The car glided up to the exceptional modern house, its sleek lines complementing the architectural masterpiece. The gravel crunched beneath the tires as it came to a halt at the imposing gate.
With a sense of purpose, he swung open the car door and strode confidently towards the house. His knuckles rapped against the door, the echo resonating through the stillness of the night. The door creaked open, revealing a perplexed man, taken aback by the unexpected visitor at such a late hour.
"How may I hel..."
Before the man could finish his sentence, Antonio swiftly raised his gun, aiming directly at his heart. The deafening sound of the gunshot shattered the silence as the man's eyes widened in shock, unable to comprehend what had just transpired. He collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
The sound of the thud reverberated through the house, reaching the ears of the man's wife. She hurriedly descended the staircase, her heart pounding in her chest, unaware of the tragedy that awaited her. The sight that greeted her was beyond her worst nightmares. Her husband lay motionless on the floor, and standing before her was none other than her ex-husband, Antonio.
A mixture of disbelief, horror, and heartbreak washed over her. "A-Antonio..." she stammered, her voice trembling, unable to fully process the cruel reality unfolding before her eyes.
"Liliana... long time no see. How do you like my surprise? Your scum husband is dead, and I wondered what you are going to do now," Antonio sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm, as he toyed with the gun in his hand.
Enraged and overwhelmed with grief, tears streamed down Liliana's face as she knelt beside her husband, cradling his lifeless head in her lap. Her voice cracked as she mustered the strength to speak through the anguish. "You jerk, I will kill you..."
Desperation and sorrow consumed her as she pleaded, her face turning red from the sheer weight of her emotions. "Honey... if this is a joke, stop it. I don't like this... please... please."
"Now it's your turn. I will kill you the way you killed him," she fired, as she stalked towards him.
"You bastard...!" her voice cracked with anger and grief as she lunged towards him, fueled by a primal desire for revenge.
But before she could reach him, a bullet pierced through the air, finding its mark in her heart. She froze in mid-motion, a gasp caught in her throat, before collapsing to the ground, lifeless. Her final words whispered with a mix of hatred and resignation. "I hate you, Antonio."
With both victims now lying motionless on the floor, Antonio proceeded to eliminate any evidence that might arouse suspicion. He meticulously disposed of the man's body, deep in the woods, leaving no trace behind. The ashes from the burnt remains were buried as per his boss's orders.
"Rest well, scum. Don't worry, I sent your beautiful wife to join you. I hope you reunite in the afterlife," Antonio sneered, his laughter echoing through the emptiness as he drove away from the scene of the crime.
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As the news of the manager's disappearance and his wife's murder blared from the television, I couldn't bear to listen any longer. I switched it off, my eyes fixating on the lifeless screen, my mind consumed with guilt.
He had killed my manager and his wife, and I couldn't escape the overwhelming feeling that it was all my fault. If only I had listened to him, if only I hadn't snuck out, none of this would have happened. The weight of guilt bore down on me, and I couldn't fathom forgiving myself, let alone him.
Determined to confront him and unleash my pent-up anger, I made my way to the door, opened it, and stepped into the dimly lit sitting room where he was likely waiting.
-----------
"Antonio."
"Yes, boss..." Antonio's voice quivered with fear as he addressed his superior. He kept his head down, anticipating the wrath that awaited him.
"What was my order?" Adrian inquired, rising from his seat and approaching Antonio with measured steps.
"To kill the manager," Antonio replied, his voice barely above a whisper, his body trembling with apprehension.
"And what did you do?" Adrian's tone remained eerily calm, sending shivers down Antonio's spine.
"I'm sorry, boss. I didn't mean to..." Antonio's voice trailed off as he struggled to find the words to express his remorse, his body racked with guilt.
"You didn't mean to?" he raised eyebrow conveyed a mix of disbelief and disappointment.
"I'm deeply sorry, boss. It will never happen again," Antonio pleaded, his voice quivering with genuine remorse.
Adrian gaze hardened, his disappointment transforming into an icy resolve. "Don't think about it. There won't be a next time for you. If I remember correctly, she was your ex-wife, right?"
"Yes, boss..." Antonio's voice wavered, a knot forming in his throat.
"You killed her because she was your ex-wife, and I never ordered you to do that. You disregarded my command, Antonio. And you, of all people, should know the consequences," Adrian stated, his voice laced with a chilling finality.
"Yes, boss," Antonio nodded, his eyes squeezed shut, bracing himself for the inevitable.
"Good. I don't take disobedience lightly, as you know." His tone remained eerily calm, belying the severity of the situation.
"Give me the bayonet." Adrian extended his hand, and one of his men stepped forward, placing the knife into his palm.
The rest of the men in the room winced, their expressions filled with a mixture of sorrow and discomfort. They knew that one of their own was about to meet a gruesome fate.
Antonio's heart pounded in his chest as the boss's words reverberated through his mind. He deserved this punishment, for he had taken an innocent life. His thoughts raced, regret consuming him as he desperately sought a way to atone for his actions.
"In your next life, I hope you find happiness with your ex-wife, but don't think about becoming one of my men again," Adrian whispered, his voice laced with a chilling finality.
With a swift motion, the boss plunged the bayonet into Antonio's neck, twisting it mercilessly. Blood spurted from the wound, staining the floor, as Antonio fell to his knees. Gasping for breath, his life force slipping away, he knew his time had come.
Not wanting his subordinate to suffer needlessly, Adrian leaned down and swiftly drove the bayonet into Antonio's heart. The life drained from his eyes, and his body fell backward, lifeless.
He wiped the blood from his face, his lips curling into a cold smirk. "I should have made it quick for you. I hate it when my men suffer," he muttered to himself, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.
"Dispose of his body and clean up the mess," he ordered his men.
And that was the scene that greeted me: him stabbing one of his men to death, not once, but twice.
I no longer knew what to feel. I had been living with someone worse than the devil, someone who didn't hesitate to kill. Witnessing the death of another human being was beyond horrific. If I thought my mother's death was tragic, this was truly heinous. How could he kill someone in such a brutal manner? These thoughts raced through my mind, and I couldn't contain a gasp that escaped from my mouth, inadvertently drawing his attention.
*****
He turned his head, his eyes fixating on the source of the sound. To his surprise, he saw a pair of brown eyes staring back at him, filled with complete fear. It was her, and no one else. Today, he would make it clear to her the consequences of defying him.
He dropped the bloody knife on the floor and began walking towards her with deliberate, slow steps, exuding intimidation.
She covered her mouth to stifle any further sound, feeling as though her feet were glued to the ground, unable to move despite her desperate attempts. Her mind went blank, unable to process the unfolding horror.
He ascended the stairs, drawing nearer with each step. She could see him clearly now, the red blood spattered across his face, evidence of the life he had just taken.