Chapter 2 He Knew His Daughter

• “In my heart, I believe that biology is the beginning and the end of everything. It's the biggest source of ideas, the biggest source of invention” Liam Brandon says, while the few audiences listened attentively. He was wandering at the podium, clad in a creamy turtleneck with a coffee brown coat, together with a blue slip-on encased in his feet. His biceps was slightly reflected, some strands of his black hair could be seen hanging to his forehead. He's a handsome god, a rakishly handsome god. He adjusted the pair of glasses on the bridge of his nose then continues, “Nobody can invent better than nature and so if you like nature is my biggest source of inspiration.” He concluded, then everyone clapped their hands, having their best smiles on their faces. It was obvious they all enjoyed his lecture. Liam Brandon had a warm smile on his face in return as he caught a feminine figure outside the hall, not just a figure but his one and only daughter. His smile deepened, revealing his cute dimples. On seeing this, Daniella's heart thumped wildly as she reciprocated her Dad's warm gesture with a casualty glare. Why would her Dad be showing his dimples in front of everyone?
• Daniella had been standing near the window, solely to examine the ladies in the hall, if they were not drooling over his handsome Dad. But just as expected, Daniella had caught some lust-filled stares from the ladies, checking her Dad from bottom to up. She had been seething inwardly, withstanding the great urge to stomp into the hall and plucked out their eyes from its socket, and now, her Dad was even showing his smile to them. How dare he?
• “How on earth would a man be as handsome as this man before us?” said a lady from the small crowd inside the hall. Her eyes had been on the young-looking lecturer since the lecturer had wandered into the hall. Her friend, who was sitting next to her chuckled before speaking up, “If I should say I discern all he'd just taught us, then that would be the cleanest lie I would ever tell” She conceded, prompting her friend to laugh out quietly, “Don't be ridiculous Clara, you do have a cute boyfriend too. And in case you've forgotten, Mr. Liam has an overprotective daughter here in our college, she's in the art department or something like that, and she must not even detect you are staring at her Dad” The lady whispered her last words, Clara nodded in acknowledgement. “I've heard this a fewer times too, I just didn't believe it. I mean, Mr. Liam is way too young to have a daughter in college already, don't you think?” Both friends stared at each other's faces for a momentary moment before bringing their eyes back to the lecturer.
• Liam left the hall after he was done with the lecture with his suitcase in his hand. Daniella saw that he was walking out of the hall, so she quickly came out of her hideout. “Good morning, princess” Liam greeted her cheerily, Daniella just scoffed, moving away from the entrance. Of course, Liam knew why his daughter wasn't smiling with him. He tenderly held Daniella's hand, staring at her face keenly. “What's wrong, Ella?” Liam asked softly. Daniella also stared back at her Dad, impeccable face, but looked away promptly. “You know what you do, Dad” She nearly yelled as she withdrew her hand from Liam's hold and began to walk away. Liam suppressed his thin lips in a tight line, fighting the urge to laugh. “Come on now princess, I really don't know,” He says, following Daniella in strides.
• Daniella abruptly halted her pace then turned around to face the grinning Liam, who tried to compose himself, but he was already caught. “Dad!” Daniella shrieked silently bouncing on her foot, Liam cracked up then moved closer to her, “I'm sorry Ella, believe me, it was an impromptu class, and it wouldn't be wise of me to disrupt your beauty sleep, you know” He winked down at her, Daniella's fluttered as her blood rushed hot in her veins. 'God, why did you have to make my Dad so good-looking?' Liam closed up the little space between them, his brown eyes watching his daughter approximately. Daniella wanted to peel her eyes away, but she couldn't, she had already become more vulnerable than ever. “Have you forgiven your Dad?” His words dropped to a husky whisper, still not daring to remove his gaze from his daughter's delicate face. His breath passed through the hair around Daniella's ear, it seemed he was flirting with her. There was already a great feud between his trouser and his manhood, 'this was his daughter for crying out loud, such can never happen between them' He sternly reminded himself, inwardly. “Mr. Liam” called a young lady, who was running towards them. Liam heard his name and turned his head to look at the caller, he narrowed his eyes as though he was trying to recall the face. The lady reached where both father and daughter were standing, panting like a dog.
• Liam smiles, seemingly, he had recognized the lady's face, then he asked in a soft and gentle tone, “Remind me your name again, please” The lady tossed her wispy hair that was hanging around her forehead behind an ear, then with a bright smile on her lips, she answered seductively, “My name is Grace, sir” Daniella frowned, fixating her eyes on Grace. She couldn't help but check her from bottom to up, then from up to bottom. She was a fair skin lady, wearing a blue sweatshirt with a pair of jean trousers, her feet were covered in white sneakers and her hair was combed in pigtails. “Oh yeah. So, how may I be of help, Grace?” Liam asked as a normal lecturer would ask his student. Grace put a pace forward, her gaze sweeping around Liam's beautiful face. “It's about today's lecture sir, I really didn't attain much from it, that was because I came late though, I didn't get the update about today's class soon” Grace explained, reaching out her hand to tug her hair, now and then. Daniella's eyes darkened, she couldn't contain the overpowering wave of anger that was radiating within her anymore as she flared, “Then how is that my Dad business, if you didn't acquire anything in class today, then go to hell, or you go find yourself some private teacher!” She stared at Grace fiercely, as if daring her to argue, but Grace's mouth was already hung open, she couldn't believe what she just heard. Her Dad? When she had seen Daniella and Liam together, she had originally thought Daniella was also like her, perpetually seeking a reason to always be with Liam but much to her surprise, Daniella was Liam's daughter? How's that even possible?
• Liam cracked up a smile face, he had quite expected such a reaction from his daughter, “Go wait for me in my office Ella, let me see how I can be of resource to Grace” Liam told his daughter in a light tone. Daniella, who had been busy, glaring holes into Grace's body heard these words from her Dad then swiftly raised her head to meet the eyes of her Dad, who was much more taller than her, she shook her head in objection, “That won't be necessary Dad, she doesn't need your help in either way. In fact, she arrived early at today's lecture, she's just looking for a way to flirt with you” Daniella emphasized the last syllables, throwing a deadly glare at Grace. Grace was beyond stunned by Daniella's words, but she couldn't show it. How did she know this? Has she been stalking her? Daniella was right, she was probably the second or third person who arrived early this morning, she loved to see how Liam walks into the hall, gracefully. Liam rubbed his forehead then called out his daughter's name again as he put his long arm around her shoulder, “I'll be right in the office now, I promise” He tried to persuade her, but he knew his daughter very well that she wouldn't compel. If he were to be seen around a man just like him, his daughter wouldn't have a problem with that, she would have agreed obediently. Grace watched both father and daughter, more like husband and wife, the palpitation in her heart didn't dissipate as she was obviously envious of Daniella. She thought in her mind that Daniella was really lucky to have such a handsome and cute man as a Daddy.
• “If you're not going to come with me now Dad, then I'm going back home” Daniella threatened, looking more serious. She had already put down her Dad's arm, Liam put on a glossy smile in an attempt to make Daniella smile, but she didn't, “Alright then, I'm going home” Daniella notified and then turned around to walk away, not after throwing one last dead glare at Grace. “Ella dear” Liam called out, but she didn't respond, her jaw and fist clenched as she strode away.