Stepping into the moonlight revealed Susan, her features illuminated by the soft glow. A sly smirk spread across her face as she walked closer, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of malice and curiosity. Her high heels clicked on the pavement, the sound echoing through the deserted alley.
"You've finally agreed to come," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Karina stood her ground, her eyes flashing with determination. "No, I want to make a deal with you," she replied, her voice firm.
The two sisters locked eyes, their gazes filled with a deep-seated hatred and malice. The air was thick with tension as they sized each other up, their bodies rigid with anticipation.
"No weapons, just our fists," Karina added, her eyes never leaving Susan's face.
Susan raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement dancing on her lips. "Don't push your luck, Karina," she warned.
Karina took a deep breath, her jaw set in determination. "If I win, I'm not going with you," she said, her voice firm.
Susan's smile grew wider, her eyes glinting with excitement. "And if I win?" she asked, her voice husky.
Karina hesitated for a moment before responding. "I'll come with you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Susan's face lit up with triumph. "It's a deal," she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction.
Without another word, the two sisters charged at each other, their fists flying in a flurry of punches and kicks. The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed through the alley, accompanied by the heavy breathing and grunts of effort.
Karina's eyes blazed with determination as she landed a solid punch to Susan's jaw. But Susan was relentless, her own fists flying back with equal force. The two sisters clashed, their bodies locked in a fierce struggle.
For what felt like an eternity, the fight raged on, neither sister giving an inch. But slowly, Karina began to gain the upper hand, her punches landing with precision and force.
The Lee's mansion was shrouded in an unsettling silence, the stillness so profound that the drop of a pin would have been audible. Mark stood at the balcony, the cool night air carrying the sweet scent of blooming flowers as he gazed up at the moon. The soft glow of the lunar body cast an ethereal light on his chiseled features, his eyes lost in thought.
He took a long drag on his cigarette, the ember glowing bright red as he exhaled a plume of smoke. The whiskey glass in his hand sparkled in the moonlight, the amber liquid sloshing gently as he swirled it.
"I'm sorry..." he whispered, his voice barely audible over the crickets chirping in the garden below. He trailed off, his eyes clouding over with regret. "I shouldn't have done that, and I don't know how to make it up to you." His gaze drifted off into the distance, his mind consumed by the weight of his past mistakes.
He took another sip of his whiskey, the liquid burning down his throat as he thought about his daughter. "I've been searching for our daughter," he said, his voice laced with a deep sadness. He had been searching for what felt like an eternity, leaving no stone unturned in his quest to find her.
Just as Mark was lost in his thoughts, a soft knock at the door broke the silence. The sound was like a splash of cold water, jolting Mark back to reality.
"Come in," he ordered, his deep, husky voice commanding attention.
The door slid open, and his personal assistant, Mr. Kim, bowed deeply as he entered. "Boss, we've found her," he said, his voice trembling with excitement.
Mark's eyes snapped towards Mr. Kim, a look of shock and surprise crossing his face. "Really?" he asked, a slow smile spreading across his face.
Mr. Kim nodded, a smile mirroring Mark's. "Let's go," Mark said, his voice filled with a newfound sense of purpose.
Without another word, Mark turned and strode out of the balcony, Mr. Kim following closely behind. The silence of the mansion was broken, replaced by the sound of Mark's determined footsteps, echoing through the halls as he set out to reclaim his daughter.
As they drove through the dark streets, the sound of a gunshot pierced the air, making the driver slam on the brakes. The car screeched to a halt, and Mark's head jerked forward, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
"Is that a gunshot?" Mark asked, his voice low and urgent.
The driver's eyes met Mark's in the rearview mirror. "It seems like, sir," he replied, his voice laced with caution.
Mark's face set in a determined expression. "Find out where it came from," he ordered, his voice firm.
The driver nodded and put the car in gear, pulling away from the curb. A few minutes later, the car came to a halt in a dark alley, the only sound the distant hum of a city that never slept.
Mark stepped out of the car, his eyes scanning the alleyway. He walked towards the entrance of the alley, his footsteps echoing off the walls. As he walked closer, he noticed a figure lying on the ground, groaning in pain.
Mark's eyes widened as he saw who it was. Susan, his daughter, lay on the ground, her body twisted at an awkward angle. A dark stain spread across her shirt, and Mark's heart sank as he realized she was bleeding.
"Susan!" he yelled, rushing towards her. He dropped to his knees beside her, his hands gently turning her onto her back.
Without hesitation, Mark scooped Susan up in his arms and rushed back to the car. He gently laid her on the backseat, his eyes scanning her body for any other injuries.
The driver's eyes met Mark's in the rearview mirror. "Hospital, sir?" he asked.
Mark nodded, his face set in a grim expression. "Now," he ordered.
The driver put the car in gear, and they sped away from the alley, the sound of sirens growing fainter as they disappeared into the night. The hospital was only a few minutes away, but Mark knew every second counted. He held Susan's hand, his eyes fixed on her pale face, willing her to stay with him.
