Why Lorie? Part II

Chapter 18: Aftermath

Josette stayed awake for the remainder of the night. She had been on too rough a rollercoaster ride to be able to sleep.  After spending up all of her tears, she dragged herself into the bathroom and washed her face with cold water.  When she inadvertently glanced in the mirror, her reflection revealed a ghostly woman with disheveled hair, a red, runny nose, ashy skin, and dark circles under swollen eyes. 

Josette gingerly eased the shirt off of her shoulder and examined her upper arm:  large, purple bruises were already appearing where Viktor had viciously dug his fingers into her flesh.  She winced as she removed her clothes, dropping them in a pile on the floor.  She remained in her long undergarments and plopped down on the bed, not bothering to change into a nightgown or to brush her messy locks. 

Josette stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours on end, replaying her fight with Viktor over and over in her head, until she came to an inescapable, bitter conclusion:

"He just wants a pretty little bird, inside a gilded cage, that he can control," she whispered, disappointment filling her eyes with a fresh pool of tears.  "He never loved me for who I truly am... he just desired me for my looks.  I was simply another adornment in his collection of followers.  And when I dared to defy him..."

It suddenly dawned on her how incredibly controlling Viktor really was.  Josette had never paid close enough attention before, and he had tried his best to hide that side of him from her. Viktor had almost succeeded in making her believe he was a kind and caring man... until that evening, when she saw him for the vicious, cruel monster he really was. The suspicions Josette had about Lawrence Danville's violent death started to become more and more plausible.

Josette thought about the way Viktor acted around his adopted sons, how he made every life-changing decision for them... even sending them to the other side of the world in order to serve his selfish purposes.

Viktor was like a master puppeteer, manipulating all those around him.  The fact that his sons were in their twenties, yet still lived with their father and had no other significant relationships in their lives should have raised a major red flag.  But Josette had been so blinded by Viktor and had desperately wanted to believe he was who he pretended to be.

She now deeply regretted having been dazzled by his impeccable manners and good looks, by his flattery and lavish gifts.  Josette wished she had never accepted anything from him, because it had only enabled Viktor to return to her time after time. On each occasion, he methodically chipped away at her resistance, convincing her that he was the right man for her.  He didn't stop until she moved away from her parents, and in with him... bringing her little daughter along.  Josette felt a sharp pang in her heart thinking of Lorie's adoration for Viktor.  Lorie called him her Papa.... and he had almost succeeded in securing that role for good.

In further analyzing her situation, Josette was suddenly glad that she had never completely given herself to Viktor.  That would have represented the ultimate surrender of her being.  She hugged herself tightly after pulling the satin coverlet on top of her shivering body.

"You'll never own me, Viktor Bartholy," she murmured bitterly.  "And you sure as hell won't change me."

She lightly ran a hand over her aching arm, thinking about his violent outburst.  It made her realize that her fiancée could be a dangerous man when angered.  She would have to be extremely cautious around him from then on.  Her thoughts immediately returned to Lorie.  Josette gasped and covered her mouth.  What if Viktor would try to hurt her daughter?  He always said he loved the child... but could she really trust him?  That new train of thought was more terrifying than anything.  Josette would have to ensure Lorie's safety as soon as possible.  She twisted and turned trying to come up with the best plan of action.