"Touch av lyxwas never my dream," I continue. "I always wanted just one thing: to be loved by you. Today, I realize that I'll never get that as long as you can't love me for who I am."
"What are you talking about?" Father rolls his eyes to the ceiling, then studies me. "Are you using drugs again?"
I shake my head. "No, Father, I'm not. And do you know why?" I see from his expression that he has no idea. "Because back then, I only needed them to escape the cage you locked me in, at least in my mind." His affected smile disappears. "And in the past few months, I've found the only real key to that cage."
I am free. Free to go wherever I want. Free to dream of whatever I want. And free to love whomever I want.
His mouth opens and closes, but not a word escapes his lips.
Adrenaline surges through me to the tips of my hair. I feel more alive than ever before, a thousand times more liberated than in a drug-induced haze.
"Now, I have to go—the show is waiting," I say, taking a step to the side to pass him.
As I'm almost past him, I feel his hand on my upper arm, restraining me. It's warm, yet a cold shiver runs through me from his touch.
"I’ll warn you one last time. Go wherever you want, but go. Right now," he whispers forcefully. "If you bring your design to the runway, you will regret it bitterly."
Coldness spreads throughout my entire body. I turn my head to him. "What does that mean?"
Slowly, a triumphant smile creeps onto his lips. "My lawyers will destroy you," he says, and I know it's the truth.
He would do anything to cleanseTouch av lyxand himself from any scandal. And a daughter who suddenly turns against her father is a damn big scandal.
"You won't get a single penny from me anymore. And I'll take back what you've already taken from my money," he says, his gaze colder than the coldest winter night. "Is that what you want, hmm? Because of something that a tabloid hack convinced you of, who's only after your story?"
He's wrong.
Or is he?
I feel my strength waning. How does he manage to still control my thoughts?
"You mean nothing to him. Once he gets what he wants, he'll drop you," he adds with a strained breath. "And then you'll have nothing. No money, no arms to run to. No life."
The thought of that future makes me dizzy. But what's the alternative? Becoming his puppet again? Hiding, letting Kjell go, and living his lies for the rest of my days?
No. He's just trying to manipulate me again. Just as he always has. But he won't succeed this time. Not anymore.
"Wrong, Father. I mean nothing toyou," I reply with the last ounce of strength I have. "That's what you've just proven."
With those words, I tear myself away from him. Just one more minute with him, and his poison would seep too deep. It would paralyze me, I'm sure of it.
Without paying him any more attention, I storm past him and march toward the alcove where I suspected Inga would be earlier.
She's gone.
Maybe she's found our dressing room by now? Either way, that's the first place I need to check.
I can barely bring myself to look at my watch, but I have to. So I pull my phone from my pocket and light up the display.
I stop abruptly.
There's a message from Inga.
Can't make it. Sprained my ankle on the way to the show. Sorry.
I read the message over and over again. But my mind is only slowly comprehending what it means.
Inga won't be coming.
