"Hello," I spoke into the phone as I took a break from the constant rush of meetings since morning.
"Ruby..." My hands trembled as the familiar voice reached my ears. I didn't understand if it was from anger or desperation for closure. Being in a dilemma about whether I should hand up the phone or ask him questions about how he left me alone and miserable all these years, leaving me to collect the scrapes of the debt he had taken from so many. I wanted to shout and scream, maybe even throw the phone till it shattered completely. But instead, I kept quiet.
"Ruby sweetheart I know I haven't been the best father-"
Shut up. Shut up. Don't be all sweet to me all of a sudden. I am suffering enough. I don't want to hear from you.
Before I could hang up the phone, he promptly said, "Please don't hang up. This might be the last I will talk to you."
"W-why now?" I struggled to form a sentence with the lump in my throat.
"All I ever did to you was to protect you. I love you sweetheart and I'm sorry. I might lose my sanity staying here but before I forget it, please run away dear. Please run away. Don't let anyone know you're my daughter.-"
The line abruptly cut off.
"Hello?! Hello?!" I cried on the phone only to be responded to with a beep of the cut line.
I could hear my heartbeat in my eardrums. I wanted to get out of this skin, I wanted to escape this situation, this confusion, this labyrinth I entered. I wanted to end it. I quickly rushed towards the bathroom and splashed water across my face.
'Don't let anyone know you're my daughter'
***
"I need you to access a location," I said, avoiding eye contact with Theodore. I couldn't show my desperation. He would only use it to get back at me.
He raised his brows and looked at me intensely. "For?"
I took a deep breath and said, "Theodore."
"I'm listening, kitty."
I winced at his remark about me but I continued regardless. "How much do you know about my father?"
His ears seemed to perk up. He smirked and said, " Curious all of a sudden?"
"Curiosity kills the cat, kitty." He smiled looking into my eyes.
"Don't worry this situation is already doing me that favor. He called and he seemed desperate. I need to access his location" I replied. I shook my head and said, "Answer me, Theodore."
He looked at me from top to bottom. He clicked his tongue and took a deep breath. "Too bad. You're not convincing enough."
When he was about to turn away, I grabbed his hand tightly and pulled him back, keeping a few inches of distance between us.
"I need answers, Theodore," I said glaring at him.
He glanced at my hand gripping his tightly and looked back at me. "You are quick with your hands. Wonder what else you're quick at?" He smirked.
I could sense his other fist flying towards me so I quickly dodged it and immediately I swung my feet aiming at his face. He leaned back a little and struggled to grab my ankle. I grabbed his knee while he was busy holding my leg. He stumbled and fell on his back. As soon as his grip loosened, I rolled and stood up on my feet.
I panted and dusted off my shirt and turned to look at him. He sat up on his elbows and looked at me. "Impressive."
"What's gotten into you all of a sudden?" I said, glaring at him.
"Just checking something." He stood up and cracked his neck.
"What exactly were you checking?" I crossed my arms and glared at him.
"Trained in martial arts?" He said analyzing my body. "Like always you're full of surprises." His remark caught me off guard.
"Do you hear yourself?" I scoffed, trying to brush off his remarks.
"You think you can fool me, Ruby but you can't." He chuckled.
"I feel like you are hiding more than I am."
"You never tried to uncover anything unlike me." He squinted his eyes and his lips twitched to a sly smirk.
I walked towards him, "Now let's not waste more time." I sighed and looked at him sincerely, "Please, Theodore."
He raised his brow, taken aback but not for long. "You know how to make people do you favors with that look." He ran his thumb across my cheek.
He sighed and sat on a chair. "Victor wants your father to die, not only that he wants to remove anyone related to him."
"But why...?" I caught the table to hold me up.
"Only they know what's between them." He shrugged. He stared directly at me and said, "But by now you should know who's on your side and who's not."
I took a deep breath as I tried to analyze the situation. "Tomorrow. We have to go to meet father." My legs were getting limp from dear and the frustration I was feeling. I got on my knees and grabbed his hand. "Please get his location... Please"
He gently stroked my hair and looked at my vulnerability- it was as if he was enjoying it. "I will, kitty."
***
YOU ARE READING
The Grand Viper
Mystery / Thriller"I will kill him and make sure it isn't an easy death." She said to herself. Ruby Gunn's seemingly normal life shattered into pieces the day her mother died in front of her own eyes. Life hasn't been the same for her since then. Believing that her...
