Like a dark storm, the scandal chased Rex Davies wherever he went. Bit by bit, it made people question the reputation and position he had incrementally built over such a long period of time. The struggle, the competition, even licks of failure—he had gone through it all after settling down in this country—and winning against them, he had acquired a fortune most people could only dream of. Now, because of his only daughter, he faced the threat of losing that.
His wayward daughter had created a dent in his decades of hard work. And some rubbish, nobody was an equal partner to that.
From the backseat of his car, Rex Davies looked out the tinted window and up at the apartment building. His bodyguard appeared in his line of sight and softly knocked once at the glass of the window. Rex rolled down the window, and with his usual solemn expression, the bodyguard informed him, "It's all clear, Mr. Davies."
It was only after hearing that Rex came out of the car and inhaled fresh wind, impending suffering, and dark conclusions in the mysterious twilight.
Still fully not daring to believe the guard, he kept his sunglasses on and his head down as he marched up to the steps leading to the entrance of the building. Those filthy journalists and paparazzi could be lurking anywhere around the corners, and in this upper-middle-class suburb, there were too many such corners.
He was disappointed that Victor Jones lived in such an area; he was further annoyed learning his background information.
Not even the most influential people found the courage to do what this boy, the size of a worm in his eyes, had done—stepping foot on Rex Davies' tail. If he started destroying this guy and everything he had, he would be done way too soon—because the damned guy did not have much, to begin with.
It would rarely sate his vengeance.
Nevertheless, it could not be possible for people who harmed Rex Davies to go unscathed—whether it was his wayward daughter or a foolish loser.
That's why like always, he had brainstormed a kind of punishment to be delivered to both of them served on the same platter. A punishment that would also diminish the bloody scandal they had started.
Ringing the doorbell, Rex waited with his hands in his pants pockets. He heard noises behind from the flat opposite Victor Jones' and glanced at the back of a woman in a long, black hoodie getting into the elevator.
The door in front of him clicked open.
"Mr. Jones," Rex Davies greeted the young man in his mid-twenties, looking back at him speculatively. The boy was tall and good-looking, which disappointed him a bit. The more he lacked, the more Rex Davies would have benefitted from his design.
There was recognition in the boy's eyes. Indeed, he had seen the videos.
"Do I need to introduce myself?" Rex asked.
Sighing, Victor moved sideways to invite him in, "Please, come inside, Mr. Davies."
Rex Davies smirked at the sight of the apartment. It was as tiny as a bird's nest. He stood in the middle of the attached living and dining area with the kitchen. From there, he could see another half-opened door through which a glimpse of a double bed—empty and thoroughly made. He was already aware of Victor's mostly non-existent dating life, so there were no mistresses. However, Rex had heard of his way too-chummy friendship with a colleague. Who knew what more was into it?
It was a wonder how much could be dug up about a person when a professional detective was set after him.
Without any effort or insistence on Victor's part, Rex Davies made himself comfortable on the sofa. He was aware of Victor studying him vigilantly as if a predatorial animal had arrived at his home unannounced—which must be just the case.
"I suppose you've gone through the hassle of finding my place and coming all the way over here because of the scandal circulating all over the media?"
Quite straightforward. Rex kept his calm as he did while sealing all his business deals. "Well, that's right."
Taking a seat facing him, Victor bent forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Joining his hands in front of him, he rolled his thumbs one around the other—a sign of evident nervousness. "I apologize for the entire thing last night that created such a storm in the media and caused you and your family distress—"
"So you regret it?"
"My way of delivering my thoughts, the place, and the situation were improper," Victor looked away. "But I don't regret my words as none of them were false."
"I see," Rex's look on him sharpened. What a fool! The boy was way too courageous for his own good. "Your words made everyone question how I raised my daughter."
"I—" Victor was beginning to say something.
But Rex cut in, "I agree I couldn't raise my daughter well." It provided him with satisfaction when Victor raised his brows in surprise. Now Rex owned the floor with a surprise element. He continued, "Mathilda—my wife died when Victoria was so young, so little. I had to raise her all by myself and also run an already expanded business. Sometimes, the pressure was too much that I perhaps failed to observe when she began to get distant from her teen days. She was dating left and right. Her behavior was gnarled. Then I tried to fix that self-destructive character of hers, but it never worked." As a demonstration of despair, Rex had leaned down like a weak man somewhere between his lengthy explanation.
He kept repeating in his mind that telling a lie for the greater good is no sin at all.
The look of nervous sympathy on Victor's face made him laugh mentally. His face was neutral, however.
"I'm still worried about how she's still hopping from dating one man to another—breaking all of their hearts who dare to win hers," Rex said. "The last one was Adi. She dumped him and ran away at the last minute—right before the wedding."
For some reason, Victor's eyes widened. He sat up straight.
Interesting! Rex thought and said, "I'm afraid my daughter is unable to commit to anyone. But when I was thinking of a way to entirely diminish the monstrous scandal both of you started last night—this prospect crossed my mind that could be the ultimate solution to fixing my daughter's life as well."
"Uh—" Victor staggered on his words, looking uncomfortable and confused. "What exactly is that?"
Rex smiled mysteriously. "Ah, I know you're quite intelligent to get already that it includes you. Otherwise, why would I've come to you and revealed all these?"
"How does that include me" Victor's voice was low.
"Marriage."
If truth be told, it was actually a punishment he would deliver to his daughter. However, for it to be the intended punishment, Victor must know a different version.
Victor's eyebrows furrowed. He remained quiet.
