Vengeance Unbound

Chapter 5: The Letter

Chioma’s POV

“This… is the very last. I’m not getting involved in this s**t no more. Do you understand?”

He banged the table.

“I said… do you understand?”

Vinco’s voice filled the room.

Paolo didn’t flinch. He leaned back, his eyes cold and steady.

“No me alces la voz!”

(Don't raise your voice) He warned, his voice a low gravel.

“Este es mi territorio”

(This is my turf) He said coldly.

“Bullshit.”, Vinco spat.

Vinco grabbed three heavy money bags and tossed them onto the table in front of Paolo. The thud was solid and final.

“Let’s go, boys.”

As he turned to leave, Paolo’s voice cut through the air.

“Tu papá sabe que todavía andas con esa tipa?”

(Does your dad know you still hanging around with that woman?)

Vinco stopped dead, his back stiffening.

“No es asunto tuyo.”

(None of your business) He said bluntly, before storming out with his bodyguard trailing behind.

Once they reached the car, Vinco paused with his hand on the door. He looked around the empty street.

“Where is she?” he snapped at one of his men.

“Did she run away?”

The guard shrugged.

“Guess she saw a chance and took it boss”.

Vinco sighed, leaning his back against the car seat and closing his eyes.

“She’ll be back… She’s got a lot of things to do.”

**********

You might be wondering where I went after I got into that cab – after almost killing a stranger, who started it, how was i supposed to know he was some drunk?

I didn’t go back to the mansion. I didn’t go to a hospital, even though the news of the pregnancy was burning a hole in my brain.

I went back home. To my father’s house, My comfort place.

The streets was eerily deserted. No kids playing, no neighbors bickering, no cars. Just empty building and a heavy, unnatural silence.

The front door was open.

I remembered running out of this house after seeing my father dying. I remembered being chased. It was something I never wanted to remember again. But all I wanted now was my dad.

I walked in.

Everything was scattered, destroyed. The ceiling sagged. Dust hung thick in the air. It smelled stale, like a war had torn through and left only silence.

I walked slowly to my dad’s room–where my nightmare began.

My breath came fast and unsteady. The memory flashed behind my eyes, sharp and fresh.

There it was.

The bloodstain where he lay. The last place I saw him alive. It had congealed into a thick, dark mark on the floor.

I stood there, looking around.

Then tears fell.

I broke down, sobbing hard into the quiet.

“Where do I even go from here? How do I start? I was plotting to kill my dad’s murderers… and now I’m carrying one’s child…What the actual f**k? I can’t do this, Dad. I don’t think… I don’t think I’m strong enough.”

I cried until a cold, heavy breeze swept through the broken window.

It shook a shelf in the room. Boxes tumbled out, hitting the floor. Papers spilled–not just papers. Letters. Some handwriting was messy. Some ink had faded with age.

One was neatly folded inside a small brown envelope.

I opened it.

The paper felt familiar.

“It’s Dad’s.”

A little spark of relief flickered in me. I unfolded the letter and read.

########

“Don’t come early in the morning, neither in the heat of the day, but come in the sweet cool of the evening and rescue me.

Beloved child,

If you’re reading this, it’s probably too late. I’ll be long gone.

From the moment you came into this world, the first time I held you, I knew you were the reason I had to give life a second chance. And I did–for your sake.

But now, with the way things are going, you’re not safe.

I signed a lifetime contract worth billions to take care of you and your mom. Your mother didn’t support it, but I had no choice.

Alberto Antonov and I were business partners. I taught him everything he knows. We built refineries, restaurants… we made millions together.

But Alberto wanted more. Greed took him. He started shipping drugs, selling guns, running underground fights–anything illegal. He begged me to join him. I thought I could change his mind from the inside. But the greed consumed him.

When I tried to back out, he refused. He threatened to kill your mom if I didn’t sign his papers. I was disgusted. I burned down a warehouse of his drugs. He found out. He took your mom.

I never told him I had a child. Something felt off about him. I’m glad I didn’t–or he would have taken you, too.

Years later, he got sick. He handed everything to his son, Vinco. I went undercover as a secretary to see if Vinco was as ruthless as his father. I planted hidden cameras. I recorded everything. Oh, child… it’s worse than I imagined.

I stored all the evidence on a drive. I also took half the money they stole. It’s all in a vault.

