Kiara's world went dark, her mind consumed by the overwhelming fear and anxiety that had haunted her for so long. She felt like she was drowning, unable to catch her breath as the panic attack washed over her.
But as suddenly as it had begun, the attack subsided, leaving Kiara gasping for air. She slowly came back to reality, her eyes focusing on the familiar surroundings of her office.
Kiara struggled to her feet, her legs shaking beneath her. She stumbled over to her desk, grabbing onto the edge to steady herself.
As she caught her breath, Kiara's mind began to clear. She thought back to the events that had led up to this moment - the destruction of her grandma's house, the confrontation with Elijah, and the panic attack that had left her feeling shattered.
Kiara's eyes narrowed, a fierce determination burning within her. She knew that she couldn't let her emotions get the better of her. She had to stay strong, for herself and for her grandma's memory.
With a newfound sense of resolve, Kiara reached for her phone. She dialed a number, her eyes flashing with anger.
Kiara's eyes blazed with fury as she slammed her fist on the desk. She couldn't believe Elijah had destroyed her grandma's house. That was the final straw.
She stood up, her movements swift and deadly. She strode over to the safe, punching in the code with a fierce intensity. The door swung open, revealing a sleek black gun.
Kiara's hand closed around the grip, her fingers tightening as she felt a surge of adrenaline. She was going to confront Elijah, and she was going to make him pay.
Without hesitation, Kiara strode out of her office, the gun clutched in her hand. She made her way to her car, peeling out of the parking lot with a screech of tires.
As she arrived at Elijah's mansion, Kiara could feel her anger boiling over. She leapt out of the car, gun at the ready.
She charged towards the entrance, but the guards moved to block her path. "I'm afraid you can't go in there, ma'am," one of them said, his hand on her arm.
Kiara's eyes flashed with fury. She shook off the guard's grip, her gun trained on him. "Get out of my way," she snarled.
The guards closed in, but Kiara was a force to be reckoned with. She fought her way through them, her gun clutched tightly in her hand.
Just as it seemed like she was going to overpower them, one of the guards received a message on his earpiece. His eyes flicked to Kiara, and then he nodded. "Let her through," he said.
The guards parted, allowing Kiara to storm into the mansion. She burst into the living room, her gun trained on Elijah.
"Why?" she spat, her eyes blazing with fury. "Why did you destroy my grandma's house?"
Kiara's eyes narrowed, her voice cold and even. "I only destroyed a piece of land that you wanted. But you... you destroyed my home."
She took a step closer to him, her gun still trained on his chest. "I don't remember doing anything to you, Elijah. What's your problem with me?"
Elijah's eyes flashed with anger as he looked at Kiara, but as he gazed into her eyes, he noticed the faint redness and the dark circles underneath. For a moment, his expression faltered, and his eyes flickered with a hint of surprise.
But he quickly regained his composure, his mask of arrogance slipping back into place. "You destroyed my land," he sneered, his voice dripping with venom. "I destroyed yours. Why are you here acting like a victim?
Kiara's steps faltered as she took a step back, her eyes wide with incredulity. She stared at Elijah, her expression disbelieving. "I have so many pieces of land," she said, her voice laced with confusion and anger. "I chose that one land to destroy. Why couldn't you choose any of my other lands? Why did you have to destroy that one specific house?" Her voice rose, her eyes blazing with fury. "Why did you do that?"
Elijah's expression transformed, his eyes glinting with amusement and his lips curling into a mocking smile. "I destroyed that house because I could," he said, his voice dripping with arrogance. "I had the power to do it, and I exercised it. Simple as that." He shrugged, his smile growing wider. "You should be grateful I only destroyed a house. I could have done so much more."
Kiara's eyes widened in disgust as she stared at Elijah, her mind reeling with the casual cruelty of his words. How could someone be so callous, so devoid of empathy?
But she didn't let her emotions get the better of her. Instead, she raised her gun, her hand steady as she aimed at Elijah. Her finger squeezed the trigger, and a loud report echoed through the room as the bullet struck Elijah's right shoulder.
Elijah's eyes widened in shock as he stumbled backward, clutching at his shoulder. Kiara's expression remained cold and unyielding, her gun still trained on Elijah.
Kiara's eyes flashed with a fierce intensity as she took a step closer to Elijah. "Well, then die," she spat, her gun trained straight at his heart.
But before she could pull the trigger, the room erupted into chaos. Elijah's bodyguards burst in, their guns drawn and trained on Kiara.
She was surrounded, outnumbered and outgunned. The bodyguards closed in, their eyes cold and hard.
Some of them rushed to Elijah's side, helping him sit down and stem the bleeding from his shoulder.
Kiara's eyes darted back and forth, her gun still clutched in her hand. She knew she was in a precarious position, but she refused to back down.
Kiara's smile was a thin, mirthless line as she gazed at Elijah. "Do you know what the most dangerous person is?" she asked, her voice low and even.
"A person who is scared of nothing," she said, her eyes glinting with a fierce intensity. "A person who has nothing to lose."
Her gaze locked onto Elijah's, her gun still trained on him. "And that's me," she said, her voice dripping with defiance. "I don't mind dying, and I don't mind taking all of you with me today."
