I come to my senses. There's no point in opening my eyes, but I do it anyway. It's dark around me. I lie there on the floor, hugging myself. Pain has spread throughout my body. Every little piece, every cell, every atom hurts…
“He didn’t agree to trade you for shares,” echoes in my mind.
I can focus only on this. Just this. Everything else becomes a haze. I don’t fully realize what these words mean to my heart. I don’t realize that it will be worth it to get out of here—if I manage to—and they will shatter it once and for all. Because knowing that Vlad will leave when it’s all over, since he doesn’t consider the marriage valid, even if he feels something—one thing. Then the disappointment would be completely different. But to know that after all the words and suffering, all the confessions and anxieties we went through—he won’t come for me, because I can’t compete with Milana—is different.
I slowly sit up. The cold has probably seeped even under my skin, as my body shivers from somewhere inside. There’s a stone in my stomach, pressing down and not allowing me to take a breath of the stale air. I feel for a bench with my hands and sit down, enduring the muscle pain. At least it’s not so cold on it. Thin rays of light pierce through the wooden boarded-up window, falling onto the floor in barely noticeable stripes, allowing me to see the dust motes in the air. So, it’s either morning or day. However, how much time has passed is unclear. How long I’ve slept, too.
I hear voices behind the walls of the carriage. The doors start banging and unlocking. On the threshold stands Dyklyi, holding a foil-covered oval-shaped dish in his hands. The smell of food instantly fills the air. My stomach responds to the aroma with a loud growl.
— The news isn’t good, Yuliana, — he states and walks inside, — Vlad is ignoring me. And his brother too. He hasn’t appeared at “AMB,” nor has the other one. I didn’t find your husband at home either, — he continues in a mundane tone. — I can’t even reach your mother! She must definitely know where those who were with her at court are! And you know, darling, — he says with mockery, — I am very angry and disappointed! They’ve abandoned you, my dear! Abandoned you like trash!
The man sits on the bench and examines me with indifference. He knows—I’m weakened—but he doesn’t know that I’m ready to flee even if I have to crawl.
— And you know, — he continues — this horrifies me! I can’t see my son! I can’t do anything because you’re garbage! No one, you hear, no one wants to give up what they have for you. The Saint and the Good have gained control of the business, Milana, their bitch sister, through whom all misfortunes began, does she even know who you are?! That you ended up in this crap because of her?! Your mom will soon receive part of my money and a restraining order! You see? For their comfort, you’re sitting here now, and I— — he begins to scream — am here with you!
He doesn’t give me food. He throws it at me, and pieces of potato, as it turns out, fall onto the dirty floor.
— Silent? — he huffs, a bit calmer. — Right. Shut up!
— You don’t have to, — I speak up. — If they're doing fine, wonderful. That’s exactly what I intended when I agreed to the deal with Vlad! — I hiss with hatred.
— Since when did you learn to respond? — mockingly.
— One person told me that the mute receives nothing from the world! — I cut him off.
— Better find a solution for getting your father’s shares back while you can still think.
— You’re not my father.
— I’m your stepfather. I raised you. — he hisses.
— You’ve destroyed me my whole conscious life. You broke me. You hit me. You tormented me! — I scream. — You are a monster to me, the one I’ve always feared. But not anymore!...
Dyklyi smiles crookedly. He looks sinister, as the light that reaches us from outside is gray, dim, and scant.
— Aren’t you scared?
I cautiously push myself a bit away from him, but I look into his eyes.
— No.
— Stand up, — he says after a pause.
— Why?
— Stand up, Yuliana! — he commands. He reaches for me with his hands, so I decide it’s better to stand up than feel his touches.
— You see? — with mockery. — Fear is stronger than words! Thanks to fear, you can control people! Strip!
I look at Dyklyi, stunned. He’s serious! There’s a mad glint in his eyes.
— I said, strip! — he bellows.
I step back further. I press my back against the cold wall and state:
— No.
— You have a choice, daughter, — he speaks slowly — either you strip, or I hit you and strip you myself.
I narrow my gaze. Hatred boils in my chest. Burning, heavy, full of darkness and the desire to destroy the man in front of me. It gives me strength. It pushes out weakness and makes me want to live despite everything!
— I don’t want to strip, — I say quietly but firmly.
— You will have to strip!
I bite my lip.
— Hit me. — I hiss.
— The Saint clearly hasn’t done you any good, — he grunts and takes a step, closing the distance between us.
I scream. I don’t want him to touch me with his dirty hands. Only this monster doesn’t care. He’s only interested in his own vile desires.
The man jerks my arms, grabs my shoulders, and slams me against the wall. Breath is immediately knocked out of me. My lungs constrict, as does my entire being. I clench my teeth and endure, stubbornly staring into his eyes and burning him with hatred.
Dyklyi huffs, throws me to the floor. I slide across it, feeling the pain. The ringing of a phone forces him to stop. He pulls out his smartphone from his pocket and, glancing at the screen, smiles in satisfaction:
— Well, you can lie down and rest for now. Perhaps not everything is lost yet. — he presses the screen and answers the call. — I’m listening to you!
I hear the voice of the Saint. I can’t make out the words, but I hear the familiar and so known tone. Vlad speaks calmly, confidently, and a lot. My stepfather’s expression doesn’t change throughout the conversation. On the contrary, he seems to be frozen in time. Then he starts shaking his head, as if agreeing with something.
They talk for a long time. At one point, the man leaves the carriage and cautiously locks it. I rush to the door and try to catch a word, but I hear only silence.
Hope, so burning, full of despair, anxiety, and anticipation, fills my body. Every crack, bruise, scar left by Dyklyi. I listen, trying not to hear anything but my heartbeat, and spitefully, only it beats noticeably in my temples.
— I waited a day for your decision, — my stepfather speaks through the door. — You’ve ignored since yesterday evening. I thought about how we could resolve our common problems? You hid your sister… My wife and son! Are you scared? And you don’t pity your wife? — he adds with mockery. — She could lie at any moment, like in the photo, only naked and in a pool of blood!!!
I exhale. It’s good that Milana is safe. She doesn’t deserve to go through again what she’s been through. Dyklyi would hardly spare her. And if something happened to her, neither Vlad nor Timur could cope with it normally.
— Your wife, Vlad, — my stepfather coldly hisses — is still alive. You’re a smart man, you know perfectly well that she can’t be saved without shares. The controlling stake is mine and I say where your Yuliana is. Otherwise, a wild hunt will begin. For all of you. I have enough resources!
I don’t know what Vlad replies, but my soul drops to my feet. If the Saint doesn’t fulfill the conditions, then what was before would seem like mere flowers…
— So, you don’t agree? — Dyklyi exclaims in surprise. — Your shares, your sister with you, and your daughter with me? — he says with mockery and sarcasm. — I’m surprised. You’re a creep, Saint. In business and in life.
Vlad says something more. But I stop listening. He doesn’t agree… After all, no. After all, he’s abandoning. Milana is closer to him; she is his sister. My mom and my brother are saved, just as I demanded in the deal which I didn’t even read, so I don’t know what other surprises may arise!
The door suddenly unlocks. I rise and back against the wall.
— Well, my dear, — the stepfather looks angry. Really angry. Enough to be frightening to look at. His face has darkened, eyes full of hatred and malice, fists clenched. — Vlad left you to me. He said to do what I want, he got his part, the rest doesn’t interest him!
I can’t breathe. I can’t make that damned inhale. Vlad has betrayed. Not just stuck a knife in my back, but twisted it three times and gutted my soul.