Karina slipped into the apartment, her heart racing with anticipation and a hint of fear. She had just escaped a brutal fight with her sister, Susan, and the adrenaline was still coursing through her veins.
{Flashback}
The memory of the fight came flooding back, the images playing out like a gruesome movie in her mind. The two sisters had clashed in a flurry of punches and blows, their bodies locked in a fierce struggle. Karina's fist had connected with Susan's jaw, sending her stumbling backward. But Susan had refused to back down, her eyes blazing with a fierce determination.
In a shocking move, Susan had pulled out a gun from her pocket and pointed it at Karina. "I'm done with your games, let me end it once and for all," Susan had spat, her finger tightening on the trigger.
But Karina had been quicker, her reflexes honed from years of training. She had thrown a dagger with deadly precision, the blade piercing Susan's arm and sending the gun flying from her hand. Susan had groaned in pain, clutching at her wounded arm as Karina had rushed to retrieve the gun.
With the gun now in her possession, Karina had pointed it at Susan, her eyes blazing with a fierce intensity. "I'm also tired of your games, it's best we end it once and for all," Karina had said, her voice firm and resolute.
But as she stood there, the gun trained on Susan's trembling form, Karina had hesitated. Her finger had hovered over the trigger, her mind racing with the consequences of her actions. She had thought about all the times Susan had hurt her, all the times she had manipulated and betrayed her. But she had also thought about the bond they shared, the fact that they were sisters, connected by blood and history.
And so, Karina had hesitated, her resolve wavering in the face of her conflicting emotions. She had stood there, frozen in indecision, as Susan had lain at her feet, waiting for the bullet that would end her life.
As Karina stood over Susan, the gun pointed at her, Susan's eyes had flashed with a mixture of anger and desperation. "Bitch, shoot me and your nightmare will end," she had yelled weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Karina's eyes had locked onto Susan's, her mind racing with the weight of her decision. She had thought about all the times Susan had hurt her, all the times she had manipulated and betrayed her. She had thought about the pain and the suffering she had endured, and the anger that had been building up inside her for so long.
With a deep breath, Karina had closed her eyes, tears dripping down her face as she pressed the trigger. The sound of the gunshot had echoed through the air, and Karina had felt a jolt of shock and horror as she realized what she had done.
Opening her eyes, Karina had seen Susan fall to the ground, bleeding profusely from the wound in her arm. Susan's eyes had been wide with shock and pain, and Karina had felt a wave of guilt and remorse wash over her.
As the reality of her actions sunk in, Karina had felt her body begin to shake uncontrollably. The gun had fallen from her hand, and she had collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. She had been consumed by fear and guilt, unable to process the enormity of what she had done.
Just as she was lost in her grief, Karina had heard the sound of a car stopping nearby. Panic had set in, and she had quickly scrambled to her feet, hurrying away from the scene as fast as she could.
{End of flashback}
Quietly closing her room door, Karina let out a deep sigh as she plopped down to the floor. She wrapped her arms around her knees, pulling them close to her chest as she quietly sobbed. The tears streamed down her face, her body shaking with each ragged breath. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of guilt and regret, unable to escape the weight of her actions. The darkness of the room seemed to close in around her, making her feel suffocated and trapped.
The next morning, the sound of Lily's knock on the door made Karina jolt upright from her fitful sleep. She rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of the previous night's tears. She lazily stood up, her movements slow and stiff, and made her way to the door. She opened it to find Lily standing in the hallway, a look of concern etched on her face.
Lily's eyes widened in surprise as she took in Karina's disheveled appearance. Karina's hair was a tangled mess, and her eyes were puffy and swollen from crying. Lily's expression turned worried.
"Are you okay?" Lily asked, her voice laced with concern.
Karina forced a weak smile onto her face, trying to reassure Lily that everything was fine. "Yes, I am," she replied, her voice husky from lack of sleep. "Let me quickly freshen up."
Lily nodded, her eyes still filled with worry. "Okay, I'll wait for you in the kitchen," she said, before turning to head downstairs.
Closing the door, Karina let out a deep sigh and made her way to the bathroom to freshen up. She splashed some water on her face, trying to wash away the remnants of her tears. A few minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom, looking slightly more composed.
She walked over to her dresser and began to apply a little makeup to hide her swollen eyes. She carefully concealed the dark circles under her eyes with a layer of foundation, and then applied some mascara to make her lashes look longer. She finished off her quick makeup routine by applying a light coat of lip gloss.
Just as she was about to leave the room, her phone rang, shrill and insistent. Karina picked it up, answering with a cheerful "Hey Max!"
Max's deep voice came through the line, sounding serious. "I need your help," he said.
Karina's curiosity was piqued. "I'm all ears," she replied, settling in to listen.
Max's next words made her eyes widen in surprise. "I wanna set Lily and Kyle on a blind date," he said.
Karina's jaw dropped. "What!" she yelled, her voice echoing through the room. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Max, her friend and confidant, wanted to set up her best friend Lily on a blind date with Kyle, of all people!