Chapter 6

At 5:00 PM, Evelina walked into an exclusive designer boutique on Fifth Avenue.

She handed the clerk Sterling's black card. She pointed to a razor-sharp, tailored black dress that looked like high-fashion mourning wear. She added a wide-brimmed black hat with a thick mourning veil.

Inside the fitting room, she stripped off her cheap clothes. She applied a coat of blood-red lipstick. She put on the dress and pinned the hat to her hair. The black veil fell over her eyes, hiding her face but amplifying the lethal aura radiating from her body.

At 5:30 PM, the ground shook. A massive, black semi-truck pulled up to the curb outside the boutique. The air brakes hissed loudly.

Evelina lifted the hem of her dress. She walked out of the store on seven-inch black stilettos and climbed into the passenger seat of the truck.

At 6:00 PM, the Barrett estate was glowing. Luxury cars lined the driveway. A string quartet played soft classical music on the perfectly manicured lawn.

The elite of the Upper East Side held crystal glasses, laughing and networking. Aspen Barrett fluttered through the crowd in her red dress, soaking up the attention.

Suddenly, a deafening blast from a heavy truck air horn ripped through the elegant music. Guests screamed and covered their ears.

The black semi-truck did not slow down. It slammed directly into the wrought-iron gates of the Barrett estate.

Metal shrieked and tore. The truck crushed the gates beneath its massive tires and plowed straight onto the expensive lawn, tearing up chunks of green turf. It slammed on the brakes right in the middle of the gala.

Dirt sprayed everywhere. Guests scattered in blind panic, dropping their drinks.

Aspen's champagne glass shattered on the ground. Her face turned purple with rage. She marched toward the truck, screaming curses at the driver.

The hydraulic lift on the back of the truck whined as it lowered. Four men in cheap black suits stepped out. Their faces were blank.

In the dead silence of the ruined party, the men dragged three heavy, pure black coffins out of the truck. They lined them up perfectly on the torn grass.

A collective gasp echoed through the crowd. Bringing coffins to a charity gala was a horrific, unforivable curse.

Aspen shook with fury. She pointed a trembling finger at the boxes. "Who did this? ! Security! Throw this garbage out!"

The passenger door of the truck swung open.

A pair of long legs in black stilettos stepped out. Evelina jumped down from the high cab, landing gracefully on the grass.

She walked toward the coffins. Her steps were slow, measured, and terrifyingly calm.

A gust of evening wind caught the edge of her black veil. It lifted, revealing her flawless, breathtaking face and blood-red lips.

Aspen froze. Her mouth dropped open. She recognized the bone structure, but her brain refused to connect this stunning goddess to her scarred, pathetic sister.

Evelina stopped in front of Aspen. She let out a cold, sharp laugh.

"Surprise, sister," Evelina said. Her voice cut through the silence like a knife.

Aspen's eyes bulged. "Evelina? ! You ugly freak! What did you do to your face? !"

The crowd erupted into frantic whispers. The guests stared in shock at the legendary ruined daughter who now looked like a queen of hell.

Humiliation and jealousy burned through Aspen's veins. She raised her hand and swung it hard, aiming a vicious slap at Evelina's perfect face.

Evelina's eyes flashed. She did not step back. Her left hand shot up, catching Aspen's wrist mid-air. Her fingers clamped down like a steel vise. She twisted the bone sharply.

Aspen shrieked in agony. Her knees buckled as the pain shot up her arm.

Evelina did not hesitate. She shifted her weight, raised her right leg, and drove the pointed heel of her stiletto directly into Aspen's stomach with a brutal front kick.

The impact lifted Aspen off her feet. The red dress flew through the air. Aspen crashed backward, landing perfectly inside the first open black coffin.

While the crowd screamed in horror, Evelina stepped forward. She grabbed the heavy wooden lid and slammed it halfway shut, pinning Aspen inside the dark box.