Twisted Fate

Resembling Beauty

Warning: Explicit Content: language, s****l abuse, suicide, extreme violence, etc

Laurence -

The boy stared up at the girl in the tree with awe. "Melody, come on, we have to go, or else dinner will get cold," he said sternly yet gently. The silly girl had always been stubborn and often got herself into trouble. Both of them climbed the tree together to look at the bird's nest sitting on the highest branch. A feeling of warmth churned within the boy as he knew the girl would be their guest at the family dinner table that night, per his request.

“Coming, Laurence," the girl yelled while climbing down. However, before she could continue, the branch right underneath her snapped. She quickly began falling, tears falling along with her as her petrified cries reached the boy's concerned ears.

But the girl’s small body would never hit the ground. No, it would never, for the boy ran quickly underneath the tree, placing himself in a proper position to readily catch her. Upon impact, he fell to his butt, with the girl secured tightly in his arms. It hurt, truly did hurt, the way the boy had landed, but he knew it would be best not to complain.

If he were to share his feelings of suffering, that clumsy girl would only blame herself, and that was something the boy never wished for her to do. Any outsider would be able to tell the love he had for the girl. It was much more than young puppy love, despite their lack of experience or knowledge. No, to the boy, she was his everything, and he knew that once they grew older, he would boldly take her hand for life.

But that day never came. The angel of his life had gone as quickly as the wind blew. He vowed to protect her, promised her no harm, and, in the end, was faced with the consequences and suffering from his own failures. Laurence was left in his own darkness, memories forever haunting him as the imagery of Melody’s blood hitting the ground lived through his eyes clearly throughout the night. That sight gave him a new purpose, striking his new promise. A vow that would create the monster he was. A vow in which he gave his own word to cause enough bloodshed that could destroy the image of Melody’s death.

He often thought, 'God wanted her for himself.' Laurence perceived God as nothing more than a being who could play with destinies, giving and taking away like a tease. In his eyes, 'God' desired his woman because she was an angel. Laurence believed she was too pure for this world, which he considered a reason for her untimely departure. The harsh truth inflicted pain, leaving Laurence feeling lost and empty. Melody was the missing piece of his puzzle, and she remained the reason he felt incomplete."

Laurence harbored resentment towards everyone around him. Their mere presence had the power to agitate his inner demons. He found it sickening and disgusting to witness seemingly useless beings being granted the gift of life. The irony cut deep as he observed the beauty and light of his existence discarded like waste. Her essence tempted him in every way, yet all that remained was the lingering scent of their past. Her demise was a consequence of someone else's careless actions. The fact that her death wasn't in her own hands greatly fueled Laurence's hatred.

(10:00 pm Thursday Night)

Yet another night unfolded as another hellish event in Laurence’s life. The creation of his own darkness sometimes followed a relentless cycle that he could barely endure. There was only so much he could stomach in a day – people following his influence, which he valued with satisfaction. However, at the same time, he found himself annoyed by what they perceived to be his intentions.

On that night, he would be attending a grand auction exclusively for the most elite and influential people in their country. Given his powerhouse status, there was no option but to attend. For Laurence, it was more a statement of dominance than a desire to participate. There, no one would dare to cross him, understanding that facing the devil himself meant inevitable death.

Yes, he was considered to be the devil, at least seen as such in the flesh. He would kill a man without blinking an eye, and a woman if necessary—doing many things that others would find cowardly. To dispose of the world's waste of space was a power he wished to wield with his own hands.

Laurence stepped out of the shower, water dripping from every part of him and cascading into the towel before falling back into view on the carpet. He took long strides towards his walk-in closet, absentmindedly selecting a suit. Since they were all of the best quality, there was no point in being picky. His dark eyes stared back at him in the mirror as he fixed his tie.

"Let's just get this over with," he mumbled while grabbing his wallet. Laurence was never one to carry too much money because it could be in his hands with just a snap of his fingers. That's why his wallet only contained his identification, just in case someone foolishly denied his identity.

Laurence did not appreciate events like these. No, he believed most women didn't deserve to endure such troubling situations, and those who did were akin to rodents—pests brought from the Lord to feed off others like leeches.

The moment Laurence stepped into his car, the chauffeur took an inwardly shaky breath. Who wouldn't be a coward at the feet of the Devil when face to face with him? The thought that one mistake could end a life made the driver cautious. You always had to be cautious around the devil, for you never knew when he'd declare it's your time.

