more than I already have and beside it would have been really bad for your career".
Lucien now slightly red in the face from the fury building inside explodes,
"you absolutely should have said something if I really didn't catch the signs that you were feeling restless and slipping out under our noses I deserve to get fired and your dad would have every right to worry about your safety in those moments." "Promise me you will never EVER prioritize someone else's feelings over your own safety".
Delilah feeling overwhelmed by Lucien's outburst can only manage to nod her head in response.
Lucien pushed though saying
"I need to hear your response right now Delilah".
Delilah softly replied
"I promise, it won't happen again".
And with that Lucien notices Delilah shrink even further away both her walls around her heart even higher than they were before.
YOU ARE READING
The Algorithm of Us
Romance**She never meant to be seen. He never meant to stay. But something between them refuses to let go.** Delilah Langston has spent her life hidden behind glass walls-brilliant, sheltered, and quietly drowning under the weight of expectation. Shy by na...
