The Life: Sacrifice (The Life 3)

Felix answered the door with a look of surprise followed by pleasure. I’m sure from his ramblings that he expected her to hate him forever. I’d overheard that during one of his self-flagellation sessions. He’d already mourned her without asking her one word about how she felt. I don’t think he called her once since she never mentioned it to me. But I know it was shame and fear that had kept him from doing so.

I learned one thing, though, from all this; she’s a bottler. She keeps her thoughts and feelings bottled up inside until the pressure becomes too much, then she breaks. I’m ready for the fallout I know is coming. I could’ve warned her about my plans, but since it’s my gift to her, I thought I’d make it a surprise.

“Hello Fontane, mind if we come in?” He moved aside without saying much just kept staring at his daughter. I spoke louder than needed because I knew it would get Victoria’s attention which it did. She came down the stairs looking defiant and ready for battle. I guess the last week and a half, she’d had time to think and came away with the idea that she’d been wronged. Sociopathic narcissistic twit that she is.

“I’m sorry, may I use the restroom?”

“Of course, it’s upstairs.” Fontane pointed up the stairs while Gianna looked at me like she was about to freak.

“I remember where it is, I think.” I squeezed her around the middle where I’d had my hand resting on her waist and whispered in her ear.

“I’ll be right back; he won’t let her bully you, not to worry.” I was confident of that much, at least, plus I wasn’t planning to be long.

I made my way upstairs, and instead of the bathroom which I had no intentions of using, headed for Victoria’s room. I knew exactly where to find her stash since Ella had done her job well. She’s another one who’d be starting a new job soon, thanks to the Russos. I walked across the hall and flushed the toilet to avoid suspicion too soon, washed my hands, and headed back down the stairs.

When I got back, Gianna was telling her dad about her shopping sprees in great detail, no doubt to piss off Victoria, who looked on as if she was ready to explode. I sat and listened, enjoying the female mind at work. I guess that’s sexist because some men react the same way, play the same games, but I never knew it was this much fun.

“I don’t understand though, don’t these things take at least a year to prepare for? I think I recall your mom telling me once about all that’s involved.” Gianna looked at me as if embarrassed to brag, so I did it for her.

“She comes from a long line of debutantes; her mother’s family is practically royalty, I guess, so all it took was a word from her grandmother to get her accepted at such late notice.”

“As to preparation, she was born ready for stuff like this. According to her teachers, she’s naturally poised, and her manners, which I suspect she got from her mother before she died, are impeccable.” Out the side of my eye, I saw Victoria dig her nails into the arm of the chair. She was on her best behavior in front of Felix, I guess, in the hopes of keeping him blind to what she really is.

“By the way, Fontane, there was something else I wanted to talk to you about. Gianna, hand.” She gave me her hand after a questioning look, and I opened my little recorder and hit play with the other. Victoria and Becky’s voices filled the air. Gianna’s hand tightened in mine; Victoria became epileptic as Fontane glared at her with murder in his eyes.

The screaming started, and of course, everything was mine and Gianna’s fault. “That’s not me; that’s not what I said. You edited it, didn’t you? You put him up to it.” No one answered, just let her go on and on, digging her grave deeper.

“She’s always been jealous of me, dad, because I was better at everything; that’s why she’s doing this….”

“Don’t call me that. Don’t you dare call me that.”

“Dad, I… mom was right, can’t you see they’re doing this to get back at mom and me? Gia never liked us; she’s always wanted to get rid of us. Now she has him to help her. How could he have a recording of me saying those things anyway?” I rolled my eyes when Fontane looked like he was giving her words some thought.

Victoria looked pretty pleased with herself, so I guess she was accustomed to that look. Before she moved in for the kill and before my surprise arrived before I was ready for it, I got up from my seat and walked over to the oversized silk flower display where I’d hidden one of many little devices. “These aren’t even that good, but they did the job.”