All's fair in love and war

Valentina Traynor was very happy. It was her 27th birthday and her father had thrown a dinner party, with close friends and family. After dinner, Val- which was what everyone called her, except her father- sat on the big armchair in the living room. It was time to open her presents. She opened the one from her father first. There was a lot of tissue and no present. "Dad, I can't seem to find anything," she protested. "You must have made a mistake." She pouted her lips. Val was kind of sad. Her father always got for her the greatest gifts, especially after every trip he took. Her father Gabriel Pedro laughed. "Look at the bottom." Val dug her hand in again and fished around, Her fingers finally closed around something metal. Oh no, it can't be... She took out a brand new gold key. A key to her new apartment.Val rushed out of her seat and hugged her dad real tight. "Thanks, dad," she whispered in his ear. "I love you, sweetheart," he whispered back. Even after she graduated and started working, Gabriel insisted that his only daughter stay with him.He had raised her alone after her mother passed away. H e spoiled her, she was his princess after all. But she was grown woman now and needed to go out into the world. Next, Val opened her boyfriend, Leon Blake's present. They had been dating for three years now.  Val hoped it was not an engagement ring as she opened the red little case. She just wasn't ready for a commitment. She opened the case to reveal a diamond necklace. It looked so stylish and pretty. "Oh, it's lovely," she cooed. Leon kissed her and placed the necklace around her neck to everyone's amusement. Val finished opening the rest of her presents and then the games started. Val excused herself and went to the bathroom. Just as she was going out, someone in black bumped against her and hurrie on their way without a word. "Hey, watch where you are going!" She called after the person. "Weird," she said to herself after the person disappeared from her sight. Val straightened herself and made way back to the party. "Where's my dad?" She asked Louisa Andrews, her friend and co-worker. Louisa pointed towards the window. Gabriel stood there, talking on his mobile phone, a worried look on his face. When the phonecall ended, he looked at the screen of the phone in disbelief. H e quickly made another phonecall. When he finally finished talking, Val mae her way towards him. Just then, there was a loud explosion and a big fire broke out. People started screaming and ran out of the house. Leon started pulling her out of the house. When she was outside, Val looked ata the house which had caught fire. She turned to Leon who was standing beside her,"Where is my dad?" Leon started looking around, searching for Gabriel. "Where is my father, Leon?" Val panicked. "Dad!" She screamed. Leon held her by the shoulders."Calm down! And don't panic You're father's probably okay." Val pushed his hands away. "Calm down? How can I calm down? Leon. my father is in that house and no, he' obviously not okay!" Val was hysterical. "We have to get him out of there." S e looked into Leon's eyes, pleading. "Let's call for help," Leon took out his phone. Before he could stop, Val rushed into the burning house. The first thing that hit her was the smoke then the intense heat. The lack of fresh air hurt her chest but there was no way she was getting out of there without her father. "Dad!Where are you?" She called out and coughed. There was too much smoke and it was choking and blinding her, tears freely running down her cheeks. She made her way into what had been yhe living room, where she had last seen her father.The ceiling had fallen in. "DAD!" She heard a cough. "Dad, is that you?" She slowly made way towards where the cough came from. There, she found her father buried under the fallen ceiling. His whole body was under the rumble except for his head.. Val knelt beside him, not daring to move him in case she accidentally hurt him more, so she held his head, stroking what was left of his hair. "Dad?" Gabriel coughed again, blood spluttering from his mouth.. "Dad, are you okay?" Val asked in a whisper. "I'm fine," Gabriel managed to say. "Hold on, dad. Help is on its way. We're going to get you out of here" They heard the sirens of the fire truck. Hope swelled over Val. "They're here," Val laughed. "You're going to be just fine." "No," Gabriel coughed. "It's too late They won't let me live, my dear. They'll make sure of that." "They? Who's they?" Val searched her father's face. "Let's leave that for now, you'll understand everything later." Valentina sat in the silence, listening to the roaring fire which was dying out. "Valentina?" "Yes, I'm here, dad." "Be strong," Gabriel breathed. "Be very strong, Valentina." Gabriel looked at his daughter for the very last time and slowly closed his eyes. His time had come. Val saw her father's body go limp. It all fell on her shoulders, her father was dead and she was all alone.