"No!" was my dad's reply. I had expected it but for some reason, it still stung in the depths of my heart.

"But Dad," I said in my most whiny and grumbly voice. "This is very important to me. I promise as soon as this is done, I'll never come back to bother you again." I even added a very serious and pleading look to top it all.

If there was one thing I could read from my father's expression, it was that he didn't believe me.

"And I said no, Leia." He said after an exasperated sigh. "Come back home, then maybe - just maybe - we might be able to help you."

My countenance changed and I unconsciously steeled myself. He had asked for the impossible now. There was no way I was going home. That was where my mother was. And she hated me with a passion.

"You know that's not going to happen." I told him sounding very definite and final.

My dad let out an amused chuckle. "Then say goodbye to the funding for your little school then. I hope you know that the location where you've founded your little playhouse is desired by many realtors. The owners won't hesitate to sell if they find a good offer." He said in a very business-like tone.

Well thanks Dad for reminding me about my major problem. Heaven knows that if it wasn't for this problem, I wouldn't even be in his office today, listening to him reject my pleas for the millionth time.

I should have known better than to come here anyway. He had made his stand known and I would respect it. I picked up my purse from the seat in his office and slung it over my shoulder, turning my back to leave.

I was going to find a way. I didn't need his help.

"Leia, don't be stubborn." His words stopped me in my tracks. "You're so much like your mother you know. You let your ego cloud your judgement. Just come back home and everything would be sorted. You could have your trust fund even -"

I turned to face him slowly, my fist clenched. "At what cost, Dad? At the expense of my happiness? My dreams?"

"Dreams will get you nowhere Leia. This is reality. You need to face it."

"No. I'd rather be stuck in a happy dream than in your miserable shadow. You don't have to help me. I don't need your stupid trust fund money. Shove it down your throats if you will."

My father banged his work desk in anger. "That is not how you talk to your parents, Leia! In case you've forgotten, your mother and I have sacrificed a lot to make you who you are today."

"Yeah. Your perfect little prodigy whom you can drive around like a puppet." I added with a scoff. "I haven't forgot. I'm grateful for it."

I saw my dad take in rapid breaths. He was trying to calm himself from his angry outburst. He wasn't in the best of health and here I was making it worse. What an unfilial child.

When he had calmed himself, He began in a more composed voice." I've made myself clear to you. When you come home, you'll get the money for your school. Am I clear?"

"Like crystal." I muttered to myself and stepped out of the office.

Outside the building of my parent's law firm, I was greeted with the harsh summer sun. I hailed a cab and went in the direction of my school.

I wished the cab ride would last forever as I saw the houses and trees and people pass by.

As a kid, I would imagine a lot of fake scenarios in my head anytime I was in a moving car. But today, I felt too exhausted and defeated to do that.

My hopes of paying off my rent for the property I was using to run my school had been dashed. It felt like my dreams had been tied to a rock and thrown into an ocean, never to rise again.

I had hoped my father would help. He was the only reasonable and sane parent I had. The other one was a psychopath who only wanted things to be done her way.

They want me back home but I could never go back, because if I did, I had sold my freedom. I would never be my own person, just who my parents wanted me to be and that was not a life I would like to lead.

I would be the prim and proper heiress of my parent's million dollar law firm who would uphold their impeccable reputation before the whole world and then go on to marry an equally upstanding rich boy to ensure the continuity and growth of our businesses.

Never!

I would find a way on my own. Even if it meant I had to become a servant, or a waitress or something. Surely my parents would be livid that I was wasting the fancy education they gave me. But anything that enraged them, made me happier.

By the time I had returned to the school, the youngsters had already gone to their homes for the day. My trusty assistant, Ellen was packing up and arranging the classes so they could be in order before the next day's class. We couldn't really afford cleaners and were quite content to do the cleaning and rearrangement ourselves.

When she saw me, Ellen smiled, wearing a hopeful expression. I also had to hide my disappointment because I didn't want to bring down her spirits.

"Miss Leia. How did it go?"

I tried a smile for her and I was worried it might look like a grimace. "It was fine, I guess."

"Did your father agree to give us the funding?" She asked, her brows raised in expectation.

I shook my head slowly. "Not exactly. He wants me to come home first."

Ellen bit her lip. "You're not going to do that, are you?"

I shook my head again.

Ellen had a thoughtful expression for a moment, then she stood up and went to a cabinet in the room to pull out a white and gold envelope.

I was expecting a ton of mail, but this didn't look like any of them.

"This came in for you earlier." She gave it to me and I observed it curiously. Then I opened it and read it. The contents made my lips curl into a wide smile.

This was exactly what I needed.