Chapter 6

Lily blinked her eyes in confusion after hearing her father's last statement. She wondered why Liam had called him and with the look on her dad's face, she wondered what Liam could have said to her dad to make him look serious and tense in front of her.

She folded her arms across her chest, "Liam called?" She said rhetorically. "Why?" She asked.

"What's wrong Princess? Is there something you are not telling me?" He asked him, making Lily wonder. Her father was looking at her with worry and concern and it confused her.

"Dad, I am confused. Is anything wrong?" she asked him.

Her father looked at her perplexed as the skin between his brows creased. Liam had called him to tell him of Lily's mood today and now Lily was acting all fine and that made him worry if she was hiding something in front of him.

"Princess is something going on that you cannot tell me about? Do you want something or are you in trouble?" He questioned.

Lily chuckled lightly, "Wait dad, what's going on and why the so many questions?" She asked him as he was starting to bother her with his words.

"Liam called." Her father said.

"And?" She questioned.

"He said you were moody all day and you were disturbed by something and he couldn't figure out what that was." He tells her and she sighed.

It was good of Liam to put her into consideration and think of her well being but he shouldn't have rushed to tell her dad she was moody all day.

Knowing her dad, he was quick to cry whenever she was hurting or whenever she was sad. She knew how much her dad loves and care about her which is why she doesn't try to bring too much trouble for him although she does make him hurt as wouldn't let guards go around with her for her safety.

"Dad, I'm fine." She assured him but he wasn't sure if he should believe her.

"Really? Are you sure Princess, you know you can tell me anything."

Lily's face palmed herself. "Dad you are just working yourself up. I am fine, I mean take a look at me." She said getting up from her bed. She turned around for her to take a look and he sighed in relief.

"That God." He gasped.

"Dad," Lily called in a whisper as she squats in front of him. She hates seeing him sad or hurt. Her father is her superhero. He had always provided everything for her and made sure she was comfortable. She grew up with her dad playing the role of a mother and a father at once and he executed the role perfectly.

"Dad, why are you so worried?" She questioned with concern laced on her tone. His eyes were teary already. When Liam had called to tell him of Lily's mood and how she had slept all through the day, he had thought at first she was on her period which Liam confirmed and that he could tell she was disturbed.

He thought maybe he might have offended her or haven't asked her what she wanted because he always did and he couldn't remember when last he asked.

"Nothing Princess. I'm just worried. But it's fine now that you are fine." He said.

"Dad, please don't cry. If anything is wrong with me, I'd be sure to let you know and maybe my mood was sour earlier but I'm past that now." She assured him.

He smiled. "I'm glad to see that."

Her father was quiet for a while and from the way he looked, she could tell that he wanted to say something to her. "What is it? Speak." She said to him.

"Lily, Liam came to me and he asked for my permission to officially pursue you."

Lily wasn't surprised by her father's words as she knew Liam liked her but she wasn't ready to reciprocate as her heart belonged to another. She always felt bad whenever she thought of Liam and his affection for her and how she couldn't reciprocate back.

"Liam is a good man. I see the way he looks at you and he really cares and I'm sure he would be able to give you everything just like I do." Her father said.

Her father didn't understand when it came to the heart, it wasn't by what could be given to the owner but by what could make the heart beat. There was no doubt Liam could take care of her but she didn't want Liam and she wanted another.

"Dad..." She called.

She wanted to ask him a few questions and to see how he'd react to it. She had wanted to ask him what matters to him most when it came to her.

"Yes princess." He answered.

"If I like someone of a lower status and decides to marry him, would you agree?" All the while she spoke, she looked into his eyes.

Lily was never afraid to tell her dad anything or ask him a question.

Her father wondered where all the questions were coming from and he was taken aback by it. "Is there something I do not know about Lily?" He asked.

Lily smiled. "Just answer the question."

"What matters to you most when it comes to me? Would you support me irrespective of my choice or would you do anything to make sure your decision is enforced on me even if it would hurt me?"

Lily's questions were deep. Her father knew she was quite outstanding for her age and she had a lot to offer but from the way Lily spoke, he could tell there was something going on in her life that he didn't know.

"Do you like another?" He questioned.

Lily bit her lips whilst wondering if she should tell her dad the truth or not. She wanted to tell him but Chris' words resurfaced in her head. 'You do not know your father as others know him. To you, he might be the kindest but to others, he is ruthless and a man who would do anything to get his way."

"Lily," he father called.

"No dad. I just wanted to know, answer me."

