Wounds of Deceit

11 PM in the streets of Hamilton, New York City. A few legs walked the deserted road. Alongside the road was a parked Dodge Ram car, which was constantly but slightly shaking, showing obvious evidence of motion inside.

It was difficult to see what was happening inside the car since it was dark and had tinted windows, but anyone passing by would have an idea of what was going on.

It wasn't news to anyone that couples enjoyed themselves in a parked car-it had become a trend as of late. As the shaking of the car became more intense and muffled moans escaped from it, a Lamborghini drove in speedily and recklessly, stopping in front of the shaking car. A young man descended from the car angrily; he was in corporate attire but looked so unkempt that his necktie was left loose.

He ran towards the car's door and kicked it multiple times, yelling.

"Adrian, you bastard! Come out, you fucking prick! How can you be so shameless as to indulge in this kind of act on the street? Where's your dignity? Come out here and settle with me, you bastard!"

Just as he kept angrily kicking the door, the motions seemed to stop for a moment, then a girl stepped out. She didn't bother to wear her shirt; she was only in a bra and a folded skirt that looked like she had hurriedly pulled it down.

"Oh... look who it is! It's my failure of a lover disturbing the moment, Lucas," she said nonchalantly.

"Charlotte, you shameless bitch! How can you do such a thing with your sister's fiancé? How heartless can you be?" he asked, raising his tone, but was met with a surprising chuckle from Charlotte.

"My sister, you say? She's too naïve and undeserving of such a refined man. How do you expect someone like her to have it perfect when she's not even worth it, only because she's the elder? I want it all: everything that's hers; I'll make it all mine, so I decided to start with her most precious fiancé. The funny thing is that we might even do it at home, but she wouldn't find out because she's knocked out from working all day. How pathetic, right?"

"You... you're a heartless whore. How did I end up falling for you? I feel so stupid."

"Thanks for the compliment; it's proof that I'm an undeniable beauty!"

"Laugh while you can. Soon, I'll have all your atrocities out for the world to see. You know how influential my family is, right? Don't be surprised if you see it on national TV." His remark made Charlotte's mood change to that of fear.

"Don't do something stupid, Lucas."

"How about you wait and see? And for Adrian, that bastard..." Before he finished his sentence, there was a gunshot, and a bullet impaled his skull. His body fell lifeless the next minute as a pool of blood surrounded his head.

Upon seeing this, Charlotte's expression turned pale.

"I thought I heard someone shouting; turns out it was a mosquito that needed to be quieted," Adrian said as he came out from the other side of the car, holding a gun while wearing only his pants.

"O... oh God!" Charlotte staggered backwards and was supported by the car. "W... why, Adrian? Why did you kill him?!" she yelled at him.

"Hey, keep it down, will you? He was becoming a thorn and a threat; that was the only way to shut him up. This bastard is capable of pulling that shit with national TV," Adrian explained, his demeanor nonchalant as if he had just squashed a bug. It was obvious it wasn't his first human kill.

"Even so, you could have done something else, like kidnap or threaten him, not kill him."

"Get a hold of yourself, Charlotte. Kidnap or threaten the son of a billionaire? That's literally submitting ourselves to the cops."

"Then what about this? What do we do about this?"

"Hehe, what do you think of killing two birds with one stone, huh?"

"T... two birds? How?"

"Your sister, Charlotte. I'm talking about Elena. By now, she'd be knocked out from work. Even your loud moaning wouldn't wake her up, so how about we plant this body beside her and make up a story to frame her? Something like she loved him, but he loved you, so out of jealousy, she shot him and slept with him as a sign of love. Then, as early as six, we shoot a gun, making sure people hear the gunshots and call the cops on her. That way, we'll have enough evidence to, in thebest-casee scenario, get her imprisoned for life. What do you think?"

"..." Charlotte was dumbfounded by how mischievously calculating he was-ruthless and heartless at the same time-but she also thought of how she was no different from him. They were a match made in hell.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked as she smiled and walked up to him, kissed him, and said, "I knew you wouldn't do such a thing on a whim. To think you've calculated this far. Now nothing will stop me from getting my parents' company." They exchanged a passionate kiss.

..........

The next morning, just like every other morning, Elena woke up to prepare for work. She had planned that the next day would be her day off to spend time with her lovely fiancé, so she was energized. Only to wipe her face with her hand and notice a stench of iron and a thick liquid on her face.

She looked at her hand to see bloodstains, surprised to see whether she was bleeding. She turned to see the dead body of Lucas by her side.

She screamed; it was loud enough to alert the neighbours. But before she could comprehend anything, cops surrounded the house, came in, and arrested her.

"Miss Elena Carter, you're being arrested for the murder of Lucas Vance. You have the right to remain silent; anything you say may be used against you in a court of law."

"Wh... what is going on? Somebody tell me what the hell is going on?!" she yelled as she struggled to free herself. Then she heard distant sobbing.

