*TW: verbal and physical abuse*

Izan 

"You watch the tape since I know what's on it. I don't want to relive that day all over again. I'm going to sleep." Vera yawned as she looked at the clock, and her words unsettled me. 

It was almost five in the morning, so I nodded without asking any further questions. I just kissed her forehead, and she headed to our room.

Zulimar, Jose, Juan, and Carlos were in the living room, waiting for me to tell them why they were here so early in the morning. Zulimar looked so tired, so I didn't bother him and kept my voice down. I knew he wasn't going to sleep, but a moment of quietness was appreciated. For all of us.

"Boss, what's so urgent that it couldn't wait another two hours?" Jose asked, yawning like a pig and breaking the silence. Juan slapped the back of his head, sobering him up. He sat properly with a frown.

"We're ending Dexter Amaryllis' life and career before he wakes up today."

Carlos narrowed his eyes. "How?" My brothers hated Dexter's guts before they met my amor. He was mixed up in shady business, but that hate had intensified with time. We all knew death was way too easy for him, so stripping Dexter of everything he valued would be ideal.

I want to see his tears.

I cleared my throat as I prepped the tape on the TV. It was easier than having five men hunched over a small laptop. I didn't want to be squashed by any of them. 

"Vera videotaped Dexter when he was talking shit to her. She told me it guarantees the end of his reputation, hence his career and life." I lowered the volume because I didn't want to disturb her sleep. 

My brothers grew anxious with each passing second.

I hesitated to press play. 

I didn't know if I had it in me not to smash the screen at the sight of his hideous ass.

"That son of a bitch!" Carlos cursed, already forming an idea of what the tape would include, and I sighed. 

I finally started the video, and we all watched Vera set the camera seconds before the door burst open and an angry Dexter stepped in.

He walked closer to his daughter until he was face to face with her. He was oblivious to the camera, falling into her trap, and she just waited for him to speak. 

The look on her face was of utter fear, and I squeezed my knee so hard I saw my knuckles turn white. She was about twenty-one in this video.

Maybe killing him wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

"You fucking stupid whore!" was the first thing he said, and Juan stood up, fuming at her father and his foul language toward his pure daughter."You fuck up at work and cost me a valuable investor!" 

This bitch!

"I'm sorry. It was a mistake," she mumbled, lowering her head. She was shaking, and I felt the need to go up to our room and embrace her, but I had to watch it. If she was able to live through it, I must hold back my fury and see it. 

The way Dexter was standing reminded me of the substitute teacher who raped me, and I cursed, feeling triggered. I didn't need to remember my trauma. It wasn't about me.

"You aren't allowed to make mistakes, you slut. I didn't send you to university so you could fuck everything up for me. What would the world say when they know I have a screw-up of a daughter? You're just a dumb bitch, just like your mother."

"Don't talk about Mom like that," she whispered, looking so vulnerable and breakable. 

Dexter stepped closer to her and wrapped his filthy hand around her neck. He was literally choking her. She never told me he physically abused her. 

Did she forget? 

Did she bury this incident deep in her mind so that she would not relive it? 

Why did she not tell me?

Dexter scoffed as she tried to free herself, gasping for air. "You're so worthless, fat, and ugly. I can't believe you're actually my biological daughter. I even did a DNA test to prove you are indeed mine. Why are you so useless if you have the Amaryllis blood in you? So unlovable? So stupid?"

Zulimar stabbed the table with his knife, Carlos and Juan clenched their fists so hard, Jose was crying, and I was frozen. 

This could have easily been her last day on earth. If she weren't here with us, I wouldn't have believed she walked out of his grip alive. But she was. She was alive. She was with me—safe and sound.

"I- ca-an't b-breath..." she managed to say as she tried to punch his hands. He sneered and finally let go of her. 

She fell on the bed, coughing and crying. Her eyes were bloodshot red, and her body shook harder than before. She didn't deserve any of this.

Another person stepped into her room. A woman, whom I assumed to be her stepmom, held her husband's arm. I thought she was there to help Vera and stop this madness, but I was so wrong.

