SIX MONTHS TO RUIN HIM

AN UNEXPECTED GOODBYE

VERONICA’S POV

“Dad, I’m home!” I screamed at the top of my lungs as I pushed open the front door.

But something was wrong, I couldn’t explain it.

There was a strange heaviness in my chest, and knots in my stomach.

The house felt different, quiet, too quiet, too still.

I dropped my bag by the door and hurried toward my dad’s room.

As I approached, I noticed the door was slightly open.

“Dad?” I muttered softly.

There was no answer.

I pushed the door open a little farther and peeked inside.

My dad was lying on his bed and for a moment I was a bit relieved he was okay.

At least, that's what I thought.

It was unusual for him to be lying down at that time of day, my dad was always busy.

Even when he was exhausted, he rarely rested during the afternoon.

“Dad?” I said again as I stepped into the room.

Still nothing… my smile slowly disappeared.

Something about the way he was lying there didn't feel right.

I moved closer, my heart beating faster with every step.

“Dad, are you sleeping?” Still no response, then I noticed his hand.

It was hanging loosely over the edge of the bed, my eyes moved slowly from his hand to his face, then I saw it.

My heart dropped to the deepest part of my stomach.

My father's eyes were open but… he wasn't breathing.

“Dad?” I stuttered once again but this time, it came out as a whisper. I rushed to his side in panic.

“Dad!” I screamed shaking him by his shoulders. Still nothing.

“Dad, wake up!” I said while pressing my fingers around his neck desperately searching for a pulse.

“Oh my God no!” I shook my head.

“No, no, no…” My hands trembling.

I placed my ear against his chest…Silence, there was no heartbeat.

I stumbled backward, nearly falling over the chair beside the bed.

“No…” The word escaped my lips again, but this time it sounded like a plea.

My father couldn't be dead, he couldn't, not him, not my dad.

Just yesterday, he'd stood in the kitchen while I complained about my terrible day at work, laughing as he told me that I worried too much.

"You're my strong girl, I know that because you’re my daughter and nothing is going to happen to me anytime soon." he said, I had believed him.

“Dad!” I threw myself onto the bed and grabbed him. His body was cold, too cold.

A scream tore from my throat.

“HELP!” I screamed as I ran out of the room.

“Somebody help me!” But there was nobody.

Our housekeeper was off that day, my younger brother was at school.

And suddenly, the enormous house that had always felt like home felt like the loneliest place on earth.

I grabbed my phone with shaking hands and called emergency services.

Then I called my brother but he didn't answer. I called again… nothing.

“Please pick up,” I whispered, my tears blurred my eyes.

“Please…” I cried.

I returned to my father's room and sat beside him, holding his cold hand.

I didn't know how long I stayed there. Five minutes, ten, maybe twenty.

Time seemed to pause.

Then something caught my attention… there was a strange red mark on his wrist.

I leaned closer, it looked like a bruise. I examined his other wrist, another mark.

My heart began pounding.

I knew my father, he had been healthy, he exercised every morning, he rarely even caught a cold.

This didn't make sense.

I stood up.

Something was wrong, terribly wrong.

My eyes moved around the room.

Then I noticed the drawer beside his bed was slightly open, I frowned.

My father was obsessively organized.

He would never left drawers open, I walked toward it.

Inside was his watch, wallet, glasses, and a few documents.

But something was missing…his phone. I looked around the room, nothing.

Then I noticed something underneath the bed, a small black object.

I crouched down and reached for it.

It was a phone, not my father's phone, a different phone.

My hands trembled as I picked it up.

The screen was cracked.

There was one unread message from an unknown number. My heart pounded.

Something inside me told me I had to open the message and so I did… I tapped the message and my blood ran cold.

YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED. I stared at the words.

Then another message appeared… NOW SHE WILL PAY FOR YOUR MISTAKE. My stomach twisted.

“She?” I said to myself, who were they talking about? Me?

I immediately tried calling the number, the call didn't connect. I tried again, nothing.

Then the phone vibrated, another message. My hands nearly dropped it.

SHE'S HOME, it read. I froze, someone knew I was home, someone had been watching!

I slowly turned toward the bedroom window, the curtains were slightly open. I walked toward them. Outside, the street looked completely normal, cars passed, people walked along the pavement, nothing seemed unusual. Then I noticed a black SUV parked across the street, its windows were tinted. My heart started racing. That vehicle had been there when I arrived, I was almost certain of it. I stepped closer to the window.

The SUV suddenly started about to drive away.

“Wait!” I screamed running out of the room. But I was too late, I reached the front door just in time to see it disappear around the corner. I stood there, frozen. Whoever had been inside that car had been watching my house, watching me, watching my father.

My phone rang, I nearly screamed. I looked at the screen, it was my father's lawyer. I answered immediately.

“Hello?” There was silence on the other end.

“Hello?” Then his voice finally came through.

“Are you alone?” He asked.

I frowned.

“Yes. Why?”

He exhaled shakily.

“Listen to me carefully. Your father left instructions with me.”

“What instructions?” I asked, my voice shaking.

Another pause.

“Whatever happens tonight, do not trust anyone.”

My heart sank.

“What are you talking about?” I asked again.

“Your father knew this was coming.” He said in a very low tone.

My knees weakened.

“Knew what was coming?” I asked confused.

Before he could answer, I heard a loud crash from inside the house. I spun around.

“Mr. Williams?”

No response.

“Mr. Williams?”

The call had been disconnected.

My heart slammed against my ribs as I slowly walked back inside.

“Hello?”

Nothing, I picked up the nearest object I could find, a heavy decorative vase. It wasn't much protection, but it was better than nothing. I walked through the hallway, every step echoing through the empty house. Then I heard something… a faint sound coming from my father's room. I tightened my grip on the vase.

“Who's there?” I asked trying to cover up the fear in my voice.

Silence. I pushed the bedroom door open, nothing. The window was still open, the curtains moved gently in the breeze.

I looked toward the bed, my father's body was still there. But something else had changed.

The black phone was gone.

My blood ran cold. Someone had been in this room, someone had taken it. I backed away slowly. Then my eyes fell on the floor. There was something beneath the bed, a small envelope.

I crouched down and picked it up. My name was written across the front in bold red ink.

VERONICA HALE

My hands shook as I opened it. Inside was a single photograph, I pulled it out. The moment I saw it, the world seemed to stop. It was a photograph of my father, but he wasn't alone. Standing beside him was a woman.

A woman I hadn't seen since I was nine years old, a woman my father had told me was dead.

My mother.

My fingers trembled as I turned the photograph over. There were four words written on the back.

ASK HER WHAT SHE DID.

My heart pounded.

My mother was alive?

My father had lied to me?

And before I could process what that meant, my phone rang again.

I looked at the screen, unknown number. I answered.

“Hello?” I said trying my possible best to hide my fear and confusion.

For several seconds, there was only breathing, then a man's voice came through. Deep, cold, calm.

“You found the photograph.” The voice said.

I couldn't speak.

“Who are you?”

A low chuckle.

“You don't know me yet, Veronica.”

My blood ran cold.

“But soon, you'll know my name.”

“Who are you?” I asked once again.

His voice became darker.

“I'm the man who is going to finish what your father started.”

“Beep,beep,beep” The call had ended… I stared at my phone.

Then I heard something behind me, a floorboard creaked.

My heart stopped as I slowly turned to a shadow standing in the doorway, then the lights went out.