Chapter 2: Twelve Years Past

Amelia slowly removed the hand that held her around her waist. Holding her breath so as not to disturb the man. 

Big, fat tears were continuously pouring from her eyes but she dared not make even a small sound. 

She slowly stood up, picked up her torn underwear and backpack thrown earlier during the struggle, and held up her torn dress as she slowly exited the car where she was sexually abused just a few minutes earlier but seemed like a lifetime. 

Bearing the pain she felt below her waist, she quickly but quietly walked away from the car to the dark and quiet street. 

It was a wide street.

Though nighttime has slowly descended, the big moon above was enough to give light to where she was.

She was going home that evening after working on a project with her classmate Mia.

She was supposed to call her father to come pick her up, but she decided to walk a few minutes more before calling her father at the phonebooth because her phone's battery was dead.

She has always enjoyed walking and was not afraid of dark streets especially since she also walked through this street countless of times without anything bad happening. 

Until today.

Her heart pounded of fear that the man would wake up and force her again but she determinedly walked to the phonebooth. 

She entered the phonebooth with trembling legs and quickly dialed her home's phone number. 

Her father immediately answered the phone, revealing her father's apprehensions of her not calling him yet to pick her up. 

"Hello?" 

Immediately after hearing her father's voice, she felt herself go limp of relief. 

"Dad! Dad!" She said cried. Tears even more flowing from her eyes. 

"Amelia? What happened?! Are you okay?" Her father asked. 

"Dad!" she cried out again. 

"Where are you?" her father asked anxiously. His heart getting heavy after hearing her daughter cry. "Tell me where you are honey." he said. 

He heard her whimper. Imagining her trying to calm herself to be able to tell him where she is. 

"I'm at the phone booth near the bus stop dad." she said. Doing her best not to sob and scream at the same time. 

Immediately, his father got his car keys and jacket as he talked to her. 

"Okay, stay low on the booth. I'll be fast. Wait for me honey." he said, throwing the phone on the sofa then rushing to the door. 

When he got to the phone booth, Jude, Amelia's father was shocked at what he saw. Her daughter's dress was torn, held up only by her daughter's hand. 

She was holding what looked like her underwear in her right hand. 

She was sitting down on the floor of the phone booth and crying quietly.

But when she saw her father, she immediately stood up and sobbed on her father's chest. 

Jude's heart was broken.

Looking at her, he immediately knew what had happened. He hugged her tightly and asked in a coarse voice. "Who did this to you?" 

His stomach churned uneasily and he almost vomited. Anger and pity for her daughter made his voice course as he ones again asked his daughter who did this to her. 

Amelia was his only child. Her mother died when she gave birth to their daughter sixteen years ago. 

He promised his wife he would love and take care of their daughter with all the love he has and has successfully kept that promise. 

His mother, Amelia's grandmother also dedicated most of her time caring for Amelia, so she was not short of love at all.

And now that this has happened, Jude knows she would be heartbroken as well when she gets to know about this. 

Everything that happened afterwards was a blur to Amelia. 

After being taken to the hospital for an examination, to the police station for a formal statement and brought home by her father, it was almost morning. 

Because the sexual abuse was reported immediately after the incident, the police officers were promptly able to apprehend the suspect. 

She was informed that the person who abused her was caught but would yet be interrogated because he was too intoxicated with drugs. 

She and her father were both shocked to know later that that the name of the person who abused her was James Richardson, the one and only son of a business tycoon in the country. 

They were well known in their country not just because of their wealth and influence but also because James' mother was also known to spoil her only son. 

His father, a rich and influential person was one of the feared businessmen in the country. 

His ruthless and aggressive approach is known for exploiting legal loopholes to gain an advantage and he tended to make decisions that negatively impact employees or competitors. 

James was a known troublemaker, but his mother would always be the one who cleans up his messes. 

She doted on her son so much she would always cover his mistakes and made excuses for every bad action he made. 

At age of seventeen, James' juvenile record was as long as a grocery list and as colorful as the dark skies threatening to pour strong and angry rains. 

They were told James was drug intoxicated at the time so he would possibly did not remember what he did when he came to. 

The next day, police informed them that James Richardson is now in their custody.

Her father decided to consult a lawyer for the next best possible course because of the Richardsons' social status so he left Amelia at home and went to talk to the lawyer he had contacted. 

In the afternoon, Amelia was washing the dishes when she saw a police car stop in front of their house. 

She immediately went to the door, thinking the officers were here because of her case but when she saw their facial expressions and the pity in their eyes, her heart immediately thumped nervously. 

"Miss Amelia, we need to talk to you." One of them said. She recognized both of them from the night before. 

They were the ones who responded to her father's call after she was abused last night. "Is there someone who can come to stay with you?" The other officer asked. 

"I.. Is anything wrong officer?" she asked.

Hoping, hoping in her heart nothing happened to her father. 

" I'm sorry, Amelia, your father is in the hospital right now. He was in a car accident earlier today and the doctors are not sure if he can make it." 

Amelia felt her knees fold beneath her and couldn't seem to keep the blackness from engulfing her whole being. 

When she woke up, she was lying on the sofa. 

The two policemen were seated at her side. 

One of them holding something that they must have used to wake her up. 

She was about to ask them about her father when she saw her grandmother by her foot, looking at her worriedly. She must have cut her vacation short because she was not supposed to be here until next week. 

"Grandma?" she whispered. Tears fell down her cheeks immediately. 

Her grandmother moved to her side and hugged her. Tears also flowed from her eyes as she held her granddaughter. 

"Everything is going to be alright honey." she said. 

"How is dad?" Amelia managed to ask in a course tone through her tears. 

"He is still in ICU." One of the policemen answered. 

"We can give you a ride to the hospital if you want to go right now." Offered by the other officer. 

Her grandma agreed. Not very sure if she can drive safely to the hospital. 

When they got to the hospital, they were told almost the same as what the officers told them, except with more details on her father's wounds. 

The doctor told them that it was a critical twenty – four-hour observation period. 

Amelia and her grandmother stayed at the hospital that day. Praying and willing the man in their life to survive. 

Amelia was thankful her grandmother was here at this very painful moment in her life. 

Her father called her grandmother when they were at the police station. Hearing about what happened to Amelia, Mary immediately cut her vacation short and came back to be with her granddaughter. 

As she looked at her sleeping granddaughter on her lap. She could not stop the tears rolling from her eyes, feeling pity, anxiety for the coming days, and anger for the person who abused her sweet, innocent baby. 

The next day, Jude still did not wake up. 

The doctors have now warned them to prepare for the worst. 

Tears flowed from Amelia's and Mary's eyes even more. 

Later that day, they were presented with the hospital bill. 

Jude had medical insurance, but they knew it was not enough. 

As the days pass on, they would need to have additional source to pay the hospital. 

Because they were not allowed to stay at the ICU, Mary decided to bring Amelia home to rest especially after what she had gone through. 

They could only pray and wait for positive news in the next coming days. 

As they got out of the taxi they rode to get home, both of them saw a black Rolls-Royce Phantom parked outside their house. And both immediately knew whose car it was. 

But no one said a word. 

Mary held Amelia's hand tightly as they walked towards the car. 

When they neared the car, a woman alighted from the back of the car and faced them. 

"Mrs. Richardon herself!" both exclaimed in their mind. But both not saying anything. They waited for Mrs. Richardson to initiate the conversation.