I Can See Through His pretence

POV: Victoria

“I’m not a beggar aunt Vera, I’m just here to speak with my father.” I responded calmly trying to ignore her hurtful words. 

“Stop calling him your father, he is n…” 

“Enough, Cindy!

Let me handle this myself!” Dad stopped her before she could abuse me verbally like she always does.

“Fix this, and send her out of my house!” My step mom told my dad, her face contorted in anger. He looked up at me, a deep frown plastered on his face.

“Why are you here, Victoria, did she send you, or is she finally dead?!” He asked me firmly. 

“Of course not, dad!

Why would you even say that, are you wishing mom dead?” I asked him angrily. I’m trying so hard to stay strong, but his words brought tears in my eyes. It’s so sad to see the hatred in his eyes, who would believe that we were once a happy family?

“State your business and get the hell out of here. I warned you all never to show your face in this house, didn’t I?” he kept on yelling at me angrily. 

“I didn’t mean to interrupt your happy moment, I was hoping to have a few words with your dad. We… I… Mom…”

“Speechless, huh?” Cindy moved me as I stuttered in same while trying to answer my father. 

“Leave my sight if you have nothing today!” dad scolded me angrily, making me regret why I’d come here in the first place. I’m here already, so I could as well get it over with, I really need to get money to pay my debt before it is too late.

“I’m sorry dad, I need money for mom’s bills. I took a loan to settle her bills and for her surgery. Now I need to pay it back so I don’t end up engaged and married to a man that has no respect for me. Mom will be on her feet very soon, but I need to settle my loan debt before I get in trouble.” I told him tearfully as I ran to him and knelt in front of him, grabbing his legs and begging pitifully.

“You ingrate!

You ungrateful child!

I’ve always known that you would bring me shame and disappointment. Why did you pay for her surgery, couldn’t you have turned a blind eye and let that greedy witch die?

You risked your life to take a loan for her surgery, how stupid are you?

I guess you want her on her feet so she could protest my leadership and seize back the company from me. You want her to adjust the will and give you the company, my company that I worked so hard to make it so great today. You want the company all to yourself, huh?

What did I ever do to you?

I treated you like a daughter, didn’t I?” He asked me angrily, kicking my hands off him and shoving me off roughly. 

“Of course, you treated me like a daughter. You did what every other father…” 

“I’m not your father, you dumb ass!

I would never father a pathetic child like you. Now get the hell out of my house, and never come back. You and your mother can pay the damn bills any how you choose to, but don’t get me involved and stop telling people that I’m your father!” he yelled at my face, making me feel worse than I already do. He looked into my eyes and called me a fatherless bastard, then he ordered his guards to kick my out and keep me locked out. 

By now I’m already used to being kicked out of this house. What I don’t understand is why he is claiming that he is not my father, is this a joke or just another way to push us further away from him. I has to ask mom, only she can tell me the truth. I took a cab back to hospital to see mom, but I was told that she had a seizure and she was taken back to the operating room because for an emergency surgery.

“I’ve been trying to call you all day, Vee!

Where the hell have you been and why are you not taking my calls?” Claire cried out to me the moment I walked in. 

“We need more money, Vee, mom needs two more surgeries to correct some blockage in her chest and lungs. I’ve already returned the backpack to Kyle and sent him home, what am I supposed to do now?” she cried out sadly, hugging me. I wanted to ask her about the backpack, but I figured it could wait for later. Right now, I need to find more money for mom’s surgeries. I felt so sad as I go back to Raphael to accept his offer, I feel humiliated.

“You can leave my money with the Secretary and get out!” he lets out rudely without looking up.

“I… I… I don’t have the money yet, I’m here to accept your offer. I’ll do anything, I’ll pretend to be your girlfriend.” I told him, trying to force out a smile.

“The deal is off!

Pay off your debt and leave my building!” he told me firmly, pretending to be too busy to see me.

“Please Raphael, I really need this job since it comes with a job in your company. I need more money for my mothers surgery, she was taken to the emergency room a few hours ago. I need you to lend me some more money, I promise, I’ll pay up very soon. With this job, I can pay off my debt and take care of mom and Claire. Just give me one last chance, please. I won’t disappoint you, I promise.” He taunts me some more, telling me the offer is off. I had to seduce him to get him to reconsider and I still promised to pay him back this money. I walked to the other side of the table and sat on his table, giving him a good view of my thighs, 

“I can do anything you desire, Ralph, just give me one last chance, let me make you a happy man,” I purred, leaning to give him a good view of my cleavage. The truth is that I don’t just need his money right now, I want to use his fame and reputation to deal with my father and hurt him like he has been hurting us for many years now.

I decided to give him my all and seduce him so he can bring the deal back again. I leaned to kiss his lips, but he was so quick to react and he pushed me away roughly. He got up and grabbed me roughly, shoving me against the wall with his fist wrapped around my neck. 

“You disgusting whore!

The next time you try to come close to me again without my permission, I’ll fucking kill you.” He threatened me fiercely. 

“Come on, Ralph!

Stop trying to play tough with me, we both know how ravenous and insatiable you were that night. I don’t care what anyone says about you, Raphael. You are not the timid man everyone is talking about. So stop pushing me away and let me take care of you. I can make you feel relaxed and happy.” I told him, trying to push off his hand. But he didn’t let go. Instead, he tightened his fist around my neck, his nails digging into my skin as he glared dangerously at me.

“Are you trying to infuriate me on purpose, are you running mad? He bellows angrily.

“Come on, Ralph, you are killing me slowly, you are choking me!” I crowd out in pain.

“You don’t know your place, Victoria. You are pushing my limits and you certainly won’t like the outcome. How on earth did I get involved with such a cheap whore?” he asked in anger pushing me off roughly. He moved over to the restroom in his office and washed his hands clean, wiping off the places I touched him. As if that was not enough, he opened a drawer in the restroom and pulled out a clean shirt, aiming to change his clothes.

“Do I disgust you?

Is this how much you hate me?” I asked sadly.

“Its not you, it’s a symptom of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it’s not a rumor that I have ASD, is it?

Or, are you planning to change your mind because of my illness, are you looking for an excuse to back down again?” he taunts me, keeping his stern gaze on me. I turned away from him, looking away from his steel gaze. 

He can lie to everyone, but certainly not to me. I know a sick man when I see one, and you, Raphael Hawkins are not one. I’ve seen him looking closely at me, I’ve seen him looking deep into my eyes when he is pissed. That night, I heard him moan in pleasure and he was not irritated by me or my body. He is cute, rich and famous. 

“Why haven’t he cleared the rumors about his illness, why is he still pretending to be sick?” I thought within me.