"Sandra! Sandra! Where do you think you are going to?" Despite her advanced age, she chased Sandra with surprising speed, her concern palpable. Sandra hastily exited the gate and dashed into the waiting taxi, her heart pounding with anxiety. Through the rearview mirror, she caught a glimpse of her mother-in-law's frantic pursuit, a sight that both startled and puzzled her. Her mother-in-law had never shown such concern before, raising suspicion in Sandra's mind. From the moment of the unexpected visitor's arrival the day before, Sandra's behavior had been erratic, fueling her mother-in-law's growing sense of unease. The pursuit continued for several tense minutes until Sandra's legs could carry her no further. Gasping for breath, she leaned against the nearest wall, her mind racing with questions and uncertainties.
"You did well, Ms. Sandra," Spider said gently, his eyes meeting Sandra's in the rearview mirror. Sandra remained silent, her anguish evident as tears welled in her eyes.
"Don't cry, Ms. Sandra," Spider continued, his voice soft and reassuring. "Your family loves you, and they will thank you for your sacrifice." He handed her a jotter and a pen. "Kindly write down their names, addresses, and account numbers."
"You will do something else for me",
"What is it?"
"Flip another page of that jotter, write your suicide note and in that suicide note, write that Felicia killed your husband and that is why you are burning yourself in front of her fashion house, she is wicked and evil and must suffer"
"That was not our arrangement", She looked sadly at the spider
"Do it, I will handle everything for you",
With trembling hands, Sandra complied, her tears blurring the ink as she hastily scrawled down the details of her family members. She listed their names, addresses, and bank account information, along with the name and location of the hospital where her father was receiving treatment, she also wrote the suicide note. Each stroke of the pen felt like a heavy burden, but Sandra knew this was the path she had chosen.
As she finished, tears streamed down her cheeks unabated. Despite her anguish, she felt a sense of resolve deep within her. This was what she had to do for her family, no matter the cost. "Good girl," Spider said softly, his tone a strange mix of approval and detachment, as he took the jotter from Sandra's trembling hands. They approached Felicia's fashion house, its facade illuminated by the soft glow of streetlights. The building stood proudly on the busy road, a beacon of elegance amidst the darkness of the night.
As they neared their destination, Spider glanced at the dashboard clock. It read 1 a.m, a deliberate choice of timing on Spider's part. He knew that at this late hour, most people would be fast asleep, their senses dulled by the embrace of night.
The fashion house itself exuded an air of exclusivity, nestled in one of the city's most affluent neighborhoods. Its prime location, coupled with its sophisticated design, made it an ideal setting for Felicia's burgeoning business empire.
With a calculated precision, Spider parked the taxi a discreet distance from the fashion house, and at CCTV blind spot, ensuring they remained unnoticed in the quiet of the night. He turned to Sandra, his expression unreadable behind his mask.
"Now, Sandra," he said, his voice low and commanding, "this is where you must fulfill your end of the bargain.".
Spider slides the door open and he walks to the booth of the car, pulls out a 10-liter fuel and a lighter, he walks towards the passenger's seat, opened the door for Sandra as she quietly walks out. He hands the lighter to her and the fuel. Sandra takes them from him and she quietly walks towards the FELI FASHION HOUSE.
As Sandra approached the building, a shiver ran down her spine. She glanced back at Spider, who stood by the taxi with an unwavering gaze, his presence both comforting and menacing.
With a deep breath, Sandra steeled herself for what she knew she must do. The weight of her family's future bore down on her shoulders, driving her forward despite the overwhelming dread that threatened to consume her.
Every step felt heavier than the last as she closed the distance to the fashion house. The darkness seemed to envelop her, suffocating her with its silent intensity. She could hear the faint hum of the city's nightlife in the distance, a stark contrast to the heavy silence that enveloped her now.
As she reached the entrance of the fashion house, Sandra's heart pounded in her chest like a drumbeat of impending doom. She glanced around nervously, her eyes darting from shadow to shadow, searching for any sign of movement.
