CHAPTER ONE : JUST GETTING STARTED

After my parents got killed by the mafia, some kind of lawyer came to me and did the normal blah blah blah process. According to him, my parents were already aware that they would be dead sooner or later, so they wrote a will. Since I was the only survivor, I got it all to myself.

I didn’t have many relatives, at least none I could remember, so I took care of myself. I was smart with money, so as little as I was, I knew what investment meant because if I really wanted to survive, if I was going to strike the mafias, then I needed one. So I invested in some business ventures and managed to multiply the inheritance my parents left me. Slowly, I built a small empire of my own not huge, just something a curious teenager could come up with. I think I actually started living properly the moment they killed my parents. And deep down, I knew that revenge was still on my mind.

The lawyer’s words kept ringing in my mind as I sat alone in his office each time I came to do my normal check-in. It was necessary I came every month. While he was surrounded by the success he earned for fighting for people’s innocence, I was just a normal teenager who didn’t know what next to do with her life, apart from rendering it useless in a way.

Not long after I entered his office, he came in with his usual suit and tie and sat down in his chair.

“We’ve passed the stage of greeting, huh?” he asked. That was when I realized I hadn’t greeted him yet. Ugh. Whatever... it’s no big deal though.

“Good day, if that’s what you wanna hear so bad. Let’s just get this dumb meeting over with. I’ve got stuff to do.” And when I said stuff, I meant nothing, actually but I just don’t like this man. He always weirds me out.

“And that’s part of what I want us to address today. Though, I already came to a conclusion and you have to follow suit.”

Now this guy is really scaring me…

“Okay… that doesn’t sound scary at all. What’s it you wanna talk about, huh?” I said out of curiosity. I didn’t trust this man a dent, because I knew what he was capable of.

“Well, I’ve arranged a place for you. It’s called a foster home. That’s where teenagers like you, what word should I use for it? Bastards like you who don’t have parents, that’s where they go. And I already signed all the required documents for you to move there.”

He spat it out proudly, like he didn’t just ruin my life.

I opened my mouth and the first thing I asked was:

“And what about my business and everything? Wait... what do you mean I have to go? I ain’t going nowhere.” I refused bluntly.

“Ah, ah.. it’s not a choice. And as for your properties? They’re written in my name now. It’s all mine.”

He said it with a grin. He was really enjoying this show he was putting on.

“You are worse than them… you son of a bitch! You traitor! I swear, if anything should be taken away from me.. I will find you later. I swear...!”

I was so furious. But he didn’t even flinch or say anything to me. He watched me talk like I was just a clown making a fool of myself. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t hurt. Low-key, it did. This time, it hit me really hard. I don’t think I was breathing through my nose anymore, I could feel myself breathing through my ears.

“One more threatening word and I might get you killed even before you get to the foster home. So better watch it, kid.”

He said that with an amused face. This demon of a human was enjoying my pain. He was no different from them, he just waited long enough to strike. And it hurt so much.

I stood up from my chair, took one look at him with tears threatening to rush out, but I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction he wanted. I immediately moved to the door and left the building.

Hot tears were streaming down my face. I got into my car. No, I couldn’t hold it anymore. It hurt. I cried until I was sure I was now tasting blood instead of the normal salty liquid I was crying earlier. I wiped my face, turned on the engine of my car, and drove right back to the house.

If I really wanted to survive, I needed a plan. I needed to make it fast, because my mind was telling me the foster home was going to come take me tonight or perhaps in the morning when I least expected them. I really needed a plan.

At least I was grateful for one thing: that I was smart enough to invest most of the inheritance money, most of which that devil of a lawyer isn’t aware of. I went to the fridge and got out a table water to calm my nerves first, because my knees were practically shaking out of fear. I knew I had threatened him, but I couldn’t even hurt a fly. And his words were echoing in my ears:

“One more threatening word and I will kill you before the foster home gets to you.”

Yeah, I heard him correctly. And of all the things I knew about him since I’ve known him, it’s that he doesn’t bluff. He means it.

I needed to think of something he wouldn’t think of. A place he wouldn’t go looking for me if I dared run away, because that’s exactly what I’m going to do right now: run. There’s no second option. And I’m not trying that shit called “face your problem.” Nah...this one is way more than me, and I need to act fast, or I might be joining my parents soon.

I kept pacing back and forth from one end of my room to the other. Then an idea clicked. I started packing my bag, the little one I could lay my hands on. I needed to look normal. I took all the necessary documents that would be needed if I was going to survive wherever I was headed and hid them at the back of the garden. I grabbed whatever clothes I could and zipped my bag.

It was late already, maybe around ten or eleven p.m. I took one last glance at the house I was about to abandon just because I was threatened by a lawyer.

It’s pathetic, I know. But if you were in my shoes, you might actually commit suicide. That would be my next plan if this one didn’t work out. I didn’t bother taking my car, I knew him well enough to know he might’ve secretly planted a tracker on it.

I walked out of my compound and raced off. Nothing was chasing me, I was just running. I needed to free myself from all the thoughts I had. But me running got me into trouble this time. I ran for like thirty minutes nonstop and halted a little to sip some water.

I didn’t know where I was, but I didn’t care—as long as it wasn’t near that demon.

I continued running. But I noticed a swift movement. Something ran past me maybe a person, I didn’t know. But my legs became limp and I froze in my steps. I paused and looked back. Something was approaching me. It was huge. I didn’t know whether it was a human shadow...

I took off immediately.

I ran, and I swear, my legs weren’t even touching the floor. I was floating. I was running with every single muscle I had. But I was stupid not to watch where I was going. I felt like I already lost them… and then boom, I ran into a dead end.

I was stuck. Jesus...

I looked around to find somewhere to run, but I was already too late. He....no, they....yeah it wasn’t just one person who caught up with me. My breathing hitched. I wasn’t breathing properly. It felt like I was breathing in the wrong chemical—like it wasn’t oxygen anymore.

I turned to get a clearer view of what my reckless self had gotten into. If I had just humbled my proud self and gone to the goddamn foster home, I would still be breathing. Because judging by the height of what was in front of me, I didn’t stand a chance.

I turned. There were like four of them, I think. I stood there like the idiot I was. I formed my hands into a fist at least to save myself a little piece of dignity, which was probably lying on the floor, watching me disgrace myself.

“Ha… he’s actually pulling a fist at us. He looks tough though, I like the energy. We could take this one back to Boss. He likes them fisty,”

The tough one among them said. And they all started laughing...wait they think am a boy... I don't blame them though , I have flat chest and i cut my hair short thats what i feel comfortable with .. yeah laugh all you want.

They seriously thought taking me to their boss was a joke.

Since my first plan was wrecked, I needed to act fast. I lunged at the one closest to me and threw a punch. He didn’t even move. He gave me one last look and slapped the living daylight out of me. Though it was midnight, I think I saw the sun just now.

I hit the floor with a thump and winced. Before I could get my lazy ass up, he injected something into me. My body went limp. My soul left my body. My eyes became weak and slowly shut.

The last words I could think of were:

“I’m doomed…”