Page 18 (2/2)
May 25th That had been the date we’d agreed to get o One of the many promises we had made to each other Before it all fell apart
And now, here I was on that very sa in front of soing heavy in the air
All I could do was stare at that ring He wants to marry me
Not out of love, I ree Again, that word echoed inside my mind
“No,” I finally ed to choke out “I won’t marry you That’s crazy!”
Victor snapped the box closed And the sound brought ulped down oxygen as if he’d been stranglinghis crazy demands
He set the ring box down in the seat beside hi participant in our conversation Then he signed, “So you are choosing the destruction of your family over my ownership?”
The destruction of my family? Was he serious?
It was almost too en, made me dizzy like I was about to pass out “This is insane Why don’t you just kill et it over with? Why threaten my family? Try to make me marry you? I mean, ten years…what is that number even? How did you come up with that calculation?”
“Ten years is the sentence iven after his plea deal,” Victor explained, his expression impassive
My uy?”
“He was sentenced to ten years for cutting off the nose of a fellow gang member,” Victor answered He almost appeared bored with the conversation “It was part of a plea deal that included otten that However, he died of cancer before he could serve that unnecessary prison sentence”
“He died? Your father’s dead?” My heart stopped at this new information Then filled with sorrow for Victor
He’d lost his father He was an orphan now No wonder he looked so ravaged
“Victor I’m so sorry for your loss I know you loved him…”
I gave him my condolences, then felt terrible because I had to add, “But that’s not on me I shouldn’t have to serve his time”
“I read the case reports,” Victor answered His expression was a cold blank “The footage you provided was the cornerstone of the case against hione to a doctor sooner He ht still be alive”
“I don’t knoas in those reports, but I was just as surprised as you were on the day of that raid I didn’t know—”