6. Industry Devil
1336 Words
[Day 1: Dec 20. The Ophelia Cruise Ship]
~Dave Carter~
My jaw tightened, anger surging through me. It all clicked—the clumsy waiter, the conveniently spilled drinks, the exaggerated apologies.
This wasn’t an accident; it was a performance.
She’d orchestrated this.
“Unbelievable,” I muttered under my breath, the words barely audible over the gentle hum of the ship’s engines and the faint crash of waves against the hull.
Octavia looked up at me, worry flashing in her wide hazel eyes. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice soft, unsure.
“Nothing,” I said tersely, though my blood boiled. My mind raced, each thought sharper than the last. Ava wanted to play dirty? Fine. She had no idea who she was dealing with.
I turned to Octavia, forcing my voice to soften. “Just leave that mess and go inside. He’ll clean it up,” I said, my deadly gaze snapping to the waiter. “Won’t you?”
The waiter—a young boy barely in his twenties, with lanky limbs and a pale, freckled face—shuddered violently under my gaze, but he managed to give a shaky nod. His grey eyes darted like a trapped rat’s, unable to meet mine for longer than a fleeting second. His hands trembled so much that the jagged edges of the glass rattled against the tray he tried to balance.
Octavia hesitated, her hands fidgeting as she glanced between me and the waiter. “Are you sure—”
“Go,” I cut her off, keeping my voice calm but firm. She nodded obediently and disappeared back inside. My eyes followed her, catching the gentle sway of her hips as she walked toward the staterooms.
The waiter picked up the scattered glasses, and as I approached, his movements became shakier. From the corner of my eye, I saw Ava still standing there, her eyes daring for my reaction.
I’d come back to her, but first, I’d deal with this i***t.
I crouched before him, picking the last shard before he could, our hands brushing past each other briefly. He shuddered in fear and wanted to leave, but a dangerous glare from me kept him rooted in place.
“Why are you in such a hurry?” I growled, my eyes locked with his trembling grey ones as I played with the sharp edges of the shard, my expression clearly dangerous and ruthless.
He couldn’t speak, his hands trembling on the tray full of broken bottles and glasses. I guess I was right—Ava truly sent him.
I reached for his shaky left hand, aggressively yanking his grip away from the tray handle. I held it tightly and began to speak.
“You know what I hate the most?” I asked, my eyes never leaving his. He shook his head, fear filling his gaze.
“I hate dirt—dirty things, dirty people, anything dirty. And the second is petty people, like you and her.” I glanced at Ava, who was still watching, her perfectly contoured face trying to figure out my next move.
“I’m sorry, sir, I’m sorry, sir. She… she begged me to do it,” he trembled before me, his eyes now teary.
“Sorry? Sorry? I don’t take ‘sorry’ from people. If they go low, I’ll go lower. For everything you do, there’s always a consequence,” I said, and with that, I tightened my grip on his wrist, his hand jerking violently in an attempt to pull away.
Before he could process what was happening, I pressed the shard against his skin and dragged it across his wrist.
The flesh split open instantly, b!ood welling up in dark red beads before spilling in thick rivulets onto the deck. The waiter screamed, a shrill, panicked sound that echoed into the night.
“Stop squirming,” I hissed, applying more pressure as I twisted the shard deeper, aiming for the veins beneath his skin. B!ood gushed from the wound, warm and metallic-smelling, staining my hands and pooling around his knees. His cries grew louder, his body convulsing as he thrashed against my grip.
“Please! Please, stop!” he wailed, tears streaming down his pale face.
“If you didn’t want this, you shouldn’t have gotten involved. Actions have consequences, and I make sure they’re paid in full.”
He screamed as b!ood gushed out of the spot, splattering everywhere. His cries intensified, but I didn’t stop. I thrust deeper, aiming for his veins.
Ava covered her mouth in shock, muffling her scream. I smirked at her—this was a warning. I guess because I had been soft with her during our dating, she didn’t realize how ruthless I could be. She forgot the reason I was called the industry devil.
Yes, it’s because I’m ruthless, not just in business.
I released his b!ood-soaked hand, letting him fall on the floor, still yelling and crying. I reached for his crisp white uniform and, with a slow evil smirk, cleaned his blood off my hands.
“I don’t joke with people close to me. In case of next time, don’t try it ever again.” With that, I rose, leaving him to scramble away with b?ood gushing from his veins. If he didn’t get that treated on time, he might be dead soon.
Once the promenade was silent again, Ava stepped forward cautiously, her tall frame still graceful, but her confidence visibly shaken. Her almond-shaped eyes darted to the b!oodstains on the deck, then to my face.
“Oh my God, Dave,” her eyes widened with fear as she looked down at the pool of b!ood.
“You are a dangerous person,” she nearly screamed, clapping her perfectly manicured hand around her mouth in shock.
I turned to face her fully, my gaze sharp and unyielding. “Dangerous?” I repeated, taking a slow step toward her.
“You thought I was going to be gentle with you or what?” I barked at her. She flinched slightly, her eyes heavy with fear and shock.
Her back hit the wall as she instinctively stepped away from me. For the first time since I met her, she looked genuinely afraid.
Grabbing her by the shoulders, I slammed her against the wall, the impact reverberating through the metal. She gasped, her hands flying up to push against my chest, but I didn’t budge the anger coursing through my veins as I remembered the scene of her tangled with that loser, naked.
My hands moved to her throat, curling around the delicate column of her neck and I fought the urge not to strangle her to death.
Her lips quivered, but no words came out and her eyes widened in terror as she clawed at my arms, her breaths coming in short, panicked gasps.
“I hate betrayal,” I hissed, my voice venomous.
“And you… You’ve betrayed me in ways you can’t even imagine. Did you think you could get away with it?”
My voice was shaky, my breaths erratic, and my eyes blazing like a furnace. I hated this side of me—it’s a hidden side I loathe unleashing, but thanks to Ava, I’d have to wear it like a shield during this entire cruise.
“Dave—please—” she choked out, her voice barely a whisper.
Her desperate squirming jerked me back to reality. My grip loosened, and I stepped back abruptly, letting her sag against the wall. She coughed violently, her slender hands flying to her neck as she gulped down air.
“You’re a monster,” she rasped, her voice hoarse.
“A devil.”
I turned away, pausing only to glance at her over my shoulder, an evil smirk tugging the corner of my lips.
“Good. I’m glad you know better now.”
Without another word, I stormed toward the staterooms, the blood on my hands long gone, but the fury burning hotter than ever.
- Writer
