Chapter 35: Chapter 35

Lora accidentally bumped into Rodrigo on her way into the hall way that leads to her fathers’ study as she was not focused on where she was headed and so was Rodrigo who was burdened with the death of Camilla.

“Watch out miss!” Rodrigo said, quickly leaning forward so that he could catch Lora who was falling to the ground after they accidentally bumped into each other.

“Excuse me.” Lora said as she immediately stood back on her feet, her brows furrowed at Rodrigo because he threw the blame on her alone when they were both at fault here. The thought of what she is going to say to her Papa clouded her mind that she didn't see Rodrigo who seemed to be in a hurry and walking absent minded himself.

“Are you alright?” Rodrigo asked, gesturing with his hand after seeing how startled she had been and how she furrowed her brows at him too. He knew that she was Lucio’s and Camilla’s daughter and was mindful of her, he would not want to be responsible for her to be hurt and peering at her now he was guilty of being the reason for her mum’s death.

“Yes am alright, you should be careful too and watch were you are going,” Lora said, peering angrily at him, “is my Papa in his study?” she asked almost immediately, her tone a little harsh on Rodrigo.

“Yes, he is.” He replied, peering back at her too, he did not know that Lora had this fire in her but quickly reminded himself of whose daughter she was so he should not be surprised. “Excuse me,” Rodrigo said, lowering his head a little and then started walking away again as he needed to do the task he had been given to by Lucio. He left leaving Lora who was still peering hard at him, feeling uncomfortable with her stare because of Camilla.

Lora turned and peered after him, wondered why he was here this early and where he is off to in such a hurry. “Maybe to do her dad’s biding.” She thought, turning forward again and then walked on to see her dad.

At the door she took a deep breath before knocking on the door, to try and prepare herself to face her dad, knowing how he can be especially relating to the matter she had brought to him.

“Who is there?” Lucio asked as soon as he heard the knock, his voice sounded with furiousness as if the knock infuriated him. He has been restless since the news about Camilla and was very angry at the slightest of things.

Lora pressed her lips together as she felt a cold chill down her spine immediately after she heard her Dad ask who it was in such a tone. At this point she didn't know whether to turn back or continue with her quest but almost immediately again she shook her head and decided not to be scared away by the tone of her dad’s voice.

“I said who is it?” Lucio asked furiously again, peering at the door this time as he did not hear any response now wondering who it was.

“It is Lora, Papa.” She answered after her dad asked a second time.

Lucio sigh a little after he heard that it was Lora standing by the door, wondering what she wanted from him this early in the morning, he was getting ready to grab his gun that was hidden under his table as he thought that it was an intruder after Lora went silent for a while. “Come in.” He said in an authoritative tone.

Lora took a deep breath again and then slowly opened the door to the study and walked in, she became a little frightened as she saw her Dad’s face, he did not seem to look good at all and she could not help but think that he could still be mad his mum who was here yesterday. “how can he look like he had been in a fight with someone when it was his mum, a woman he had once had a relationship with?” Lora asked inwardly as she peered at him from where she was standing a few steps away from where her dad was sitting.

Lucio peered at Lora as she walked into his study taking note of how puffy her eyes were, she must have cried a lot, he thought and then tried to control his temper for her sake even though he found it hard to do “Yes princess, what are doing here so early this morning?” He asked scrutinizing her as he tried to guess what her reason for coming would be and he hoped that it was not about her mum, Camilla... “oh no,” he said inwardly, recalling that Lora was present when he had a fight with Camilla yesterday.

“Good morning Papa.” Lora said looking up at her father. “This is not the time to be afraid Lora, don't let him intimidate you with his facial expression.” She said inwardly as she braised herself up to stand up to her dad.

“Good morning…” Lucio replied, still scrutinizing her and taking note of the change in her, “what can I do for you young lady?” Lucio asked again as he rests his back on the chair he is sitting on and brought out a cigarette from his table drawer, he stared at Lora as if he knew what she was going to say now, then slowly lit the cigarette and started smoking.

“Yes go on, I am all ears.” He added and stretched out his both legs on the table, hoping he could make Lora uncomfortable so that she would lose courage to talk to him about Camilla since he does not want to talk about her now and especially not with Lora.

Lora fixed her eyes on the table, thinking of the best approach to her question, trying not get intimidated by her dad’s behavior right now as she gazed from his face to his legs that were stretched out in front of him. Her dad would never change she thought, his smoking habit is what she detested most and wished she had the power to stop him and she knew grandma Rosa also hate this habit of his, and to think that he is smoking this early baffled her.

“Well Papa it's about yesterday's...” she barely started her statement when her dad caught in, stopping her halfway and making her blood boil at the point where she knew that she would not just hold back anymore.