With trembling hands, she poured the fuel around the perimeter of the building, careful to avoid the gaze of the security cameras that watched her every move. The pungent scent of gasoline filled the air, a stark reminder of the irreversible actions she was about to take.
Finally, with a silent prayer on her lips, Sandra lit the lighter and watched as the flames danced to life, casting eerie shadows against the walls of the fashion house. The fire spread quickly, engulfing the building in a blaze of orange and red.
Tears streamed down Sandra's cheeks as she watched the flames consume everything in their path. She knew there was no turning back now, no undoing the devastation she had wrought. All she could do was hope that her sacrifice would be enough to secure her family's future, even as it condemned her to a death time of guilt and remorse. As she is satisfied that the fire is razing inside, she turns the gasoline on herself and empties the remaining on herself, she lit the fire on her body.
Spider observed with a mixture of excitement and satisfaction as the flames engulfed the fashion house, casting an eerie glow against the night sky. With a sense of accomplishment, he retrieved his phone and swiftly composed a message to Nina, informing her of the successful completion of their mission.
"Mission accomplished," he typed, his fingers moving deftly over the screen. "Please come tomorrow and pick up the list. Please bring my payment along."
Satisfied with his message, Spider hit send and tucked his phone away, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. He knew that Nina would be pleased with their progress and eagerly anticipated her response.
As he settled back into the driver's seat of the taxi, Spider's mind buzzed with anticipation for the days to come. The events of the night had only served to strengthen his resolve, and he was eager to see what new opportunities awaited him.
With a quiet sense of satisfaction, he started the engine and merged back into the free expressway, the distant glow of the burning fashion house fading into the rearview mirror as he drove off into the night.
Nina woke to the soft glow of morning seeping through the curtains, casting a warm hue across the bedroom. Her hand instinctively reached for her phone on the bedside table, only to find it cluttered with notifications. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, she squinted at the screen to find nearly 10 missed calls from an unknown number and a barrage of messages. Thankfully, her habit of silencing her phone before bed spared her from the incessant buzzing.
Turning her gaze to the figure beside her, she watched her husband slumber peacefully, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. She knew he had a late night and wouldn't appreciate being disturbed from his well-deserved rest. With a careful maneuver, Nina slipped out from under the crisp white duvet, her bare feet padding softly against the cool hardwood floor.
Her phone buzzed once more, the same unknown number flashing on the screen. Curiosity piqued, she decided to answer, bracing herself for whatever urgent news awaited her. But as soon as she held the device to her ear, a cacophony of noise erupted, nearly startling her out of her wits. The shout on the other end was so loud it threatened to rupture her eardrum, and she quickly pulled the phone away, wincing at the sudden assault on her senses.
Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, Nina padded into the kitchen, her steps quickening as she reached for a bottle of water from the refrigerator. The cold plastic felt soothing against her skin as she twisted off the cap and took a long sip, the chill of the liquid soothing her frayed nerves. Glancing once more at her phone, she debated whether to call back and demand an explanation or simply block the number altogether. But before she could make a decision, the phone buzzed yet again, the unknown caller persisting in their attempts to reach her, she picks up the call.
Nina's heart pounded with a mix of confusion and fear as she held the phone away from her ear, the voice on the other end dripping with venom. "Bitch, I know this is your handiwork, you idiot," the voice spat, each word laced with hatred and accusation.
Caught off guard by the sudden barrage of insults, Nina struggled to maintain her composure. "Who is this?" she managed to ask, her voice trembling slightly.
"I am your fucking nightmare," the voice replied, its tone filled with a chilling determination. "You started this shit, let the game begin then."
Nina's mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle of the caller's cryptic words. "Started what?" she demanded, her frustration mounting. "How can you call me in the morning and start shouting like a maniac?"
"Maniac? Just know you started this with a maniac," the voice shot back before abruptly ending the call, leaving Nina shaken and bewildered.
Breathing heavily, Nina rushed to the living room and switched on the television, hoping to find some semblance of clarity amidst the chaos. The screen flickered to life, displaying the grim news of arson and suicide plastered across every channel. Her stomach churned with happiness as she watched footage of emergency vehicles surrounding Felicia's Fashion House, the scene of a horrific tragedy. A suicide note flashed on the screen, implicating Felicia in the events that had unfolded.
