Happy Birthday To Me

Veronica POV

The house is packed for my twenty-first birthday party. I cannot believe how many people came to wish me a happy birthday. The gift table is overflowing. There is live music from one of my favorite bands, Shadowlands. My father spared no expense for his favorite child. I am his only child, but I am his favorite. 

My father hands me a small box wrapped in a blue ribbon. Everyone is watching. They want to see what my father has spoiled me with this time. 

"Thank you, daddy," I say. I  kiss my father on the cheek. I open the box revealing a beautiful diamond necklace. 

My father, Vincent Hayden, takes the blue box holding the diamond necklace from me. He removes the necklace from the box. I bend down, and he places it around my neck. 

"Happy birthday, sweetheart," My father says. 

For a moment, I am happy. Things have never been easy for us. My mother died when I was young, and he raised me. I can't say that he raised me alone. I have always had a nanny or someone looking out for me. 

My father is Vincent Hayden, one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in Dark River Falls. I guess you could say he owns this town and everyone in it. I am royalty here. I always get what I want, and I always get my way. 

Maybe it was because my mother died and my father felt sorry for me. He has always showered me with gifts, clothes, cars, and jewelry. I can't say that he has shown me love or affection. He isn't really the loving father type, but he has always been here for me. 

As my heart fills with joy and happiness, there is a commotion at the entrance to our mansion. What is going on? The guests begin to scatter as men rush into the estate, surrounding my father and me. 

"Vincent Hayden," one of the men wearing all black calls out.

"That is me," My father says. There is no surprise in his voice. Did he know they were coming? 

"What is going on, daddy?" I ask as the men push me out of the way and put my father in handcuffs. 

"Everything will be okay, sweetheart," My father says. 

I watch my father leave my party surrounded by men with guns. One man stays behind, and he is wearing a suit. He is walking toward me. "I need you to clear out your little party, and we need to talk," the man says. 

He doesn't look like the other men. He frightens me. I shake my head that I understand what he is saying. I feel a pinch in my arm. He is holding my arm tightly. "Don't try to run," he says. 

I quickly make my way to where the band is playing. I am afraid of what will happen once everyone leaves, but I have no choice. The man watches me. I have dealt with ruthless men because of my father's business dealings all my life, but this man is different. He wants something from me. 

I get on the stage and call the singer for shadowlands over to me. I explain to him that I need him to clear everyone out quickly. He agrees and makes the announcement. Some people are already leaving after watching my father arrested, but some are waiting for an explanation. I am not going to tell them anything. 

I watch as everyone leaves except the man in the suit and a couple of my father's employees. I know my father's business is not exactly legal. I am not stupid. I have been through arrests and public trials. He has always gotten out of whatever trouble he lands in, but this time seems different. 

No one has ever crashed into the house and arrested him. We are always treated with respect. Not this time - this time, my father is in real trouble. This arrest scares me. 

"Sit down, Veronica," the man says to me firmly. 

I take a sit in the living room. He watches me for a moment. Is he waiting for me to cry or be upset? I refuse to be upset. I stare at him, coldly waiting for his interrogation. 

"Veronica, I am Detective Stamos. Your father will not get out of jail for a long time. He will go to prison. Are you aware of what your father does for a living?" the detective asks me. 

Detective Stamos is older, with almost white hair. His face carries the lines of someone who has done his job for a long time. He is making me uncomfortable, which is what he is trying to do. He wants me to talk, tell him everything I know about my father's business. 

"I know my father works hard," I answer him. 

Detective Stamos rushes toward me. "Your father is a thief and a murderer," he says. 

Another man grabs Detective Stamos before he gets to me. "I am sorry, but I have no idea what you are talking about," I say. 

"Don't say anything," a voice calls out to me. I look to see one of my father's lawyers, Mr. David. 

Mr. David stands in front of me. "Are you harassing my client?" Mr. David asks. 

Detective Stamos and the other detective back away from me. "She is involved. I hope she knows the man her father stole from will come looking for her and his money. This time, Vincent is going down, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. She's as good as dead unless she cooperates with us," Detective Stamos says. 

"Leave, now. If you want to talk to Vincent or Veronica, call my office," Mr. David says. 

Detective Stamos leaves quickly. Mr. David sits on the couch across from me. "I am not stupid, but I am scared," I say to break the silence. 

Mr. David runs his hand through his hair. "You should be scared. Vincent is in a lot of trouble. I can't help him out of this, but I can make his time in prison comfortable. As for you, get what you need from the house and go to a hotel for the night. Call me after you get settled and let me know you are safe, but I do not want to know where you are," Mr. Davis says. 

I get up and rush up the stairs to my bedroom. I pack a bag quickly. Happy Birthday to me. The police arrested my father, and now I must leave my home. All I know is my father is in a lot of trouble, and I am not safe either. Who would my father steal from and why? We have money. Are there money problems that he did not tell me about?

I put the small bag on my shoulder and rush down the stairs. Mr. David is waiting for me. There is no one in the house except Mr. David and two of my father's men. When I come down the stairs, the three of them are talking. 

I stand at the foot of the steps quietly for a moment. I look to my left at my father's office. I go inside his office and lock the door. The office is a mess. I didn't look like this earlier. Was someone looking for money?

KNOCK KNOCK BANG BANG "Veronica. You do not need to be in there?" Mr. David calls out. 

I ignore him and go to my father's desk. I open the drawer and get a key to his safety deposit box and the key to his safe. I quickly rush to the back of his office and open his panic room. I go into the panic room and shut the door. 

I hear the office door open, and the three men begin to go through the office. "Where is she?" Mr. David calls out in anger. I am not sure I can trust him, either. 

I open the floor of the panic room, revealing the safe. I put the key into the safe and open it. I reach in and pull out a bag of money, a new ID for me, and a credit card. I have a feeling I might be on the run for a while. 

The men begin banging on the panic room door. I can see everything on camera. They are furious. I open the back door of the panic room and go through the tunnel that leads to the garage. I have to hurry. 

I come out at the garage. I quickly make my way to my car. I hit the button to open the garage door, and there is Felix. I didn't know he was still here. He motions for me to go. 

"RUN! Veronica!" Felix yells out to me. 

I back out of the garage past Felix. "Thank you," I mouth to him. He smiles, and then shots ring out. Felix goes down as I drive out of the driveway and away from the men.