CRIMSON ECLIPSE Blood Moon: Thirst For Vengeance

It was a suffocatingly cloudy night when I fled the shadows of my past, driven by a heavy ambition to avenge my late father. He had been the ultimate underworld tycoon—a ruthless man known for having a heart of stone. Though many claimed his death was an accident, others believed it was a self-imposed exile to repay a long-overdue debt. I was only sixteen when the world I knew collapsed. It was supposed to be my coming-of-age celebration, a prestigious event where daughters of the elites, and powerful tycoons were presented to potential suitors. I was the center of attention that night. I was stunning, with my doll-like face and silky black hair, eyes as red as a crimson moon. As one of the three daughters of the Underworld Lord, I was both respected and feared. Yet, beneath the power and beauty, I felt a hollow ache. I never knew who my mother was or what she looked like. My father had forbidden any picture of hers to be kept in the house, his reasons are yet unknown. During the ceremony, I was introduced to a guy named John. The only son of Bone Williams and heir to his father's massive estate, John was the picture of perfection: captain of the football team, top student at the academy, and built with the physique of a Greek god. But it has been two years since that night, and I still have nightmares about it—an unshakable dread that has hunted me ever since. Bing! Bing! Bing! I jolted awake, my heart hammering against my ribs. "Oh my god," I hissed, scrambling out of bed. I was late for class. I sprinted out of the house without a word to anyone, the cool air hitting my face as I tried to shake off the remnants of sleep. Once at the academy, I slipped into my usual seat, entirely lost in thought. A sudden, familiar presence appeared behind me. It was John. He sat beside me, a smug smile playing on his lips as he extended an invitation. "My birthday costume party," he murmured. As always every year he throws an elaborate party the only event that drives every girl on campus insane. I hesitated for a moment before finally accepting. When I returned home later that day, the usual chaos greeted me. My oldest sister, Veronica, was practically tearing the house down, this has become a part of our lives. Ignoring her, I retreated to my room and locked the door. That night, as always the nightmares returned. I saw my father’s face; the way he looked at me was a twisted mix of pain and hatred, as if he regretted the very day I was born. I woke up with tears stinging my eyes and rushed to wash off. The memories were vivid. I remembered the stray bullet that had pierced my father's heart while he tried to protect me, or so I thought. My sisters never let me forget it. They hated me,convinced I was the reason they are orphans. Dragging my exhausted body back to bed, I suddenly heard heavy footsteps echoing on the stairs. I hid under the covers pretending to be deep in sleep. Eventually, exhaustion won, and the world went dark once more. Early the next morning, I woke to an unusual, heavy silence. I hurried downstairs, fearing the worst. To my surprise, my sisters were safe, but we were not alone. Standing in our living room was Bone Williams, a intimidating man in his mid-40s who had been my father’s loyal right-hand man. He didn't waste time with pleasantries. "I am here," Bone announced coldly, "to request your hand in marriage for my son, John Williams." "WHAT!" Veronica screamed. She stepped forward, striking a seductive pose while glaring daggers at me. "Why does she get to marry first? I am the oldest! After everything she’s done—destroying our home and making us orphans—you want this piece of s**t to marry into your family? She’s a thorn in our flesh, good for nothing, and completely inexperienced with men. Don’t you want someone who actually knows how to handle a man?" Mr. Williams cleared his throat, his expression freezing the room. "Your late father was my boss, and I respected him. He died trying to protect his most valuable possession. Alice, you were kept pure all those years, not because he was being protective, but because he needed you pure. You were told your mother died in childbirth, but the truth is far more twisted. None of you were truly his daughters in his eyes. You were all just failed experiments." He looked directly at me, a grim smile pulling at his lips. "And my dear Alice, you were the only successful one." He turned back to the room, letting the weight of his words hang in the air before pulling a document from his coat. "According to your father's final decree: 'To my primary successor, I leave all corporate and underworld assets in your name.' Alice, this marriage isn't a union of peace. It is to re-establish the balance that was shattered the day your father died. The world he wanted, the world he tried so hard to build... let's build it together." Bone stepped closer to me, lowering his voice. "And if you cooperate, I will give you the answers to your questions. Because you and I both know you aren't normal. Think about it. You have until sundown tomorrow to give me an answer." With that, he walked out. I stood there, paralyzed by shock, thinking of the countless sleepless nights I had faced trying to figure out what was wrong with me. And He had known from the very beginning, and he was weaponizing the truth to force me to marry his son. A stinging slap snapped me back to reality. "You w***e! You must have done something!" my second sister, Vivian, shrieked, her face contorted with rage. "There’s no way Dad would leave us with nothing!" Before I could react, she grabbed my hair with full force, hissing into my ear, "You should have just died at birth." Vivian violently dragged me across the floor, threw open the front door, and hurled me out onto the hot concrete driveway. The rough surface instantly tore through my skin, leaving raw, burning scrapes. Fighting through the searing pain and the sheer unfairness of it all, a surge of adrenaline hit me. I shoved Vivian back with everything I had left. She stumbled backward, losing her footing entirely, and fell hard against the concrete. Her head bounced off the pavement with a sickening, hollow thud. A thin trickle of blood began to seep from the scrape on her temple. She was breathing, groaning faintly, but the sight of the blood and her unconscious form sent a wave of pure horror through me. Terrified, shaking, and still in my pajamas, I didn't wait for her to wake up. I turned and bolted toward the main gate, running blindly into the cold morning breeze.