As the news anchors dissected the details of the tragic incident, Nina felt a glimmer of understanding dawn within her. It all started to make sense – the accusations, the threats, the relentless pursuit of vengeance by the unknown caller now known. Despite the gravity of the situation, a small smile tugged at the corners of Nina's lips as she scrolled through her messages, her eyes landing on a familiar name: Spider.
"Mission accomplished, Please come tomorrow and pick up the list. Please bring my payment along."
Nina's laughter bubbled up from deep within her chest, echoing through the silent room like a symphony of triumph. "Fantastic," she exclaimed between breaths, her voice tinged with hysterical delight. "Spider never ceases to amaze me."
With trembling fingers, she dialed Spider's number, anticipation coursing through her veins like an electric current. After a few rings, he picked up, his voice calm and collected.
"Job well done," Nina praised, her words dripping with admiration. "You have exceeded my wildest imagination."
"Thank you, ma," Spider replied, his tone respectful yet tinged with a hint of pride.
"Now, tell me," Nina continued, her mind already racing with plans and possibilities. "Where can I meet you, and how much is your charge for this masterpiece?"
"I am at my usual place," Spider responded, his voice betraying no hint of emotion. "Come along with 80 million Ta'als."
Nina's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the figure, but she quickly composed herself, a confident smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "80 million? Well, I suppose I can make it an even 100," she boasted, her voice oozing with arrogance and superiority.
With a sense of satisfaction coursing through her veins, Nina ended the call, her mind already calculating the next steps in her intricate game of hatred with Felicia. For in the world of power and intrigue, money was but a mere tool – and Nina wielded it with unparalleled finesse. The voice laughs gratefully "Thank you so much, I really appreciate". Nina drops the call but another call immediately comes in, it's from Charity, she picks ,
"Nina, is that the news you were talking about?" Charity's voice was urgent, filled with a mix of concern and curiosity.
Nina's throat tightened as she struggled to find the right words to explain the inexplicable. "Yes," she finally managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper. Deep down, she knows she is faking her emotions.
"How did you know something like this would happen?" Charity pressed, her tone tinged with disbelief.
Nina hesitated, her mind racing as she weighed the risks of revealing the truth. "Well," she began cautiously, "let's just say I have a... unique intuition. A sixth sense, if you will."
"A seer?" Charity's laughter echoed through the phone, the sound tinged with disbelief. "If you're a seer, then I must be a prophet. Come on, Nina, be serious."
But Nina's smile remained, a hint of mischief dancing in her eyes. "Ms. Charity came to me," she explained, her voice growing more serious. "She told me that her husband disappeared after he went to meet Felicia."
Charity's breath caught in her throat as Nina's words sank in. "She begged me to help her convince Felicia," Nina continued, her tone tinged with regret. "But you know the bad blood between me and Felicia."
"Yes, I know," Charity responded, her voice softening with understanding.
"And then," Nina continued, her voice growing more somber, "she told me her plan. To draw the world's attention and sympathy, she would... she would burn herself and Felicia's new fashion house."
The words hung heavy in the air, the weight of Charity's silence almost suffocating. But amidst the uncertainty and despair, one thing remained clear – the bonds of friendship that united Nina and Charity were unbreakable, even in the face of unspeakable tragedy. "But, how did she know about Felicia's fashion house?" Charity ask,
"She said she has been stalking her",
"Oh, she was really determined",
"Yes my dear", Nina continues "I tried to dissuade her but guess her mind was made up. She begged me to take care of her relatives. That was why I called you",
"Oh, okay then, let's do this", Charity sounds so determined to support the family with Nina.
"Thank you my friend, you are a true friend",
"Thank you and you are really kind and compassionate, I am impressed",
Nina felt a false warmth spread across her cheeks as she processed Charity's words. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice tinged with false gratitude. "I have a meeting this morning, but after that, I'll drop by to discuss the way forward."