For the last many years, Victoria had heard this voice, and fear was the inevitable feeling that forever followed. Next came disgust. She felt disgusted by her father, her fate, and how she was always subdued by him.
The same feelings surfaced this time as well.
However, something else had also risen within her.
She had dared. And she had got a taste of blood in the war. Now, there was no forgetting that.
As per her father's warning, she didn't cut the call, but it was not because she was scared of him. It was because she was finally ready to face his bulshit and end his dominance over her once and for all.
"I've been incredibly patient with your reckless attitude and evil actions over the years," Rex's voice was low and cold. And his sentences were as though they had a feral growl-like quality. "But you've crossed a limit this time, daughter."
Victoria's hold on the steering tightened. "No, father," she matched his tone. "I'm the one who's been suffering over the years because of your filthy psychopathic ways—"
His voice raised, "Victori—"
But she was not going to stop. Over his voice, she raised hers, "You made my life a living hell after Mom died. Your abuse ruined half of my life while your nonsensical rules and expectations and your malice remained with me like a haunting demon."
"You insolent—"
"I'm so done with you and your nonsense, Dad. You need to stop interfering in my life, or I will—"
"Or what?" Rex yelled. "You'll disgrace me through the media! Call the cops to ruin my business!"
Now, now—she frowned, confused beyond the limit. "Wait a second. When did I call the cops to harm your business."
"Don't pretend you didn't know Adi and I had some joined business ventures. You bloody hell knew it and did what you did intentionally."
Oh, boy. Did she mistakenly hit a jackpot by calling trouble on Adi?
She doubted her father would believe she was unaware he was involved in Adi's illegal business.
People would probably call it killing two birds with one stone. But hell, Victoria wasn't aware of the existence of the second bird at all.
"The men police caught today have opened their mouths..." It was like Rex Davies was muttering to himself at this point now. Perhaps he was gradually getting driven toward insanity. The most crucial question was if it was good news for Victoria.
"Karma never lets anyone escape, Dad," Victoria said softly--calmly. It was as though she was trying to search for and draw out if found any hint of goodness left in her father. "But it may be forgiving to those who wish to change—"
"So, you're going to lecture me on Karma now!" Rex bellowed. He took ragged breaths, and Victoria didn't know what to say to him anymore. There was no fixing her father. And so she was preparing to cut the call. But Rex started speaking again in a dangerously calm tone, this time, "What did you think, dear daughter? I will let you get unpunished for the devilish wings that you've grown?"
A chill ran down Victoria's spine.
The traffic was light. Victoria could see Victor's car in front of him. Suddenly, she wanted nothing more than to be with him at this very moment.
"What if I take away that one thing from you that has coaxed these wings to sprout free," Rex said, letting out a sadistic chuckle. "Yes, oh, yes. I guess that would be a punishment enough for you—something that you will remember for a lifetime. And you'll know not to mess with your father anymore."
Victoria's breath got stuck in her throat. She couldn't hide the tremble in her voice, "What do you mean?"
Rex chuckled again, perhaps catching the fear in her tone. "Your husband's driving alone in his car, isn't he? Keep your eyes pasted on him, dear, just like you've been since you started driving."
Victoria steeled. She almost hit the brake in the middle of the road. "Stop what you're planning to do!" she yelled. She looked out the window and checked the rearview. That damned man was following them! "I'm warning you. I'll never let you come out of jail!"
"If I'm going down, I'm going to take your most precious thing down with me, dear. You'll get the price of what you've done."
Victoria's entire face went red in fury and fear. "You're a disgusting psychopathic piece of shit!" she wailed. "I'm so disgusted that you're my father!"
But Rex Davies was as if past hearing her anymore. "I wonder how you would feel seeing his brain pop out from his skull when those humongous tires would run over him."
Humongous tires!
Run over!
God! No. No. No!
"Don't you dare!" Her ears rang.
"Watch your tone, daughter," he warned ferally.
"Please, don't," her eyes glossed over in fear. He was going to kill Victor. "Please. You can do whatever you want to with me," she begged. "Just please don't harm him—"
But her father had cut the call.
Panicked, her eyes searched for Victor's car, not knowing from which direction the devil would strike.
She called Victor. She prayed to God to stop his father in any way possible as Victor's phone rang on the loudspeaker.
