Without a word, the man turned and slapped her across the face. She fell to the floor. Her cheek burned, and within seconds, she heard his hissing voice above her:
“I’ve never been so humiliated in my life.”
He grabbed her by the hair and punched her in the face—this time with his fist. The pain was immediate. She felt herself choking. Blood rushed into her mouth, blocking her breathing. But the sight of blood didn’t stop him. He hit her again—harder—like she were a man. Victoria lost consciousness. The sounds faded. Darkness swallowed her. When she came to, more pain followed.
Kicks—sharp, ruthless—landed against her sides from his polished shoes. She curled into a ball, trying to shield herself. Blood-matted hair stuck to her face. No more screams—only the involuntary whimpers of a wounded animal. The necklace flew under the bed. He didn’t even notice.
Eventually, the man who’d once courted her like a gentleman walked out—leaving her in a puddle of blood, still wearing her red dress.
She groaned and rolled onto her back. Everything hurt. Her body felt torn apart. The sparkle of diamonds and rubies shimmered nearby under the bed. Summoning all her strength, Victoria reached under the bed and found the necklace. Her body trembled violently. She grabbed it with her fingers and clutched it in her fist. She stuffed it inside her bra, beneath her bruised chest. Every movement sent waves of searing pain. But in her foggy mind, she thought: If I die now, at least let it be with my diamonds. Then she leaned her head back and slipped back into darkness.
Pain brought her back again. New blows jolted her. One eye barely opened—the other was swollen shut. She saw darkness. After a few seconds, her brain caught up. She was in some tight, hard space. They were moving. The trunk. She was wrapped in some kind of cloth—soft, fuzzy. A towel, maybe. But it didn’t cushion the jolts on the bumpy road. Finally, the car stopped. She clenched her jaw and turned onto her side. They lifted her—one by the wrists, the other by the ankles. They began swinging her. Then—weightlessness. Then—a splash. The impact with water.
Softness. Coolness. Then—cold. No oxygen. The fabric clung to her face, blocking every breath. Panic hit like a hammer. Victoria thrashed, ignoring the agony in her body, fighting to break free. She managed to tear through the cloth and surged upward, her fiery hair streaming behind her. She kicked again and again, leaving a trail of blood in the water. The current caught her, carried her. She surfaced, gasping, chest heaving.
She was alive. Alive…
Floating on her back, she let the current carry her gently. The cool water caressed her open wounds like a comforting friend, nudging her toward a rocky, wild shore. After a while, she felt the bottom beneath her feet. She crawled to the edge and closed her eyes again.
It was August. If this had happened in autumn or spring, she might never have seen the sun again. Her strength gave out, and night wrapped her in its velvet veil.
Morning came. Victoria finally opened one eye—the other was swollen shut—and felt the sting of raw skin. She tried to sit up and groaned, collapsing again. After resting a bit and adjusting to the pain, she made another attempt. Propped up on her elbows, she looked down at her body. It was almost entirely purple and bruised. Torn wounds still bled. Feeling around her bra, she found the necklace and smiled faintly. Looking around, she spotted a rotten tree half-submerged in the water. Pushing through the chest pain, she reached for a sharp stone and began digging under it. Once the hole was deep enough, she paused to catch her breath. Then, with immense effort, she pulled the necklace from her bra. She checked the setting—every gemstone still intact. She placed the treasure into the hole and buried it, using the same stone. Trembling again, she felt herself slipping into unconsciousness. The sun beat down hard. She scooped water with her hand and splashed her face. Then lay back, listening to the gentle lapping of the lake’s waves. A lullaby. And once again, silence and peace wrapped around her completely.