"You and my daughter getting married—isn't that the perfect solution to all the problems!" Rex's body went rigid to play his part well now. He was about to tame the wolf that would go wild now.
"Mr. Davies," the shock still fresh on his face, "until now, I've been feeling pretty sympathetic to you hearing your turmoils, but—" he paused and then suddenly blasted, "Are you freaking insane?!"
"I'm perfectly sane, young boy. And as an antidote to the scandal, my daughter and your wedding photos will be spread out all over the media. Also, a clarification on your part will be attached with that saying that you have been a couple for a while and what happened at the night of the party was a lover's spat—"
"And what made you think I will go with all these willingly?" With each passing second, Victor had been increasingly turning agitated.
Rex crossed his leg in a manner to establish dominance with signs. "You will, young man, you will," he let a flash of his worst shine in his eyes. "Or I'll destroy the business you're slowly building."
Victor stiffened. He remained quiet.
"If that is not enough, I've someone stationed right in your hometown. Your mother and sister live there, right?" As Victor remained quiet with his face suddenly turning bloodless, Rex continued, pleased with the effects he was leaving on him. "Do you want him to go and give them a visit?"
Victor punched into the handle of the sofa he was sitting on. "Don't you dare!"
Nevertheless, Rex did not even flinch. "I definitely will," He stood up calmly. "If you don't fix the mess you've made."
"Will you trust your daughter to a complete stranger?" Victor was seething.
Rex chuckled. "I've done all the background checks necessary. I know you more than you know yourself," which was partly true. "Your straightforwardness can be the only thing that will tie her wild soul. Come on. You two will be happy together."
But in his mind, he was sure they won't, which was just what he targeted.
He had to spend some more time taming the boy. Finally, when he walked out of the small apartment—victorious, the boy was defeatedly resting his face in his palms, bent down, and mentally beaten out of all his might.
Next, he made a trip to her daughter's new place and waited inside his car outside the building.
As much as he had known his daughter's daily patterns in recent years, he could say for sure that after last night's chaotic happenings, she would sneak out with that despicable camera of hers. Such heinous habits for a woman in her youth! His dear sister Regina always regretted it as much as he did. He had failed to establish his family values in her.
Just as he had guessed, Victoria trailed out of the building entrance and started walking along the pavement. When she was about to walk past his car, he snapped the door open.
She was startled and looked at him.
"Get inside," he ordered in his most grave tone.
She was hesitating, her fingers picked at the edge of her shirt. And she was perhaps contemplating disobeying, looking like a little child.
Rex's blood boiled as it always did in the past whenever she had pretended this—this stupid look. It was all a bloody act on her part—antiques she developed that looked like filth. He so wanted to break her hand when she did all these fiddling or biting her nails and things like that. But hell, he had to control himself. After that all-destructive scandal last night, he couldn't afford another, which included his daughter needing psychotherapy for whatever reasons.
Her eyes were beginning to get glossy. Perhaps, she had noticed his escalating fury. God, she knew him so well.
As she slowly got into the car and sat beside him, he signaled to start the car.
No one could get unscathed standing against Rex Davies. Even his own daughter would be no exception, even though he had been patient with her for way too long because of the same blood they shared.
The ride was a silent one for nearly fifteen minutes. They reached his house, a three-story mansion, reflecting well his affluence and social standing. He hoped his daughter could be like this.
Victoria followed him in silence, and soon they were seated in the dining area. While his daughter sat on one of the chairs at the long table, Rex busied himself, turning on the coffee machine at a counter against the wall, not far from where she was.
"I must say you've outdone yourself in disappointing me." Without asking her if she wanted one, too, he started pouring coffee for both of them. Walking up to her, he placed a mug in front of her on the table.
She remained silent and just stared at the steam coming up out of the mug.
Dragging a chair, Rex slowly sat down, facing her. "Now, how do you plan to fix the mess you've made?"
She blinked, and there was a slight movement on her face as she changed the point she was staring at like a God damn statue. Of course, she had no answer.
"Haven't you found any?" he paused as if to wait for her non-existing reaction before proclaiming, "Well. But I have—an impeccable one at that."
And she looked up, finally for the first time after entering the home he had raised her in. It was the same home she had gradually turned into this tainted human being. None of his disciplinary actions even had any permanent effect on her. Nevertheless, this one at present certainly would.
"You're getting married," he announced suddenly. "Tomorrow."
There was a long couple of seconds of silence before Victoria spoke for the first time that night, "I've told you I'm not going to marry Adi—"
"Devasted by your betrayal—"
Her face contorted in surprise, "My betrayal!"
He raised his voice and continued, "He had already gotten engaged with a far better woman than you—a princess from their neighborhood province in India."
Seeing the instant look of ease on her face instead of remorse or humiliation, his blood boiled. His resolve became more robust to deliver what she deserved.
And then her eyebrows furrowed in question the next moment. "Then who..." she trailed off, perhaps not wanting to use the words.
Good.
"Victor Jones— " his lips curving up in a smile, Rex provided. "You're going to marry him tomorrow, my daughter."
He had taken out the choice from her undeserving hand.
He had established her character as a disgrace to her husband's eyes as much as she had been a disgrace to her own blood.
Victor Jones would never love her.
For turning out to be a taint on the family's skin, Victoria Davies was sentenced to live with and suffer her husband's malice forever.
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Word Count: 2265
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A/N:
The antagonist's POV seemed much needed to me at this point of the story. We needed to see what's been going on in Victoria's daddy dearest's mind.
Let me know your views.
The next chapter's going to be a dramatic one.
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Love,
Lara.