Love Beyond Words

Third Person’s POV 20 years ago….            "PRINCESS, put your seatbelt on, and daddy has a surprise because I've heard you have been a good girl when I was away from home," a middle-aged man was smiling at his daughter while he was assisting her little hand opened the door of their car's shotgun seat.        The little girl with green eyes was smiling brightly, her eyes twinkling while her father was holding her right hand and the other was holding the door's handle. They open the door simultaneously, and her father carries the girl little to make her sit comfortably. "Princess, what am I always reminding you of when you are in front of the car?" the little girl looks at her father while raising her left hand, waiting for her father to let her talk. A soft giggle from the middle-aged man was heard before he managed to mess up her daughter's hair. "You can talk, Princess. I am waiting," he said while fixing her hair, blown by the wind.  "Daddy, I will always remember that I will never forget to put on my seatbelt!" she replied shrill. Her dad was laughing at her daughter's behavior while ensuring that her seatbelt was adequately put on.  "OK, that's it, and we are ready to go!" her father announced. "But, daddy? Where are we going? Aren't we bringing stepmother and stepsister?" young ML innocently asks her father.  Mr. Gaumond's expression changes so quickly. That smile on his face vanishes, and he seriously shakes his head as a sign of opposition. He then put his left palm to his daughter's cheeks. "You are too young to understand everything, Princess, but remember this. I will never forget your mom, and she is irreplaceable in my heart. You should never give your full trust and be at ease in front of people with whom you are not technically related. Blood is always thinner than water, Princess. Remember that," he added before kissing her cheeks. "What do you mean, dad? But you assured me that I could trust my stepmother and stepsister? What happened now?" Her father didn't respond immediately, but he softly wiped the top of her pouty and red lips. "I was wrong; I also thought I could because she has been your mother's friend for a long time, but I was wrong – I taught wrong. I love to tell you something, but you are too young to understand, my Princess. When the time is right, I'm sure you'll know everything. Surely if it is not me who is telling you, you will discover it yourself." With what her father told her, they both fell silent for a few seconds. "Anyway, the gloomy atmosphere ends here, Princess. We should be happy! Daddy is free at work, and I plan to drive you to Geneva! Remember? When were you five? We used to drive down Geneva while you were in your mother's lap. Remember that?" her father said. "Yes, dad, it is one of the best days of my life. When were still complete," she responded. Her father caresses her left cheek again before smiling – a bitter smile. "We are still complete, princess; your mom is within our memories and love." Her father then stood up and began walking around their car. He got in and promptly started the engine of their vehicle.              They were both happily enjoying the grass swaying on the rhythm of the wind, the cool breeze of the wind brought by the blowing blue sea, and the quiet place giving you the best view of everything around.       ML was looking at the place them passing thru the window. She's smiling widely with both hands on the car's window and looking at the window.  "Daddy! Can we eat at the usual spot? They're still selling good foods, right?" ML asks her father when she looks back at him. "Sure, what my princess wants, my princess gets," he assured. ML was telling her small stories to her father while driving to the usual place they had been visiting when they wanted to eat. They were laughing – it seemed to be one of their happiest days, just the two without anyone else.  No additional. No complications. While Mr. Gaumond was ready to turn the steering wheel on his left when he noticed an approaching large truck that seemed not to see them passing the road, Mr. Gaumond was about to pull back, but the car didn't stop approaching them.  The truck plans to bump them. While pulling back, Mr. Gaumond pressed the horn continuously, telling the truck driver to stop and to make him recognize that there was a car in front of him and that he was about to crash if he continued to push thru the road. "Daddy! What is happening? Da-daddy! There is a big truck!" she began panicking, looking at her side with a frightened face, shaking hands, pounding heart, and teary eyes. "DADDY!" ML's POV       STEPMOTHER? I called her, but she was not looking at my side.        When I looked around where I was, I realized it was all white. Next, I saw the tube attached to my right hand, and I was wearing a new suit and a hospital gown while I was lying on the hospital bed.  