"H... how could you, Elena? Why? What did I ever do to you? Not only did you covet my man, but you also killed him because he wasn't interested in you and desecrated his body by sleeping with it. Why would you do such a heartless thing?" Charlotte cried, being supported by Adrian.

"Wha... what the hell are you saying? Me? Covet your boyfriend and kill him?"

"Officers, take her away. I might do something stupid if I keep seeing her disgusting face here," Adrian said, shattering Elena's heart.

As she was dragged away, she protested and was captured by the news media that had gathered, who were called in back to Adrian too.

Elena was not only helpless; she was alone-utterly alone. On the day of the final court ruling, she was considered guilty under many fake testimonies and pieces of evidence; people in the streets testified to hearing gunshots. Having no way out and falling victim to Charlotte and Adrian's plot, she was put into jail to rot for life.

In the penitentiary where Elena was detained, the voice of a radio broadcaster came through the glitching radio in the warden's office.

"For Today's Gist, we have a spicy one for you. It's been ten years since Elena Carter killed Lucas Vance, leaving both Charlotte and Adrian single. In the process of consoling each other, Charlotte and Adrian fell in love. A year ago, they got married and have announced their upcoming wedding anniversary as they plan to make it a memorable one."

As the warden listened intently to the news, one of the officers approached him.

"Sir, you have a visitor-he's here," he announced. The warden got up, put on his cap, and followed the officer. As he stepped outside, he saw a very tall, muscular, and handsome man with a perfect jawline and a well-carved beard. His smooth hair, straight and thick eyebrows, and a pair of dark brown eyes made him look domineering and dangerous, but his dark aura couldn't hide his good looks.

His name was Damien Vance, the older brother of Lucas Vance, the victim of the murder case from ten years ago.

As the warden approached, he greeted Damien and asked, "Is it today, sir?"

"Yes, but first I'd like to see her. I need her permission to use her," he said in a dark voice.

"Sure, this way, sir." He led Damien to Elena's prison room. "Just as you asked, we put her in protective custody last year," the warden explained but received no reply.

They reached the prison room, where, at the end of the wall, sat an almost hairless and malnourished-looking girl hugging her knees. There was food beside her that had been left untouched. Damien looked at the warden for an explanation.

"She barely touches her food, sir," the warden explained, and Damien looked away.

"Let me in and give us privacy," he demanded. The warden wanted to protest, but he knew that Damien wasn't someone who would do anything reckless, and he was paid well, so he complied.

As soon as the gate opened, Damien stepped into the prison room, his shoes making a slow and gentle tapping sound. He noticed that Elena raised her head just enough to look at his shoes but not his face, and she didn't say a word.

He walked around the prison room a bit and spoke softly.

"Are you angry? Do you want revenge? Are you innocent? Can you prove it, Miss Elena Carter?" he asked, stopping right in front of her.

"I was the one who got you out of that hellhole last year and requested that you be put in the protective custody room. I saved you because I had a use for you. I believe you didn't kill my brother and that you were framed. But if you can prove that you're truly innocent, you can help me find the real culprit behind my brother's death..." He paused and bent toward her.

"I will give you the power to exact your revenge. What do you say, Miss Carter?" His words made her lift her face and look him in the eyes. Tears rolled down her empty eyes, which had lost their sparkle.

She remembered how she had been betrayed, how she lost ten years of her life, and how she thought she would rot in jail. She recalled how many times she tried to kill herself but just wouldn't die.

Now she had the opportunity to make them pay-all of them. She could become the predator and hunt her prey mercilessly.

"C... can I really leave this place and prove my innocence?" Her voice cracked because she was crying and her throat was dry. Damien nodded, and she cried more. He let her ease herself and handed her a towel to clean up when she was done. He knew that it must have been difficult for her; any weaker person would have gone insane.

"Now let's talk terms and conditions," Elena said, raising a brow.

"It takes many resources, sacrifices, and risks to get you out of here; that's the least you can do. So I'll be sure you don't mess things up for me. Since your reputation is worse than horrible, you'll have to undergo facial surgery. To become less suspicious working with me, you'll have to become my wife." Elena didn't need to think much about it. She couldn't stay there any longer; a facial surgery and a marriage contract weren't such unpleasant offers. Hell, she was willing to undergo surgery on all her body parts to make sure Charlotte, Adrian, and whoever the real killer of Lucas would suffer.

She still believed that her sister and Adrian were either paid or deceived to frame her. Although she suspected they could be the killers, it was less likely to her since the victim was someone her sister liked.

After that, Damien had a brief discussion and signed some documents with the warden, who allowed him to let her go.

As they both stepped out, Elena saw a luxurious limousine waiting for them. She hesitated a bit, looked around as if taking in the moment. It was difficult for her to understand that she was finally free-for real.

She would no longer have to suffer privacy invasion, poor conditions, emptiness, and worst of all, grit her teeth at her naivety and weakness. As she stepped out into the world, she would get a new face, a new personality, and become a new Elena with no weaknesses.