"Take me to Temperance Tower Banquet Hall," Laurence said quickly and short-tempered. The driver immediately started the engine and proceeded just as his boss had instructed. "No room for error," he repeated to himself in his head, trying his best to remain calm under the burning gaze of the man who was his client.

They arrived thirty minutes later, just two minutes before being right on time. Laurence sat in the car for a minute, readjusting his tie. It was definitely going to be a long night, and he was unwillingly ready for it.

"Park the car, Jensen," Laurence ordered before exiting the vehicle. He stepped out and walked up the steps, and the crowd parted ways upon his arrival. No one dared make a sound as he walked. Each person prayed they’d stay out of his way and out of sight, at least in that moment

Laurence mingled with a few business partners, partially entertaining a few of them. They carried on with their proposals, offering their daughters his hand in marriage, asking for business partnerships, and even giving him their most valuable assets just to get a chance to make a deal. Some men would kill to be around him. His power was as close to royalty as one could get. Leeches dreamed of being close to a man like him, but he was already aware of this. All these men wanted to find the best way to use him, and, well, Laurence wouldn't give them that satisfaction.

The show began after the nobles were introduced, with Laurence included. The girls walked on and off-stage, not a single one catching his dangerous eye. Their clothes were skimpy, clinging to their bodies like a second skin. They stood practically naked as other men feasted their eyes, a thought not pleasing Laurence one bit.

As the last performer of the night stepped forward, Laurence froze in his spot. His fingernails quickly closed, causing his palms to bleed from the pressure. Laurence looked at the girl, captivated in every way. It didn't help that there were barely any clothes on her for all those pigs to see, making Laurence feel like shooting the eyes of every man who dared to lay eyes on her.

She pulled him in slowly yet surely, as if she were quicksand and he was her victim. He was 'feeling' something other than anger, a sensation he did not like. Nonetheless, Laurence knew he would be taking her home.

He raised his sign to bid, as many others did. Most men, upon seeing him do so, quickly laid theirs down. Others weren't as smart, angering Laurence, though he planned to show grace, counting up to ten times he would allow them to defy him. The girl walked off the stage as the serious bids began. Three competitors were down, and two more were to go. The bid money reached three million.

When they reached five million on the seventh bid, the second man, who was the youngest of the three, backed out. It was now just Laurence and the stubborn old man who had no idea against whom he was bidding. It showed that the older generation could play like fools too.

"The man was quite influential in the business world, though he paid little attention to his competitors. Oftentimes, he would have his assistant research competitors, learning their names but not their faces. The old man was certain to recognize such an important figure as Laurence, but his ignorance would lead him to deny the name to his face. Sadly, he had no idea at whom he was looking with a knowing smirk. Yes, it was obvious that the poor elderly man was making a terrible mistake.

As the tenth bid came, Laurence raised his sign, observing as the man once again raised his as well. In a split second, Laurence drew a gun from his slack waistband and shot the old man in the shoulder, intentionally missing as a warning. Laurence hoped the man would learn his face and the name that came with it.

The crowd gasped in shock but recovered quickly. They knew making a scene would do no good. How amusing it was for Laurence that a man getting shot was stomach-churning, and yet even women sat in that horrific room, looking at the other girls on stage suffering from their lack of humanity. These girls were forced to be there against their own will, despite the possibility that they were likely as innocent as Melody had been.

The old man's very young mistress covered her face with tears before lifting the man up and taking him out of the event. The auctioneer cleared his throat, quickly announcing Laurence as the winner of the girl known as 'Bella.' Ownership papers were handed in as Laurence gave the money upfront and signed all the necessary paperwork.

What was he doing? His love only belonged to Melody; she was always the love of his life, and nothing would change that.

"But what is wrong with having a little pet?" Laurence questioned after doubting whether he should truly purchase Bella. Surely, Melody had left him alone, and she wouldn't mind if he had a companion to remember her by. This is what Laurence used to convince himself.

With that in mind, he prepared to welcome the familiar beauty into his home. She could never replace Melody within his heart. Laurence wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen, but she couldn’t be an ordinary person to him either. Whichever way, he knew she was meant to go home with him. Yet, how frightening it was going to be for her.