Chapter 1
Allison rolled out of bed lazily when she heard a loud knocking on the large oak door of her bedroom. Yawning, she took her silk robe from the wooden rack at the left side of her bed. She took a quick glimpse at the digital clock on her computer table, which read fifteen past four in the morning.
Rubbing her eyes, she approached the door and made a loose knot on her robes before opening it, thinking whoever woke her up better have a proper reason.
“Alli,” called a familiar hoarse baritone.
A large figure emerged in her blurry vision when the door swung open. The hallways were dark, and if wasn’t for the light of the moon, she wouldn’t be able to recognize her father. He stood six feet and two inches, making her feel like a dwarf with her five feet and seven inches. He had thick, long dark wavy locks that were tied into a ponytail and stunning gray eyes. His shoulders were broad and looked strong despite his age. But what caught her attention was the change of her father’s looks. It was as if he had suddenly aged.
“Dad,” she whispered groggily. Her annoyance faded when she saw him smiling down at her. She jumped on her feet and gave him a tight hug. She hasn’t seen him for one whole season. And she missed him so much.
Allison had grown up in a glamorous lifestyle. Allison Farkas was the only daughter of Marco Farkas, the fifty-seven-year-old successful businessman. He raised her alone when her mother died after giving birth. She had chosen to study for college far from home, but Allison hadn’t known how very hard it would be to live so far away from her only family – her father.
When she was a kid, her father would always remind her to be a good girl and to follow the rules in their household – to not ever wander into the woods at the back of the mansion. Her family owned a large chain of estate properties, and the Wakerlin – the grounds around their old mansion – was the biggest. Allison always wondered what it would be like to see and explore the forest. But being the obedient child, she never dared to get near the place – not even once.
Growing up in a rich household had not been very nice. It’s not that she was ungrateful for her lavish life. But she felt lonely along the way. Because technically, she had grown up all by herself, with all the servants attending her. She had barely seen her father at home. But he was the only family she had. And she loved him.
“I missed you,” she murmured before moving away from her father, sniffing his familiar scent.
“Want to take a walk?” he asked, pushing the strands of her brunette hair behind her left ear.
With gleaming eyes, she nodded in response. She had a long flight back home from Australia, but she wouldn’t mind the jetlag. It was very seldom that she had the opportunity to spend quality time with her busy father. After all, she would have the entire summer break to get herself some rest.
“I’ll just get dressed. Wait a minute,” she said and skipped on her heels, closing the door shut again. Quickly, she slipped in her morning exercise attire – jogging pants, sweater, and running shoes.
It didn’t take five minutes, and she was already taking the pathways to the garden with her arm encircling her father’s. The moon was full and the stars were bright. And she felt happy and light.
“How’s school?” Marco asked. He had sent her to Australian University for her studies as her Aunt Mia lived there. But Allison never liked her, as she seemed more like a spy than her aunt.
“Great! My classmates were cool and my roommates were also nice. But…” She bit her bottom lip when she remembered failing a subject.
“But?” She heard him chuckle a little.
“But my professors weren’t really that nice,” she muttered shyly. She knew her dad understood what she meant.
“Of course, Princess.” He paused and heaved a deep sigh. “Not all people are nice.”
She crumpled her face. “I just wish they’d change a little.”
“Change is something we cannot control, Princess. People would change not because we wanted them to,” her dad answered meaningfully, making her grimace.
“Are you okay, Dad?” she asked, stopping in her tracks and facing her old man. He was staring up at the dark sky. And with the reflection of the moon in his eyes, she thought he was just acting like the wise man that he was.
He gave her a nod and a gentle kiss on the forehead before motioning her to continue walking. Just like that, they shared a comfortable silence for about an hour.
“Your aunt told me about the accident. You should be careful on the road, Princess,” her father said with concern in his eyes.
“Yes, Dad. I don’t know how this happened. I didn’t even get a chance to understand anything at the time. It was just so sudden, and I felt like someone pushed me to the middle of road. Thanks to that stranger,” Allison said as the horrific scene from that day again came in front of her eyes.
It was Allison’s last day at school. She was just a few meters away from the school gate, waiting for her classmate, and best friend, Joanna. While Allison waited for her friend near the school gate, she felt someone push her to the road. Her head hit the door as she fell. And the next moment, she was in the arms of a man, who rescued her from the road before a speeding car almost killed her. Her head was pounding and her vision had been so blurry that she could not see his face. All she could see was a man in black hat, big black glasses, and a long beard. The man put her on a bench nearby, and before she could understand anything, her savior had left the place.
“Yeah, I can’t thank him in words. God bless that person.” Her father said, hugging her.
When the first sun rays cracked the dark sky, her father kissed her hair softly. “Happy birthday, Princess,” he said, smiling down at her.
Feeling a rush of excitement, she felt her eyes growing blurry. “I thought you had forgotten again.” Her voice cracked.
“How could I forget? You’re my Princess. I love you, sweetheart. I’m sorry for being a bad father.” He wiped the tears away from her face.