Her father cupped her face with his hands. " Lily, my child. You can come to me and tell me anything, be sure that your dad would do anything to make you happy." He kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight." He said.

"Goodnight dad." She replied.

He got up on his feet and walked out of her room. Lily heaved a sigh of relief.

She had forgotten Chris was in the room until he came out with a relieved facial expression.

"What did he come for?" Chris asked. He had not heard her conversation with her father and even if he had wanted to and he was to put his ear on her door, he wouldn't have.

She shrugged, "Nothing special. He just came to say hi to me. It's been a long time since we had a father's daughter chat." She said although it wasn't true, it wasn't a lot either.

"Oh, thank God he didn't catch up. I would be ready to meet my dead parents."

Lily chuckled. "You won't die. He won't kill you and stop being so scared of my father. I mean you are making him look bad and he is not." She reprimanded lightly.

He laughed sarcastically. "That's your father and he is not mine so you won't really understand."

Lily rolled her eyes, "Goodnight." She said.

"Goodnight." He said and left her room.

As soon as he left, Lily's phone beeped.

'Hey Lily, I hope you are fine now. Goodnight.' It was a message from Liam. She got her heart sank when she read his message, he was doing much for her yet she couldn't reciprocate and she felt bad.

She thought of telling him but she was too selfish to let him go and she didn't like that. She quickly typed in a rely for him before she fell asleep with so much on her mind.

Lily's father couldn't let go of the thought that his daughter could be seeing someone and the questions she asked him made him believe she was indeed seeing someone.

Lily wasn't one to speak on behalf of people unless it involved her and with the attitude she gives whenever he mentions Liam was another proof that she was keeping something away from him and he wanted to find out what that is.

He paced around in his room thinking of what to do and how to separate Lily and that man without it being known that it was done by him. He could tell the man was of lower status because if he was a man of the same status as them, Lily would have introduced the man to him.

He needed to know who the man was and so he walked towards his landline and dialed a line.

"Please send in Christopher." He ordered and the person on the other line obeyed.

After a while Chris was standing at the door of Lily's father with worry.

He wondered the reason for the urgent summoning at night for him. It was unlikely for Mr Anthony, Lily's father to summon someone at such a late hour of the night.

He knocked on the door and in less than five minutes, he got an answer from the man. "Come in."

Chris twisted the door knob and made his way into the room of Mr Anthony. It would be the first time Chris is stomping his foot into Mr Anthony room.

The entire wall in the room was painted with the colour black. The curtains were all closed making the room much darker but one could see with the help of the lamplight.

Mr Anthony who was seated on his bed got up from his bed when Chris entered his room.

"Good evening sir," He greeted with his head bowed.

Mr Anthony nodded his head in acknowledgement. His hands were at his back as stared at Chris.

"You call for me?" Chris said after a while.

Mr Anthony cleared his throat, "well, yes I did. I called you." He confirmed.

"You have been my daughter's bodyguard for quite some time now and I'm sure you go everywhere with her and you see the people she interacts with, right?" He asked and Chris nodded his head in confirmation.

Chris wondered why the sudden question and what Mr Anthony's aim was. The thought of it baffled him and he hoped he had not by chance offended him.

"Yes sir. Is there a problem?" He asked.

Mr Anthony sighed. "Well not much. I are just curious." He said.

"Curious? Curious about what sir?" Chris asked.

"My daughter's keeping a few secrets from me which I do not find suitable and I want you to help me find out."

Chris was taken aback by Mr Anthony's words . The fact that he wanted him to be a spy for the girl he had affection for was hard.

"What is it you want me to find out for you sir?" Chris asked.

"I have a strong feeling that my daughter is seeing someone. And it is not just anyone but someone that I wouldn't rate." He said and Chris' heart jumped.

The way Mr Anthony spoke about this certain man which he knew was himself made his heart race faster than normal. How did he come to find out, Chris thought.

"I want you to find out who this man is and what he does. Or perhaps, you know him right?" Mr Anthony raised his voice in a questioning manner making Chris panic.

The way Mr Anthony stared at him mortified him as he was speaking to him as if he knew he was the one in his daughter's heart and he wasn't sure if he should be calm.

"Okay." He said.

"You know him?" Mr Anthony asked and Chris quickly shook his head.

"No sir, I do not." Chris denied.

Mr Anthony sighed. "Hmmm. If you say so. I want you to watch her from now on and give me feedback soon. I need to know who this certain man is."

"Yes sir. I will do as I am told." Chris spoke looking unfazed.

After that, he left the room in worry.