From my side of the table, I just stared, stunned.
“Yes, today!” he demanded, his tone sharpening slightly, “I don’t care what list you have to move, what favors you have to call in, or what rules you have to bend! Make it happen!”
He listened for a moment, then replied, “Call me back before the sun sets.”
“What… what was that?” I asked slowly.
“That,” he smirked, picking his coffee back up, “was me making sure we get your brother a heart. We’re going to fix this.”
I blinked at him, almost speechless. “You have that kind of pull?”
A faint, almost dangerous smile touched his lips. “I havemorethan that kind of pull.”
I folded my arms. “You don’t get to buy your way into being my father.”
His expression didn’t change. “I know, which brings me to something else. What do you think of Domino?”
I narrowed my eyes. “What about him?”
“I saw the way you two exchanged looks at dinner,” he noticed.
Heat crept up my neck, and I immediately deflected. “I was just getting a feel for everybody. New environment, new people. It wasn’t anything deep.”
He held my gaze for a second longer than necessary, then gave a small nod. “Alright.”
But he didn’t leave it there.
“I’ve known that man a long time. If anything happens to me, he’ll take over… and I want you to help him.”
I almost laughed. “Help him dowhatexactly?”
“Keep things steady and be someone he can trust on the inside. You don’t have to be in the streets or handling business the way I do, but your presence alone carries weight.”
I shook my head immediately. “Sorry, but no. This lifestyle isnotfor me. I just want to finish school and move on. That’s my path, not this.”
He studied me for a second, then leaned back slightly. “School, you say?” he asked, intrigued. “What are you majoring in?”
“Business,” I proudly answered.
His brows lifted. “Business? Impressive. That explains a lot.”
I frowned slightly. “Explains what?”
“The way you think. You chose a field where control matters. You don’t just react, you calculate. You weigh risk, reward, and timing; that’s not something most people your age do naturally. You’d do well… in more ways than one.”
I didn’t say anything, but I heard it.
I leaned back slightly, crossing my arms. “I’ll do well the legal way,” I simpered.
A faint smirk appeared on his face. “Again, you don’t have to do what I do, but you’re my only child. This isn’t just about business; it’s about legacy and making sure you’re protected from the inside, not just the outside.”
“I’ve survived just fine without being tied to any of this. If you really want to protect me, please don’t force me into a life that was never mine to begin with.”
“Ajori, a life like this doesn’t ask for permission; it finds you, whether you claim it or not.” Then he nodded. “But fair enough. However, one day you might see it differently.”
“And one day, you might see that I’m not here to live your life,” I countered.
He chuckled lightly. “Yeah… you’re definitely my daughter.”