Five

ANNA

I watched him sprawl on the cold, hard floor, his face painted with streaks of blood and sheer terror. His eyes darted around like a cornered animal, searching for a way out that didn’t exist. A sinister grin tugged at my lips. This was the moment I had been waiting for, the moment he would feel the same helplessness my family felt as they begged for their lives.

I clenched my fists to steady the surge of emotions threatening to break free. Not yet, Anna. Not yet.

“W...who are you?” he stammered, his voice barely audible over the pounding silence.

I scoffed. “Tsh...I’m Tina, of course! The poor girl who saved your miserable life.”

He chuckled dryly, spitting blood onto the floor. “Cut the act. I know you’re not who you say you are. So why don’t you drop the mask already?”

“Oh, you want the truth?” I sneered, leaning closer. “Fine. Let’s end the charade, shall we?”

With a swift motion, I peeled off the prosthetic mask. His jaw dropped as the fake skin fell away, revealing my true face.

“Jeez! You’ve been wearing a fake face this whole time?” he gasped, his eyes bulging with disbelief.

I smirked, savoring his reaction. “Surprised? You should be. Everything you know about me is a lie.”

“You bitch. You think this changes anything?” he spat, attempting to pull himself upright. “You don’t know who you’re messing with! Let me go now, and maybe I’ll show mercy.”

“Oh no, I’m terrified!” I cried, throwing my hands up dramatically. “Fine. Go ahead, Mr. Big Shot. The door’s right there.”

He stumbled to the door, blood trailing in his wake. Gripping the doorknob, he twisted it frantically. Nothing. He tried again. Still locked.

“What have you done to the door?” he roared, spinning around to glare at me.

“Seriously?” I tilted my head, feigning innocence. “Did you really think I’d just let you walk away?”

Before he could respond, I grabbed his collar and delivered three brutal punches to his face, sending him crashing back to the floor.

“You’ll pay for this, you bitch!” he spat, his voice trembling with a mixture of rage and fear. “My men are going to come for me. They’ll tear you apart!”

I let out a loud laugh. “Your men? Oh, you mean the ones who are currently... incapacitated?” I leaned in closer. “You rich bastards are all the same. Always relying on others to clean up your messes. But guess what? There’s no one coming to save you today.”

I drove my boot into his stomach as he let out a guttural cry. Thank goodness the room was sound proofed.

“It’s time to end this,” I whispered, pulling a silenced gun from my belt.

“No! Please!” he begged, his hands raised in surrender. “I don’t even know what I’ve done to you!”

“Oh, you don’t, do you?” I seethed, my voice rising. “Let me refresh your memory. Does the name Donald ring a bell?”

His face paled, and he scrambled backward. “You’re...his daughter?”

“Ding ding ding! Give the man a prize,” I hissed, my grip tightening on the gun. “Yes, I’m Anna. The daughter of the man you heartlessly murdered.”

“But...we thought you were dead!”

I laughed bitterly. “Dead? Oh no, Mr. Philip. I’m not that easy to kill. Everything you’ve seen, everything you know—it was all part of my plan. I caused your accident. I saved you. And now...” I stepped closer, my voice dropping to a deadly whisper, “I’ll finish what I started.”

“You’re insane!” he shouted, trying to crawl away.

I shot him in the leg, the bullet tearing through flesh and bone.

“ARGH!” he howled, clutching his bleeding limb.

“You don’t get to run,” I said, my voice cold. “Do you remember my father begging for his life? Do you remember my mother’s tears as she pleaded with you to spare us? Did you care when my brother cried at your feet?”

“I regret it!” he whimpered, grabbing at my feet. “I swear, I’ve changed! Please don’t kill me!”

“Changed?” I repeated, my laugh hollow. “Does your so-called regret bring back my family?” I kicked him off me, watching as he writhed in pain.

“I’ll give you anything!” he sobbed. “Money, power, anything you want. Just let me live!”

Tsh. This must have been the very pleas of my poor parents. The same desperation to live. Dad must have promised to give anything but they didn't listen. And now?. 

I raised an eyebrow. “Anything?”

“Yes! Anything!”

“Fine. Hand over your credit card and code.”

He hesitated, so I shot his other leg.

“ARGH! Okay, okay!” He fished the card from his pocket, trembling. “The code is 2865.”

“Good boy.” I patted his back mockingly, slipping the card into my pocket. Now, I'll probably be five times richer. I smirked.

“Can I go now?” he asked weakly.

I smiled sheepishly. "Yes you can go but straight to hell.”

His scream pierced the air as the final shot rang out. Blood pooled around him as his lifeless body slumped to the floor.

I wasn’t done. Pulling out a knife, I leaned down and carefully removed his eyes. Holding them up, I inspected them with a twisted satisfaction.

“An eye for an eye,” I murmured, slipping them into a small case.

Suddenly, footsteps thundered in the hallway. I grabbed my escape device, pressed a button, and vaulted out the window. Ropes shot out, latching onto the building as I rappelled down.

“She’s there!” someone shouted.

Too late. I pressed the button again, retracting the ropes as I disappeared into the shadows, slipping on a wig and a yellow jacket to blend into the crowd.

---

News Report:

“Breaking news: Business tycoon Mr. Philip was brutally murdered last night. In a shocking twist, the assailant removed his eyes. Police are investigating the motive behind this gruesome

act, as the killer remains at large...”

The voice fades into the background as the screen darkens.