I know you need answers. But please… take your time. Don’t act fast, or they’ll cut you down. This is a crazy man’s world, filled with crazy people. Find your mom. But don’t get hurt. Don’t get involved.

I love you. Always and forever.

#########

I stared at the page.

My hands shook.

“Mum’s…still alive?. I have to find her. I have to.”

I looked back at the stain on the floor. “And Dad… the monsters who took you will pay. But first… I have to get rid of this monster growing inside me. No sympathy. No remorse.”

I shot to my feet, letter in hand.

I ran to my old room, I stuffed clothes into a box. As I grabbed my old jacket, something heavy fell from the pocket of the jacket.

A flash drive.

“This… this must be the drive Dad talked about.”

I shoved it into my pocket and searched for my laptop.

Then I remembered–it was stolen from my last job.

I packed the last of my things and stepped outside.

I took a long, deep breath in front of the door.

“Goodbye, childhood. It’s all gone now.”

I touched the wall once, then walked away.

************

“Now where the f**k did she go? Does she think this is a hotel?” Roberta marched toward the security post.

“Chioma….where is she?” she barked at a guard.

“Ma’am, I don’t–”

I stormed through the gate, luggage in my hand.

“Did someone miss me?” I smiled coldly.

Roberta turned, eyes sharp.

“Where have you been?” Roberta yelled, her face red.

“As you can see, I have luggage. I went shopping.”

I walked past her without another look.

***********

Inside, I stood in the living room, staring at the portrait of the Antonov family on the wall.

“I’m coming for every one of you,” I whispered. “Whether you like it or not.”

I didn’t hear footsteps behind me. I didn't realize anyone was there, until I felt warm breath on my neck. Then hands grabbing my ass.

I spun around.

Vinco.

“You disgusting bastard!”

My hand flew out and slapped him hard across the face. The sound echoed.

Roberta rushed into the room. “What’s happening?”

“You slapped me!.” Vinco roared, his face darkening with rage

“You did what?” Roberta stepped closer. “What is wrong with you?”

“Enough!” I screamed. “I’ve had enough of all of you!”

My voice ripped through the quiet.

“First you killed my dad. You had your men r**e me. You brought me here to serve you. And now…I’m pregnant, Vinco! I’m f*****g pregnant! You monster!”

I turned to Roberta, pointing my finger in her face.

“And you…who the f**k do you think you are huh,...whatever your name is–you’re not my mother. Don’t tell me what to do. I hate all of you in this house! Go to hell!!”

I stormed out, heading to my room and slammed the door locking it.

Roberta followed, banging at the door, yelling. Her muffled screams fading into the background of my own panic.

I didn’t hear her. Couldn’t hear her.

I paced the room, hands pulling at my hair.

“I have to get rid of it….I can’t have this baby…It’s not mine. It’s not right.”

I tore open my closet, searching for something–anything–dangerous. Pills, chemicals, anything.

“Why don’t I have any hard drugs?”

Then my eyes landed on the wire coat hangers.

Right…a hanger.

I found two wire coat hangers.. Cold in my hands.

“Okay,” I whispered. “This is it.”

I pulled down my underwear and sat on the cold floor in front of the mirror. Legs spread wide. staring at my p***y.

My breathing was coming hard and fast now.

I bent the hanger into an L-shape.

“I’m sorry, unborn child” I whispered to the empty room. Maybe another time…Maybe another life.”

I inserted the cold metal and pushed the hanger inside.

Deep.

Rotating slowly, searching.

When it touched my womb, a shock of pure electricity surged through my body.

I twisted it, dragging the wire to the side, bursting the egg. Feeling the sickening tear of tissue.

“Arrggghhhhh!!!” The scream was ripped from my lungs.

I pulled it out gradually and it comes out with a lot of blood and placenta

“Arrgghhh!” I screamed.

“Blood…so much blood” I panicked.

So much blood began to coat the floor.

The pain was excruciating, deep and blinding.

a heavy, white-hot dullness that started to turn my world gray.

My body went weak. Numb.

I slumped back against the wall and lay on the floor, watching the ceiling spin. Tears rolled sideways into my hair.

Time slowed. The room spun.

The banging on the door seemed miles away. I heard the wood splinter as the door crashed open.

Faint voices, screaming. Shapes moved around me, but my vision was failing.

Then…Everything faded into a heavy, silent black.