"You should have just finished the ugly fat bitch off. I could fake a few tears if you want," she nonchalantly said, looking at Vera with distaste. Dexter rolled his eyes.

I counted randomly in my mind to keep my demons at bay.

"Is he really her father? What kind of abomination is he?" Juan yelled, unable to contain his rage anymore. I understood his pain. I just didn't know if yelling like that would satisfy me. 

I need to end Dexter.

"I don't want the police to ask questions. She's too much trouble." Dexter grabbed Vera by her hair and made her look at him. She whimpered in pain, and my heart ached more. "Don't make a mistake next time, and if you say anything to anyone about today, I'll lock you in the basement without food, like last time." He let go of her and walked out of the room with the woman hot on his trail.

Vera sighed, wiped her tears with her sleeve, and looked into the camera with an expression that killed me. She was broken. 

"I felt the love. Oh, to have a father like Dexter Amaryllis, the perfect Alderman and businessman. New York, you know how to pick your politicians," she mocked the world with a humorless laugh and ended the tape.

Unable to control my rage any longer, I punched the armchair, and it snapped in two. Everyone looked at me with mixed emotions of sadness, rage, and disgust. They were cooking his murder in their minds, and I couldn't blame them. They consider Verena their sister and family. She added the spark we were missing in our lives.

"Let's just torture his fucking ass and slaughter him," Carlos suggested, and Zulimar nodded.

I shook my head. "No, it would be too easy for the fucking bastard. Ruining his life and the people around him would be better," I said with a sadistic smile. Psychological torture was better, in my opinion. "I want him to lose every supporter and investor. His business to crumble down. I want him to go bankrupt slowly and painfully. To feel worthless and helpless. To beg for a cent. I want him to sleep on the streets. Him and his bitch of a wife." Everyone smiled at me.

They liked the sound of him begging for a living for the rest of his life better than simply killing him.

I explained what they needed to do and who to contact, and they promised to have a press report live by nine in the morning. It needed it to be displayed all over the world—Time Square, skyscrapers, prisons, underground facilities, homes, literally everywhere.

Money can buy happiness, and seeing Dexter Amaryllis crumble to his own definition of hell would be one of my happiest moments.

~~~

At eight-fifty-five, I woke Verna up as gently as possible. She mumbled something about how early it was, and I chuckled, kissing her soft lips. I carried her to the living room, where everyone was there, even Henry. "Did you watch the tape?" she asked in a whisper, and I nodded, feeling her tense in my arms.

I kissed her nose and let her sit beside me on the couch. Good thing Alvaro had school. I didn't want him to see it. "You're so brave, amor," I whispered back, and she wrapped her arms around my torso, resting her head on my chest. 

I looked at the clock and opened one of the News Channels. She still didn't know that it could happen so fast, so when she saw her name displayed on the screen, her eyes widened.

"I know Dexter is a prick, but how bad did he hurt you?" Camila asked, worried when the News Reporter warned that the video contained graphic content.

"Bad," Vera replied with a sigh. I held her closer and rubbed her back gently.

The tape was being played and displayed all over the US, and gasps were heard from all over the room at Dexter's first words.

"I can't watch this again," Carlos announced, lifted his hands in surrender, and walked to the kitchen. Zulimar silently followed him, and we watched the rest of the tape. Vera hid her face in my chest, not wanting to see herself in that state again. 

I understood her pain.

Mama Vivian cried her eyes out, and Camila was fighting the tears from falling. Henry and Papa were shocked.

"The son of a bitch!" Henry was the first to comment, and chaos erupted. 

I had my laptop open with a view of Dexter's bank account and live feed. Jolene may have hacked into his personal data an hour ago when I sent her the video. She also sent me a link to Dexter's laptop's camera, so I was able to watch his face pale and his tears fall.

His soul was leaving his body. His life was flashing before his eyes. And I was satisfied.

I saw his stocks drop not five minutes after the Press Report was over. He was losing investors and money quicker than light, and I smiled at that. 

Everyone asked me what I was doing, and when I explained, they were pleased. Vera kissed my cheek and thanked me.

Checkmate. 

~~~ 

19.02.2024 

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