"Who else knows this information? I just want to make sure—so I know who to silence." I handed the briefcase to that bitch.
"The Madame who runs the brothel, my coworkers, Anyra and Lala, the midwife who delivered that burden, Doña Cata, and my new partner—Howard Fender." She counted the money without looking up.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm not stupid enough to spread gossip. If I had, do you think Louis would've kept paying me to stay away?"
Casper nodded at her statement. The long conversation revealed much we hadn't known—it was a warning sign.
"One last question. About Vaneesha... do you really not care?"
"That thing? You can have her. She only caused trouble and kept me from working for a month."
"What will you do once you get the money?" I wanted to exterminate her.
"Five million... with that kind of money, you'll never see me in this country again."
"Okay. To think something so beautiful came from two monsters. The only thing I'm grateful for is having gotten her back in time. For that, I'll pay you properly." With a snap of my fingers, my bodyguards took the briefcase away.
"Hey, what are you doing? If that's not cash, are you giving me a check?"
"Darling, I didn't get rich signing checks. Silence her!" They pinned her down.
"No! This won't end here. I have insurance! Kill me and you'll regret it!"
"By insurance, do you mean the men in the car and your lover? A prostitute with no honor trying to threaten me with amateur tactics? Let me be clear: anyone who crosses me won't live to see tomorrow." Nodding, my hitmen dragged in three bodies.
Loading a silenced pistol, I ordered the crates moved so they could bring Vaneesha in.
Her biological mother was restrained on the floor, staring at her with desperate hope. Approaching the girl, I handed her the gun.
"I told you this isn't a game. If you want to be strong, you'll have to deal with this kind of filth all the time. People will betray you, so mercy is a privilege only for those who deserve it. Use it like I taught you."
"..." She hesitated to shoot.
"Nisha, give it to me. You can leave. I'll clean up the world for when you're ready." I held out my hand for the weapon.
Without a word, she pointed it at Fileena.
"You stupid brat! She's manipulating you to do her dirty work!" the woman screamed, the barrel inches from her forehead.
"Liar," Nisha whispered, trembling.
"Hmp! You gonna shoot me? You're a coward just like your father. Come on, shoot—see? You can't! PLI—!"
The shot rang out. My men released the whore as she collapsed.
A silent cry and the gun on the floor marked the child forever.
"I warned you it wouldn't be easy. She was your first, but not your last. Do you regret it?" Crouching to her level, I wiped her face.
"No. She was evil... and a liar like the others." Staring at the briefcase, she understood.
Even if I'd paid her to disappear, that woman would've come back for more, like Louis did, to fuel her vices.
"Good. Go after the names she gave us. I want them erased completely. Meanwhile, we'll handle the rest." Picking Nisha up, I carried her to the butchering zone.
Hanging upside down, Fileena's lover would talk—or face something far worse.
"Idiots... showing up with goons? You really thought Louis would come? He's been dead a week. Then again, how would you know when you're constantly high?"
"You bitch! Cough cough!" He was weakening from the pressure.
"What a nuisance. Ma'am, if I may suggest, the young lady should do it for practice." Minerva handed me an ice pick.
"Do you all agree?" I asked my men. They nodded. "Lower him to Nisha's level."
"Miss, it's better if you strike the soft areas so you don't hurt your hands," Kassie advised her.
"For each lie or wrong answer, we'll stab you. Now tell us—how many people did you tell about this meeting and about Vaneesha?"
"Go to hell! Argh!" A stab to his lower abdomen made him howl.
The day would be long. Wiping her nose with her sleeve, Nisha grew more ruthless.
**
The lunch at the Blake mansion was to celebrate both Jenna and Rodrick's engagement and Carmen Schultz moving into the neighboring house.
Florencia Blake didn't like having that woman so close—especially since she was known to flirt with her husband. Despite using dirty tricks in the past to steal him from his fiancée, Florencia hated that her future in-law was seducing Melvin using the same tactics.
Dealing with Carmen and soon Jenna too made her skin crawl. But her husband didn't seem to care—or rather, didn't play around anymore since his ex left a scar he now hid beneath his brown beard.
Ever since the Masantonis arranged for Florencia to marry Melvin, it was clear there was some ulterior motive. After getting rid of Alice Formand, Florencia thought she'd live in luxury, but when her in-laws started pressuring her to get pregnant to link their kids with the Schultzes, her hatred for them exploded.
While Alice had two healthy children, Florencia struggled for years due to a diseased uterus. Even when she did conceive, miscarriages ended them.
Rodrick was a miracle, and she wanted to give him the best. But once again, her in-laws and the Masantonis pushed for a marriage between Rodrick and Louis Schultz's daughter. Since Vaneesha was adopted, they used her as a placeholder, waiting for Carmen's new child to grow up so they could make the match official.
Florencia was overjoyed when she heard her hated rival had taken the detestable adopted girl as a servant. Knowing how volatile Deirdre was, it was certain the girl was suffering more than with the Schultzes.
"Strange your mother-in-law didn't show up. It was her son's funeral." Horacio Blake sounded curious.
"I called her, but she said he didn't come when her father died, so filial duty was broken. She didn't even help with the expenses. Still so heartless," Carmen feigned sorrow.
"And the girl—how did she take it?"
"Her dad died, and she wasn't allowed to say goodbye. I'd bet Deirdre made her clean while she enjoyed the news."
"Odd. I thought that woman adopted the girl to have something of her own."
"Well, Mr. Blake, at this point, my mother-in-law only has one child and one grandchild—Jenna. She adopted Vaneesha just to show off someone else's ornament. She doesn't want to see her real family."
"True. That woman has no feelings or remorse. Would've been awful if our Melvin had married someone so dreadful!" Cecilia Blake shook her head.
Florencia listened carefully, but when she glanced at her husband, he looked displeased. When he went to the kitchen, she followed.
Pouring himself a glass of wine, Melvin touched the old scar on his cheek.
"That witch could bankrupt us with the interest she's demanding on the loan, and you don't even care," she accused, snatching the glass.
"Look who's talking. Don't make me remind you who got us into this mess."
"Ask Masantoni for the money he owes. We don't need your father always meddling—this is our problem."
"Our problem? If that's the case, I'll get the loan—from Alice."
"You mean Deirdre. You just want to see her. Still hoping she'll fall for you. She hates you—"
SMACK! Her slap was silenced.
"Because of you... if we hadn't gotten involved, she'd be my wife! You better shut up, because if we divorce, you're the one ending up on the street!" Leaving her on the floor, Florencia cursed her marriage.
**
Rodrick watched Jenna swinging happily, unbothered, until he asked about someone she hated.
"Jenny, how's Vaneesha? Is she still sick?"
She abruptly stopped and her face darkened.
"Since she was always bad, Grandma took her to be her slave. Don't mention her again! Come play with Jenna instead!" Her mood flipped instantly, dragging him to swing with her.
Despite being older, Rodrick was afraid of Jenna. He still remembered when she lost control and burned Vaneesha with a clothes iron.