Maya felt her life flash before her eyes. She gasped for air, but her lungs felt frozen. Her stepfather's fingers tightened around her throat as he continued to squeeze her to death. She was fading into darkness, ready to meet death.
Suddenly, he released her throat, and Maya stumbled to the floor, coughing violently.
"Fuck it!" Fredrick Hathaway cursed. "I wanted to end your life and send you off to join Cecelia in hell, but I can't!"
He sat down and lit another cigarette, taking a long drag. "Vico will have my head if I kill you," he said, his eyes palpitated with fear. "I nearly lost my life when Vico found out I caused your traumatic brain injury. He put me through hell!" A tremor of fear ached in his voice.
As Maya caught her breath and rubbed her sore throat, she began to wonder who Vico was. Her stepfather seemed to be afraid of him. Why does this Vico person care if she dies?
