Karma: The girl who returned from death

Rain fell over Velmora like shattered glass from heaven. The city glowed beneath the storm. Golden lights reflected across wet streets while luxury cars sliced through the rain like silent predators. Music drifted from the Ashford Grand Hotel where the most powerful people in the country celebrated tonight's engagement party. Beautiful. Elegant. Deadly. And at the center of it all— Ariana Vale stood completely frozen. Her champagne glass slipped from her fingers. CRASH. The sound disappeared beneath the thunder. Because the words she had just heard were louder. "…Yes," a man said calmly behind the door. "Kill her after the wedding." Ariana stopped breathing. That voice. No. No no no— Her trembling hand slowly touched the door. Inside the private lounge, Lucien Ashford sat lazily on a leather chair while city lights glowed behind him. Black suit. Cold golden eyes. One hand holding a crystal glass of wine. Beautiful like sin itself. Across from him sat two men dressed in black. One placed documents onto the table. "The Vale family assets will transfer immediately after her death." Lucien signed the papers without hesitation. Ariana felt her soul c***k apart. The rain outside became louder. Or maybe that was just the sound of her heartbeat dying. Suddenly— Lucien spoke again. "Make it clean." Her knees nearly gave out. Ariana stepped backward silently, covering her mouth. No. This had to be a misunderstanding. Lucien loved her. Didn't he? He kissed her forehead when she couldn't sleep. He remembered how she hated dark chocolate. He once drove three hours just because she casually mentioned wanting strawberry cake at midnight. People capable of love didn't sign death papers. Right? Right? "Ariana?" She flinched violently. A cheerful voice echoed from the hallway. Elena approached while holding two champagne glasses. "Oh my god, why do you look like you saw a ghost?" Ariana stared at her best friend with pale eyes. "Elena…" "Hm?" "My fiancé is planning to kill me." Silence. Then Elena blinked. And laughed. Actually laughed. "Oh," she giggled softly. "So you finally found out." Ariana's world stopped. The hallway suddenly felt freezing cold. Elena sighed dramatically. "To be honest, we thought you'd notice sooner." "We…?" "Oh sweetheart." Elena smiled cruelly. "Did you really think someone like Lucien Ashford would love a naïve little girl like you?" Ariana stumbled backward. Every memory suddenly became poison. Every smile. Every touch. Every kiss. Fake. Fake fake fake— "Elena…" her voice broke. "Why?" Elena's expression darkened instantly. "Because HE looked at you." Thunder exploded outside. "He never looked at anyone else," Elena whispered shakily. "Do you know how painful that was?" Ariana turned and ran. Fast. Her heels slammed against marble floors as panic consumed her whole body. People called her name from the ballroom. Music continued playing. Nobody understood the bride was running for her life. Rain hit her violently the moment she escaped outside. Cold air sliced across her skin. She reached for her phone with trembling hands— Then stopped. A shadow stood ahead. Tall. Still. Watching her. Lucien. Rain slid slowly down his black hair while golden eyes locked onto hers without emotion. For a moment neither moved. The city lights flickered behind him beautifully. Like a devil standing beneath heaven. Ariana's voice shattered. "Was any of it real?" Lucien stared at her silently. That silence hurt more than death. Tears mixed with rain across her face. "You could've just left me," she whispered. "Why kill me?" Lucien finally walked toward her. Slowly. Calmly. Terrifyingly calm. "Ariana." "DON'T." Her scream echoed across the empty street. For the first time— Lucien's expression cracked slightly. Pain. Regret. Something dangerous. But it disappeared instantly. "Ariana," he said quietly, "you were never supposed to know." "What does that even mean?!" A black car suddenly stopped nearby. Men stepped out holding guns. Ariana's breathing stopped. Lucien looked at them coldly. Then back at her. And softly said— "Run." BANG. The gunshot exploded through the rain. Pain ripped through Ariana's chest. Her body collapsed backward onto the wet road. Warm blood spread beneath her slowly. The world became blurry. Distant. Cold. Lucien caught her before her head hit the ground. For the first time in years— The monster looked afraid. "Ariana." His voice trembled. Interesting. The devil could tremble after all. Blood slipped from her lips as she laughed weakly. "You…" she whispered painfully, "are a terrible liar." Lucien held her tightly. Too tightly. Like he was trying to stop death itself. "Ariana, listen to me carefully—" Her vision darkened. The rain became softer. Far away. "I loved you." She smiled faintly. What a cruel sentence. Darkness swallowed everything. And then— She opened her eyes.