Those few words shattered Yao Tan's heart. He would not take this, he would protect his little princess. She had no idea what love was, and was simply infatuated with James. As of that he would not not be letting her go to Australia. He would keep her here under very strict controls to protect her while the investigation occurred.

"Get away from him Alecia," ground out Yao Tan "Or I will make you."

With that Alecia threw herself back in James arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. She snuggled her head under James' chin and turned her head responding, "No Daddy, I will not."

Yao Tan determined that the only way he could separate them was to forcible drag his daughter away, and started to move towards the couch to do so. Alecia gripped James tighter to prevent that.

"Sir, this is going to get no one anywhere. We need to sit and talk."

"I trusted you, and you have thrown that trust back in my face," spat out an angry Yao Tan.

"Daddy, he has not."

"Alecia, I do not give a care what you think." That frustrated Alecia as she was sick of everyone except James treating her like she was fragile and knew nothing.

"Dad, I am going to say this once" a determined Alecia said. "I have for years accepted that everyone, including you treating me like I constantly need protection. Yes, the first time that you allowed me to go with you to a society event I was attacked, but that could have easily happened coming home from a night out with friends."

"Daddy, you call me your princess, but unlike my brothers who have a normal life, you have isolated and sheltered me. Yes, we came into your life when you were fifteen, and are all grateful for you took us on when our mother abandoned us. You put your life with Amanda on hold for years for us, wasting time. I am not going to stand for you doing that to me in the name of protecting me to the point I have no life."

"Alecia …" pleaded Yan Tan.

"No Daddy, that does not work on me." Alecia was still as determined as she had been. "Yes, I will always be your daughter, but on Sat.u.r.day I, like my brothers turn 17 years. I must live my life, learn my lessons and grow from them. I have learnt a harsh lesson, but do you know what, being over protective as you have makes me feel trapped by what happened and not able to move forward."

"Daddy, neither you, my brothers or I am to blame, those who did this are. They were adults, I am a teenager and they should have protected rather than hurt me. I will never get over what happened, but the more you try and protect me, the more difficult it gets to keep that perspective and move forward with my life.

"Daddy, James sees me as I am, a real person with emotions and feelings, and respects what I want, not deciding without my input. That was what you were going to do. Yes, I want to spend time in Australia, but James made sure it was going to be my choice, not imposed."

Alecia paused observing the conflicting emotions on her father's face and continued "And do you know what, in less than twenty-four hours I have realised something. I must be me and follow my heart. I cannot deny what my heart tells me, and do you know what?"

With Alecia's pause Yao Tan was dreading what was about to be said, "What Alecia?"

"Daddy, I love you and I want to remain here, but my heart is telling me to do something. And I want you to agree and then help me along the way. I must take responsibility for the outcome. However, you put up roadblocks at every stage I will only resent you more and more, and we will end up without a relations.h.i.+p."

With that Alecia leaned up and whispered into James ear something, which Yao Tan could not hear. She then stood up, away from Yao Tan's grasp and moved into her bedroom and shut the doors behind her.

"I am guessing she wants you to tell me what she is after?"

"Yes sir. I have tried to persuade her from this course of action, but I fell in love with the brilliant vibrant woman your daughter is on sight and I cannot deny her what she wants. Her happiness and wellbeing are the only things I want."

"You sound so much like your brother-in-law." Suddenly something dawned on him. "d.a.m.n it, you want to marry her."