Alyssa Bailon tried not to glare at her father sitting directly across the huge dining table, lit by a beautiful crystal candelabra, the dining room was as large as a small cabin if not bigger its cream-colored walls built favoring acoustics so people could hear each other without shouting.
The table was a large thin oval wooden thing masterfully crafted using some expensive type of wood on it several utensils with chairs lined on either side each one occupied Simon Bailon sat at the northernmost seat calmly staring at each person, Alyssa sat facing him. despite the audience, no one spoke. it was supposed to be a discussion, but everyone knew only one voice mattered.
Rena sat in the chair on her father's right unnerved by the entire situation she didn't like most of those present next to her sat her husband Reynard he'd come in late
"Sorry, I am late" No one cared or spoke in response, he had an almost barely masculine voice Reynard, Elaine who sat right next to him groaned in the Bailon family everyone was disliked but to a certain level no one was loved only that someone else was worse the consensus being he was the worst and most disliked of all, right above him in a close margin was Rena her sister Simon's second born her horrid attitude likely one of the reasons for that along with arrogance among other qualities, Elaine figured the only difference between them in levels of dislike was that Rena was blood-related while Reynard being married to her being the only reason they tolerated him.
Elaine hated how a French accent lined his words barely highlighting his inability to speak the language Alaine almost rolled her eyes the guy even wore the culture who the f**k wears a cashmere sweater over a white linen shirt in summer the pretentiousness was palpable,
she had to give it to him though with that well-built body and that handsome face she could almost forgive him for the monumental fashion blunder 'Damn it!' she almost bit her tongue 'this is what happens when suddenly called out and canceling my evening plans' her mouth watered at what she would be doing or rather being done to her at that particular moment. "Hi Elaine" he whispered smiling flashing perfect white teeth.
"F**k off Reynard!" she whispered back,
Elaine hoped the entire thing would end soon enough so she could go back to her project along with some other pleasures she smiled at the thought.
when Elaine left the manor she felt a gnawing headache banging against her skull 'Moving to the manor really!' she walked at a brisk pace which she did whenever she felt annoyed or just not in her usual calm mood there weren't a lot of things that could rile her up she liked it that way taking painstaking methods to choose a company that did not ripple her mood, unfortunately, children couldn't choose their parents at least their fathers Elaine desperately wished she could but alas the universe had its own fucked up way of doing things despite her apparent efforts to go unnoticed even distancing herself from all that drama about inheriting "the Dynasty" shivering at the thought of having a baby getting obscenely fat and all that nasty pushing out a watermelon from between her lovely lithe thighs Ouch! No that was not for her let Alyssa and Rena fight for that everyone focused on them anyway. Inheriting the leadership came with a lot of attention and drama she would rather avoid.
Her thick black heels clicked over the paved road towards her black limousine the night air was particularly dry and cold, small strands of hair came loose down her forehead curving as she walked her pink blazer coat hung around her shoulders did nothing to stop the cold air she walked faster What's-his-name limo driver perked up from the side of the car alerted probably by the loud heels, "The penthouse darling" she purred no need to show her discomfort to others slowing her pace saving grace her face went back to her natural neutral state.
******
Somewhere on the outskirts of Karmos City, a lone yellow Honda Civic drove at a steady pace at night after all moving too fast would be dangerous. Karen a young woman yawned listlessly the road ahead was covered in a cloak of darkness, and the car lights only illuminated the near front, she'd driven a long way from the young business entrepreneurs conference in the town over originally, she wanted to stay overnight but then who would feed Jeremiah Jones her hairless black spotted sphinx cat, she missed him dearly.
The civic purring sounds filled the night, Karen noticed another car parked in the middle of the road its lights still on, she cursed at the stupidity of road users praying little JJ wasn't too hungry, however decelerating she noticed something amiss. All the external lights were on the driver's door wide open she honked hoping whoever it was moved but nothing happened "Hey get out of the way!" drowsiness gave way to exasperation as nothing happened opening the door she thundered.
"Hey, could you…" except no one was in any of the seats "Help!" a loud male voice came from behind her she turned suddenly pale and cold she noticed that the man was concealed half in darkness "Help" he shouted once again weaker half of his face drenched in blood "it's coming!" Just as he said so, Karen noticed 'it'
She tried to scream yet no sound escaped her mouth, her face contorted in terror, she tried to run but her body stood frozen solid bolted to the tarmac, the man tried to stand before a tail thick as a tree bark wrapped around his sternum and pulled him into the shadows his screams dissipated followed a large crunching of teeth on bones, Karen saw the creature's throat barely expanded then contracted at that moment she wondered if her little JJ would survive without her one wouldn't have killed him she left some cat food out, hadn't she?
"Help!" she managed to whisper, tears and snot ran down her pale face but by then a giant flick of the monster's tail cut sliced her body in half diagonally across the sternum killing her on the spot.
Somewhere in a house, a hairless sphinx slept soundly, waiting for her owner to return home.