Ella

I stared at Yixings car drive away into the night. He’d been so abrupt in dropping me off home that I never got a chance to ask him what was going on. However in all honesty, I wouldn’t be able to handle any more revelations. I trudged into the apartment complex and climbed the stairs to my small flat, not bothering to take notice of my surroundings.

‘’Finally decided to show up did you?’’ His gruff baritone, laced with disappointment, bellowed across my apartment floor. I could recognise his tone in a crowd of millions and still cringe with the same intensity.

‘’Why are you here father?’’ I replied, turning around to face him. Grinning, he came closer to where I stood.

‘’You haven’t deposited a single penny for months, our bank accounts are running short, dear.’’ He clucked his tongue as he addressed me, the smell of alcohol flooding my senses. The cold wooden entrance to my flat seemed to be my only source of support for the impending conversation.

‘’I had to take a flight all the way to New York just to remind my precious daughter of her filial duties.’’ He slurred as I backed away from him. ‘’Your mother and I have given you so much in life, so many opportunities, and you treat us like this? As if we never existed? I should’ve disowned you that night when I’d caught you with that boy. Throwing him into jail yet keeping affiliations with you, it was my worst mistake. Your little scandal ended my political career!’’ His speech was broken yet his thoughts were as clear as they had been for the past few years. I was the cause of his downfall. My parents hated me with every bone in their bodies. I figured, sending them part of my earnings as a doctor would help maintain our relations. My thoughts were a joke. Their demands increased with every monthly deposit I made, the stakes of their drunken bets rising higher every day.

‘’You’re drunk father. Go back to your hotel. We’ll talk when you’re more aware of yourself.’’ I replied, pulling every joule of energy from my body into that one sentence.

‘’Drunk? Who’s drunk dear daughter?’’ He said, his fingers tracing my cheeks. I pulled myself back into the door in fear as he grabbed my chin to keep me in place, his hands icy against my skin.

‘’If I don’t get that deposit into my account by tomorrow morning, I’ll make you pay for every little favour I’ve endowed upon you as a child!’’ He whispered into my ears. My eyes closed at his voice, knees trembling with fear as he pushed himself away from me.

‘’I don’t have any more money to give you father! Just stop! Look at yourself! What have you become!’’ I screamed, the stress of the evening and his most recent threat caused my brain to fly into overdrive. The adrenaline rush hit me with full force as I attempted to salvage the little amount of respect I had for myself.

‘’How dare you raise your voice at your own father!’’ He thundered, his eyes