Chapter 1: Tasteless Revenge
Inside the courtroom, the one responsible for Anya's death awaited his verdict. Victor wouldn't accept anything less than a life sentence or execution—these were the only acceptable outcomes for him.
The case had ended and the judge had given the verdict. Everyone he knew had left, including Anya's friend and his mother-in-law, the only person who had taken care of Anya her whole life.
He sat in his seat, his finger tapping the edge continuously. He discovered it wasn't the first time Austin was caught speeding at the start of the trial, which increased his confidence that Austin would receive what he deserved.
The man named Austin was the one who killed Anya, but he later found out he was still 17—in a few days he would turn 18. He was a minor according to the law, and even with all the records of his speeding, he received a charge of misconduct leading to 1 year in juvenile detention.
Victor was so angry inside that he wanted to burn this court to the ground. His other half was brutally murdered by a reckless child. He didn't care how old Austin was—he couldn't accept this.
Anya was gone because of him. He could never see her again.
A life without Anya—would he want that? No, he couldn't. He didn't even want to imagine it but he had to live it now because of him.
Some might think he was crazy, but this was just how he was. From the moment under the moonlit sky, the day that felt unusually brighter even in the night, she proposed innocently that they should act as if their marriage was happening, as she was too excited for the day.
But both of them knew it wasn't just a play.
The vows they had taken for each other that day and the kiss that became witness to all—they knew it was all real.
Marriage was just something she wanted to do to show the world. Victor didn't care, as with or without it, he knew he would live or die for this person.
____
From that day after her death, every day was a struggle for him. Nights were filled with constant images of her dead body, and even during the day, her memories would haunt him. The promises, the dreams that would have once made him happy, were slowly eating him away.
And knowing that man was still alive made him feel constant rage, but there were no emotions on his face—lost with her. His eyes still looked dead; however, there was constant swirling in them whenever he would think of Austin.
Tomorrow he got good news from his mother-in-law who, while saying the good news, was crying in desperation for the child she had lost.
"Sob... sob Victor, Anya's killer is out. H-he was bailed, sob. My sweet child is dead, sob and her killer is roaming freely, sob..."
It saddened him to hear his mother-in-law crying in desperation, knowing her child didn't get justice.
Victor didn't say much and only said a cold 'Okay' to his mother-in-law.
The swirling in his eyes had increased. There was an abyss in those eyes, waiting to devour.
A week had passed. Victor had planned everything—he was confident in achieving what he wanted.
Victor was driving his car, which wasn't unusual, but the direction in which he was driving was off. There was a bridge under construction a distance away from him, and the roads were not ideal to drive here.
He stopped at the bottom of the bridge and, coming out of his car, walked up to his trunk and opened it, throwing what was inside out like trash.
Austin's unconscious body dropped to the ground. He was tied up with ropes and had duct tape around his mouth.
Victor didn't bother with his body lying unconscious on the ground, knowing how thorough he had been while tying him up—Austin couldn't escape even when he woke up.
From the back seat of his car, he started taking out random stuff, like two steel foldable chairs and... His preparation was done. He was sitting in front of the man who had taken Anya away. It was very hard for him to not just end Austin's life.
But he controlled himself, as he wanted to make it as painful as possible. Austin had to be awake for that to happen, and Victor didn't wait long—only five minutes passed before Anya's killer woke up.
Austin was shouting with duct tape around his mouth, so only muffled noises could be heard. Victor could see he was a bit scared and mostly angry while looking at him. Victor removed the tape from his mouth.
Austin getting the chance to speak tried to be as loud as possible.
"HEY! YOU BASTARD, WHY DID YOU KIDNAP ME AND WHO ARE YOU? DON'T YOU KNOW WHO MY FATHER IS? IF HE KNEW WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, YOU ARE DEAD!"
"HAHAHA AND YOU KNOW ONE THING—I AM ON CURFEW TOO! YOU ARE IN TROUBLE! POLICE MUST BE SEARCHING FOR ME RIGHT NOW! IF YOU WANT TO SURVIVE, LET ME GO RIGHT NOW! NO ONE WOULD KNOW SOMETHING LIKE THIS EVER HAPPENED!"
Austin was a bit scared right now, being tied to the steel chair in middle of nowhere where he couldn't move his body, and he didn't know who this psycho who kidnapped him was.
'When I get out of here, I will make this bastard rot in jail for years.'
Victor couldn't hold it in any longer. He didn't bother to ask him any questions, because Austin didn't realize that the one in front of him was a person from whom he had taken everything.
That was everything Victor had to see, not that it would anything either ways.
He walked up to his car and took out a gas can in front of him.
"HEY!!! WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO? STOP RIGHT THERE!"
Victor reached in front of him and opened the container, slowly starting to pour it down on him from his head.
From the time he had started pouring the gas on him, Austin's expression, demeanor, and tone of voice had shifted completely.
"Hey, I am sorry if I have done something wrong to you. Please forgive me."
He was about to cry and beg for forgiveness, but just then Victor opened his mouth for the first time.
His eyes were as soulless as ever, his face emotionless. He felt no satisfaction even now. This was not going to bring his Anya back.
"I don't like how you are breathing the same air as me."
But this was something he had to do—for Anya, for his mother-in-law, and himself, even when knowing Anya couldn't come back.
He went completely silent after saying these words, and Austin, who had heard the crazy man say this after pouring petrol all over his body, saw no emotion show up either on his face or in his eyes.
Austin was genuinely terrified now. He started begging desperately to be forgiven for whatever mistake he had made. He was crying, tears and snot leaking down his face, because he knew he would really die if he didn't try hard enough to ask for forgiveness now.
"Sob... sob, let me go. I really sob am sorry."
Victor didn't even bother to react to his sobbing and crying, and he tried to find the lighter in his pocket. He had mistakenly searched his left one when it was in the right pocket of his pants.
The thought of explaining things to Austin didn't even enter his mind, as it gave him no pleasure to see him like that. Austin's death was certain from the moment Victor found out Anya was gone because of him.
He had thought it would give him some sort of satisfaction and relief, knowing he was going to end the one who took her away from him. But standing in front of him with death only one click of a lighter away, he felt nothing at all.
He casually took out the lighter and lit it up, throwing it at Austin's soaked body without giving him anything more to say. The more he listened, the more annoyed he felt.
Austin's body started burning in front of him. Nightmarish screams could be heard from him as his body burned fiercely. The look of horror in his eyes didn't bother Victor as he didn't look away for a second. He could smell the horrible stench and see Austin's ugly body withering in pain.
"ARRRRGGGH!!!!"
"ARRRGHHH!!!!!"
There was only one thought in Victor's mind when he saw that look in Austin's eyes as he was burning alive—a look that was genuinely regretful of whatever mistake he had made in the past. But Victor only felt disgusted.
'If he had realized his mistake sooner and didn't take Anya away from me, we both wouldn't have to suffer so much.'
He watched him burn alive while sitting in front of him. That heat was too much, but he didn't move even when his skin became a little red due to it, as it wasn't enough to burn him.
Austin was dead. His charred black grotesque body was not moving anymore, but Victor still didn't move from his seat and waited there for the police to arrive.