THE DEVIL'S BRIDE

(PAINFUL STINGS) LEAH'S RESIDENCE A violent crashing was heard as Leah rushed to the front of a dimly modernized building, her bicycle scraping the pavement as she hastily flew out of it. She grabbed her backpack and ran inside, her heart pounding. In the shabbily designed living room, her mother, Susan, was sitting beside Diva, her younger sister, gently tapping Diva’s forehead with a damp cloth. Diva’s skin was pale, her lips dried and her eyes sunken in like a skeletal structure. Leah quickly opened her bag, pulling out a small bottle of medicine. "I'm so sorry dear Diva" She sobbed administering the dose with shaking hands. Leah cleaned some tickles of the syrup from her sister's mouth and looked at her mom's face. "Mom this is going to end very soon, the moment I get a good job I'd take Diva to a better hospital please " Leah pleaded, her eyes filled with determination. "You're trying alot but... I... I'm afraid..." Her mom, Susan said as her lips shook. "Shhhh, no negative words" Leah cupped her mom's cheeks. Her eyes suddenly drifted to the wall clock and she almost choked. "Wtf! I'm damn late. I'll be back at dawn" She said to her mother with urgency in her voice. Leah hurried to her room, changing quickly before dashing out to mount on her bicycle. ★★★★★ PRESIDENTIAL HALL ~ LAUNCHING FUNCTION In a spacious hall, golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the elegant space. The floors gleamed with polish, reflecting the well-dressed crowd of businessmen, entrepreneurs, and socialites all under the grade of great calibers. The air buzzed with excitement as chatting filled the hall. Tonight was Sinclair Van’s big night. His newest car model, a sleek masterpiece he had been working on was being launched to the public, and the event was filled with calibers in the business world. The function was already ongoing as the host climbed back on the spacious stage, her fishtail gown trailing behind her. "Once again y'all are generously welcomed to this prominent event, we hope you're having a great time here. Next on list here, we'd welcome our latest CEO, Sinclair Van for his speech." She announced as the people applauded and cheered. On stage, Sinclair Van stood proudly, the spotlight hitting his chiselled features. Dressed in an immaculate tailored suit, he exuded arrogance and confidence. "Good evening officials and welcome to my amicable function. It's a pleasure today to see y'all present" His eyes gleamed as he spoke and another round of applause began. His speech was a quick one with his words laced with self-assurance, and the crowd applauded after every sentence, feeding his ego. As he spoke his eyes drifted to his mom, Carla Van seated in the executive corner of the hall. Her presence was undeniable, dressed in an extravagant silver gown adorned with diamonds that sparkled like the stars themselves. Her brown eyes filled with pride as she glanced at her son. Sinclair rounded his speech and walked elegantly back to his seat. ★★★★★ DUNCAN'S RESIDENCE Duncan Briggs stood in front of the massive TV screen, his dark eyes seething as he watched Sinclair Van’s car launch event. His hands trembled with rage as the cameras zoomed in on Sinclair’s perfect smile which always ignited Duncan’s fury. "Mother fucker!" Duncan muttered furiously, throwing the remote control at the TV which broke instantly. His chest rose and fell with heavy breaths, as he grabbed a bottle of whiskey drinking directly from the bottle. The burn of the liquor didn’t calm him, it only fueled his anger. He drained it, slamming the empty bottle against the wall. “Screw him!” He said throwing his fist into the air. The thought of always seeing Sinclair excelling and being the center of attraction made him crazy. The sound of approaching footsteps made Duncan turn, his girlfriend Lysander stood in the doorway, her eyes piercing into his. “Are you really going crazy because of that dude?” Lysander asked softly, stepping forward. "I hate him for always taking what rightfully belongs to me, damn him" Duncan replied ruffling his hair. "Why don't you ignore his damn success and come to me?" She said in calm voice, exposing her cleavage. Duncan's jaw clenched, and with a swift motion, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward him. She gasped at the force. He kissed her fiercely, the pressure of his anger now channeled into this violent, desperate kiss. They disengaged from the kiss and Lysander knelt down, unbuckling Duncan's belt. ★★★★★ SERVERS CORNER Leah hurriedly rushed in, her uniform slightly askew. She tried to steady her breath while adjusting her uniform. Each server picked a tray, going to distribute to the guests. She picked hers, walking absentmindedly into the hall. Her heart was heavy with the urgency of her sister’s condition and the demands of her job. She tried to focus as she walked briskly into the main hall. As she served the drinks, her thoughts kept drifting to her sister, who needed immediate medical care. She got to the executive table, Carla's personal table. Leah picked up a glass of wine from her tray with her hands shaky. In a moment of pure panic and distraction, she fumbled with the tray.The tray left her hands and all the glasses of wine emptied themselves on Carla’s dress. A sharp gasp filled the air, and all eyes in the room turned to the scene unfolding at the table. Carla’s eyes flashed with fury as she stood abruptly, her composure now shattered. Without a word, she raised her hand to Leah's face, the sound of the slap echoing through the hall. The force of the slap caused Leah’s head to snap to the other side and another slap followed, then another, and another, each slap harder than the last. Her head kept swinging from side to side. Carla dropped her hands after the tenth slap. "You incompetent fool, are those sunken eyeballs of yours dysfunctional?" "I'm so sorry ma" Leah said, her cheek stinging terribly. "Sorry you say? I better hope you've got $10 million to pay for my damaged dress or you're f*****g going to jail" Carla said and Leah blinked her eyes, accelerating the amount in her head. TBC...