Stepmother? Where is dad? I manage to say once again, but she remains to show her back on me, and she seems to be talking to someone I can see. Stepmother? I called her once again, but she never looks at my way. Can't she hear me? I was about to call her again when she began walking, and I saw the man she was talking to. It was the same man who crashed into our car. Why is she talking to him? I immediately closed my eyes when she was about to look at me. "Did you make sure that no one sees you get out of the truck? Did you ensure the authority won't find any trace linking you to their accident?" "Victoria, I made sure everything is clear. I promise I won't mess up this time. I already miss the first time you ordered me to bump this stepdaughter of yours on her way home." I clenched my hand when I heard that. "Good then, you should make it up to me. I have been cleaning all your mess, your failures." I heard this witch reply. "What will happen next?" the man asks once again. "Aragorn Gaumond is now out of sight. The only problem we need to fix is how I can tie this Mouawad L' Incomparable Gaumond's neck. I need to control this young lady here to make me on top of their wealth." I could feel that my eyebrows were already meeting each other due to frustrations. "What do you mean by that? Mr. Gaumond is out of sight? You mean – I – I killed him?" "You technically didn't kill him. It was the accident that killed him, don't worry. As long as you do it flawlessly, they can't point us as the main suspects," she replied ruthlessly. "Victoria, are you sure about this?" the man's voice started shaking.  "Don't worry, and I cleared every single piece of evidence that they can use against us. After this conversation, I will send you and your family away to Liechtenstein. You will never return to Liechtenstein unless I fully control the Gaumond family's wealth. Understood?" Demon. "How about ML? She is still the legal heiress of everything her father left." "What do you think of me? I know about that. I know I can control her. I have been getting that child's heart since then. I have been treating her best, so I'm sure I will, and I can make her like a dog following her owner." So, after all these years? Have you been fooling all of us just for the piece of money? "Besides, how can a muted woman lead such a large company? How can a disabled woman lead the whole empire? She'll end up ruining everything her father and mother did before." Muted? Disabled woman? Who is she describing? "What do you mean?" "According to the doctor who checked her a while ago, the accident caused injury on her Broca area or anything – it is medical stuff, and I don't mean to understand. But according to the doctor, it would not be easy to reverse her muteness. She will be mute and disabled for a long time, which surely benefits me. What else could she do when I raised this thing to the board? Do you think they'll stand by letting someone who cannot even speak rule their investments? No way!" I will take revenge. "Victoria, the Gaumond family has accepted you very well. They have been good to all of us. Are you sure you will be repaying them this?" Who is this man she is talking to? All of us? Does he mean he is also close to our family? "Iggy," she paused. Then, it was Iggy? Iggy was dad's long-time driver. He has been with us even before mom died. "I don't care how good they have been treating me. I have come this far for this. I have planned to be in my position right now. I deserve to receive all the payback for my hurdles. Pack your things and leave Liechtenstein as soon as possible."  "Victoria, do you think ML won't be on your way? She's a smart girl. You can never underestimate her," he reminded. She shouldn't underestimate me. I won't also give her the most straightforward win. "She will never be. I will ensure that she'll stay muted for the rest of her life, and that is for sure, Iggy. Mark my words. She should be grateful that I even managed to spare her life from death," she recklessly said. Could it be that evil just for wealth? For money? "Victoria, can you even hear yourself? You are not like this, and you are much better than this!" Iggy responded. "Iggy, you are not also like this. Aragorn Gaumond believed you are much better than this, but what did you do? You even killed the man who saved you from your life's mess!" "VICTORIA!" I can even hear from their voices that they are both just making themselves calm despite their resentment toward each other. "We've already come this far, Iggy. We can never bring back time. We can never bring Aragorn's life back. What we need to do is to end what we have planned, and that is for me to be the next ruler of the Gaumond family's wealth. That is all." I will never let you take over everything my father and mother have been trying to keep for the last few years. You will never win this battle. The war begins today.       I waited for a few minutes when they both fell silent before starting growling and acting hysterically. I should act natural.        "Oh, my gosh, ML! You are awake," she said in a hurry. "Iggy! Iggy! Call the doctor! Tell them my ML is now finally awake! Thank God!" Gold digger woman.