"Shall we?" Damien called for her, and she turned to look at him, nodded, and headed into the car as it drove off.

At Brooklyn stood a very tall skyscraper: Carter Cosmetics, a large company that deals in all kinds of healthy and beautiful cosmetics and has branches all over the world.

It was originally a property willed to Elena Carter by her parents. Under her management, it became very successful and boasted its influence as it was at the top of the market with honest efforts.

After the incident ten years ago, Charlotte, Elena's sister, became the new owner, alongside Adrian, who later married her. Although they ran the company well, it was mostly maintained through dirty work and sponsorships from people-most especially those who sympathized with them after the murder incident.

They were smart with their business operations but unscrupulous. They had most competitors lose to them in gruesome ways, increased their partnerships, and with the help of public relations officers, they were able to maintain a favorable and likable image. They were demons who appeared as beautiful and perfect as angels.

In the CEO's office, which Charlotte occupied, a man walked in with two cups of coffee in his hand and some snacks. It was Adrian. He was in charge of doing the dirty work while Charlotte remained the face of the company. She had suggested that they start other companies as backups, but Adrian refuted, saying that they should focus and give their all to the currently successful one.

He walked up to Charlotte, who was busy staring at her laptop.

"Hey babe, here's a coffee for you," he said, and she paused to look at him.

"Aww, that's so sweet and thoughtful of you," she smiled at him, taking the coffee and drinking it. "You returned unexpectedly late today. Was the mission successful? How did it go?" she asked.

"It wasn't easy. I found out that the person representing them wasn't their real CEO, so I had the boys fish out the real one. Don't worry, I didn't kill him-just made him sign some of the documents I presented," Adrian said as he took a sip of his own coffee. His demeanor was a giveaway that he was bragging and wanted compliments from Charlotte.

"Aww, that's my superman. You know, sometimes I wonder how you got that brain of yours. You're quick-thinking, and you always seem to have solutions for everything. I'm so proud of you, baby," she praised him, kissing his hand.

"Then shouldn't you reward me?" Adrian questioned as he dropped his coffee cup and leaned closer to her for a kiss. Once she brought her face toward his, he avoided it and looked toward her laptop. Charlotte was a bit annoyed, but she had gotten used to his teasing.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he turned the laptop toward himself. "Oh? You naughty girl, watching this kind of stuff in your office while alone."

"What? You can't blame me. I got bored waiting for you, and since it's our anniversary soon, it got me reminiscing about how you touch me. I couldn't resist anymore," she said with a seductive look, biting her lower lip.

"Now that I'm back, you don't have to imagine anymore; I'll show you the real thing." He cupped her face, and they shared a passionate kiss.

..........

Elena was made to wear a mask so she wouldn't be recognized as they lodged at a five-star hotel. When she got to her room, she let herself fall onto the king-size bed. After a little time, a notification sound came from the phone Damien had given her earlier. It was a message from Damien telling her to have enough rest and not to think about anything since they had a flight to catch the next morning.

After reading, she heaved a long sigh, wondering if she was making the right decision to work with Damien. Although their conversation was short and their interaction minimal, she understood him as haughty, egotistical, arrogant, and cold. Although those words might be synonymous, it was just how Elena saw Damien.

"I'm not your puppet, and I'm not going to be anyone's puppet," she whispered to herself. The flight they had to catch was to Paris, where she'd stay and undergo facial surgery with a private surgeon, and then they'd return right before Adrian and Charlotte's wedding anniversary to kickstart their plan.

After some hours, Elena's mind couldn't stop racing. It was overworking itself, thinking too many things at once. She couldn't sleep, consumed by thoughts of the surgery, her sister and fiancé's betrayal, how gruesome her revenge should be, and how to escape the grasp of Damien, who only viewed her as a disposable tool.

She wasn't having it easy, so she decided to take a bath. She stripped and walked to the bathtub, submerging herself in the water, sparing her nose to breathe. There, in the silence of the water, she found peace.

++++++++++

Damien had finished with his shower and was about to go to bed when he decided to make a call. He went to his suitcase, brought out a telephone, dialed a number, and his call was picked up.

"Richard, prepare the jet for departure tomorrow. As early as 8 AM, we move."

"Aye-aye, captain," the person replied jokingly, but Damien wasn't in the mood. Just as he was about to hang up, Richard asked him a question.

"Why do I feel like you're second-guessing your decision? You're never one to hesitate, and although I know you said her innocence was 90% certain, you seem too doubtful. What is it, Damien?" Damien stayed silent for a while before speaking.

"That girl... she's dangerous, and that is going to be troublesome for me. She has bottled up her hatred and is about to cause an explosion once she releases it. The problem is that we might get caught in it if she acts recklessly. The power and backing that Adrian and Charlotte have gained over the years can't be overlooked. I'll have to put in more effort into controlling her."

"Ah... so that's it. You're afraid she'll become a viper who's blinded by rage and poisons both allies and foes, right? Well... let's see how things go."