Kiara's eyes never left Elijah's face as she sensed one of his bodyguards approaching her from behind. "Don't even think about it," she warned, her voice cold and deadly. "I have something on me. If my heartbeat stops, even for a minute, the bomb on me will automatically get activated. And within a second, everyone in this room will die with me."
The bodyguard behind her froze, his eyes darting to Elijah, who raised a hand, signaling him to step back. The tension in the room was palpable as Elijah's bodyguards hesitantly retreated, their eyes fixed on Kiara.
Just as the standoff seemed like it could go either way, Christopher burst into the room, his guards close behind. "Kiara, stop!" Christopher exclaimed, rushing to her side. "Whatever you're thinking, don't do it!"
But Kiara didn't seem to be listening, her eyes still fixed on Elijah. Christopher grasped her arm, trying to pull her back. "Kiara, listen to me! You don't have to do this. We can find another way."
But Kiara's expression didn't change, until Christopher's next words seemed to penetrate her fury. "Kiara, remember? We had a plan. Remember?" Kiara's gaze flickered, her eyes narrowing slightly as she seemed to recall something.
Christopher's eyes locked onto Kiara's, his voice calm and soothing. "Think about it, Kiara. Your grandma wanted that house destroyed anyway. Elijah just... helped you achieve that."
Kiara's gaze snapped to Christopher, her eyes wide with incredulity. She looked at him as if he had lost his mind.
But her attention shifted to Elijah, her expression hardening into a mask of venom. "I hope we never meet again, MR. Blackhaven," she spat, her voice dripping with malice. "Because the next time we meet, I will kill you. Trust me on that."
With that, Kiara turned on her heel and walked away, Christopher and her guards following closely behind her.
As Kiara disappeared from view, Elijah's gaze lingered on her retreating back. A spark of intrigue ignited within him. She had destroyed his property, and he had destroyed hers. They were even, but Elijah couldn't shake the feeling that this was far from over.
In fact, he was more intrigued by Kiara than ever. She was a little mouse who had barged into his house, shot at him, and still managed to walk away unscathed. Elijah's mind whirred with possibilities. He wanted to know more about this mysterious woman, to unravel the secrets that lay beneath her tough exterior. And he was determined to do just that.
Elijah couldn't help but smile slightly, remembering how Kiara looked when she was angry - pointing a gun at him. What he found most peculiar was that instead of feeling hatred or anger towards her, he was drawn to that fiery image. It stirred something within him, a spark that he couldn't quite explain.
As he pondered this, a subtle smile crept across his face. "This isn't over, little mouse," he thought to himself. "We will meet again, and soon. I will break you, and make you bend to me. From now on, you are mine."
"I don't need a trophy by my side," Elijah thought, his mind racing with excitement. "I need someone like you - someone who's not afraid to scratch back. We will conquer the world, my dear future wife." A self-assured smile spread across his face as he savored the prospect of their next encounter.
As Kiara got into her car and sped away, she didn't look back at the mansion. She hoped to never meet Elijah Blackhaven again, to never again feel the spark of anger and frustration that he seemed to ignite within her. But as she drove, she couldn't shake the feeling that their encounter was far from over.
A month flew by, and Kiara had already cleaned up the remnants of the explosion that had destroyed her grandma's house. She had simply tidied up the mess and continued with her life as usual, seemingly unaffected by the encounter with Elijah.
But Elijah, on the other hand, was consumed by thoughts of Kiara. He had become increasingly fascinated by her, and his mind was preoccupied with schemes to get her attention again. He couldn't explain why, but he felt an inexplicable pull towards her, and he was determined to explore it further.
The feeling Elijah had towards Kiara was quite unfamiliar to him. It was something he had never experienced before, and it left him both intrigued and restless.
As he pondered this newfound fascination, his mind turned to an upcoming ceremony, hosted by one of his business partners. Elijah's interest in the event had suddenly piqued, and he found himself looking forward to it. He knew that Kiara would be there, and he couldn't help but feel a thrill of anticipation at the prospect of seeing his "little mouse" again.
The day passed by quickly, and it was later in the evening. The time for the ceremony had begun, and many cars were driving into the location. Elijah had arrived and searched for Kiara, but he couldn't find her. He was starting to wonder if she would come, as she was normally a person who didn't attend such ceremonies and functions.
As he began to wonder if Kiara would actually show up, he thought to himself that she wasn't one for lavish ceremonies and functions, and he wouldn't have been surprised if she had skipped the event altogether.
But then, a sleek black Lamborghini pulled up outside, causing a stir among the guests. Reporters rushed to take pictures, and Elijah's eyes narrowed as he watched Kiara step out of the vehicle. She looked stunning in a black cocktail dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. Her raven hair was tied up in a sleek bun, showcasing her heart-shaped face and piercing eyes.
Her expression, as always, was guarded, revealing nothing of her true emotions. But Elijah's eyes lingered on her, drinking in every detail. He couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement at seeing her again, and he found himself looking forward to their inevitable encounter, wondering what the day would bring for them.