He picked up, and his cheery voice sounded, "You miss me that much, Ria, not that I'm complaining that you want to keep talking to me on our way home."
She was constantly looking around for a massive vehicle—a truck or something, perhaps. "Victor—"
"What happened, Ria?" He must have sensed the panic and urgency in her voice. "Is anything wrong?"
There was no time to waste if she knew her father well. "You need to stop the car somewhere, Victor—"
"What? Why?"
"Just do as I say!" her voice was indignant. "Please, just pull over somewhere and get out of the car immediately—"
"I would have done what you said, but we can't pull over anywhere in the next five minutes."
He was not getting it. Anxiety gripped her from within. Her blood pressure was awry, too, perhaps, as the back of her neck started to ache.
Then, she saw it. The truck.
It was a crossroad of four streets they were going to pass by. The truck was coming from the vertical road in front of them, from the left. The vertical road had a red signal. However, for a fact, Victoria knew this truck would disobey the signal and hurtle over to Victor's fast-advancing car from the side.
"Ria, Victoria," Victor's voice felt like it was coming from a distant place. "What's wrong? Please, tell me!"
Despite being connected to her through the phone call, Victoria could see that there was no time to explain everything to Victor and then guide him to safety.
She needed to save him. And there was only one way she could think of how.
Resolve made her glossy eyes harden.
Her father was doing this because he was defeated by her. She was going to defeat him one last time now. Her love would forfeit all evil.
"Victoria! Please talk bloody Goddamnit!" Victor was yelling now as he drove.
"Victor," Victoria took his name softly. Her eyes were firmly trained on the truck as she slowly steered out of Victor's trail.
"Ria?" his tone was alarmed, although in confusion.
As guessed, the truck rushed forward, disregarding the red signal.
She bared her heart to the man who'd taught her how to truly live and live to be free. "I am glad you came into my life, Victor. I wish we had more time to be together..."
Victor demanded she clarify the meaning of why she was saying all these now and in such a melancholic way.
But Victoria put her focus on the most important step now. Victor would soon know anyway.
At a devastating speed, the truck reached close, heading straight to Victor's car from the left.
It was time.
She was scared, and she was trembling. Yet she could do anything for love—declaring war against a ferocious demon, facing her worst fears, dying.
Picking up speed, Victoria rushed forward and placed herself in the truck's way. All her focus was on shielding Victor, which she succeeded in. And she sucked in a long breath for the impact.
The truck crashed from the side with fierce force. The noise of the collision was vicious.
Steel and glass battered and pierced her. Something stabbed into her left leg. Her head crashed into the right. Blinding pain shot up her body. She screamed, yet no sound came out of her mouth. Or perhaps she was unable to hear anything anymore, even her own voice, over the sound of a stretched ringing in her ear. The truck still moved forward, she felt, taking her car with it. She hoped Victor had driven out of its way.
At one point, all the movements ceased.
There was pain all over—to the point she had never experienced before.
As trickling red liquid started to contest her vision, she closed her eyes tight. Red turned to black and then turned to a glowing warm white. Her limbs numbed.
Her lifetime flashed in front of her eyes. Moments and memories—all good and bitter ones. It was good. It was distracting her from the unimaginable pain.
Over the ringing in her ears, she heard someone bellow her name as though they were in pain, too. The person started crying and requested that she open her eyes non-stop. It kind of disturbed the flashbacks that had her distracted, which annoyed her to no limit. She wanted to scold the stupid person who was blaring this way.
But no sound came from her mouth.
And the person, without anyone's intrusion, carried on with his crying and yelling, now accompanied by the noise of sirens. The humongous ruckus was entirely uncalled for to her. And it was the last thing she could remember before she started to slip away into a comfortable silence.
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Word Count: 1628
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A/N:
Hello everyone,
I hope all of you're enjoying this summer to the fullest!
Victoria's love for Victor is so strong that she can die for him. Yet, standing before the face of death, someone is bound to get scared. Will death now separate the lovers at last?
Please don't forget to vote, comment, share! Fan/follow to get notified of my updates instantly.
The next chapter of And Then In Rained will be the last chapter of this story. Before it is updated, please let me know your views! I will be waiting to hear from you all.
Love,
Lara.