The Reincarnation of An Elite Assassin

CHAPTER: 1 (Innocent)

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, making sure I looked the part. Long black hair, cascading down my back, porcelain skin, and those big blue eyes that always seemed to draw people in. Tonight, though, I needed to look even more vulnerable, more fragile. Tonight, I was playing the role of a drunk, helpless woman.

The target: Jackster, the old CEO, a man known for his taste for young, beautiful women. He was a creep, a walking, talking caricature of a man, but he was also a powerful man, and that was all that mattered. He was my assignment, and I was going to take him down.

No messy bullets for me. I was a master of deception, and I preferred a more elegant approach. I slipped into a red turtleneck dress, the kind that hugs your curves in all the right places. Underneath, tucked into my thigh-high boots, were my weapons: a set of poisoned pins. Small, sharp, and deadly.

The party was a typical Jackster affair – a lavish display of wealth and power. I arrived late, stumbling slightly, pretending to be a little tipsy. He wouldn't be able to resist.

He saw me, his eyes widening with a predatory gleam. "My dear," he said, his voice a gravelly rasp, "you look like you could use a drink."

I played the part perfectly, letting out a little giggle and leaning against him. "I think I might have had one too many," I murmured, my voice breathy and seductive.

He took the bait, leading me away from the crowd, his hand lingering on my waist. I let him believe he was in control, that he was the one calling the shots. But I was the one who was going to end the game.

We ended up in his private study, a room filled with expensive furniture and even more expensive art. He poured me a drink, his eyes never leaving mine. "You're beautiful," he said, his voice thick with desire. "The most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

I smiled, my heart cold. This was it. The moment I had been waiting for.

As he leaned in, his breath hot on my cheek, I reached for my poisoned pin.

My fingers brushed against the cool metal of the pin, hidden beneath the fabric of my dress. I held my breath, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs. Jackster, oblivious to the danger lurking beneath my seemingly innocent facade, leaned in for a kiss.

I let him get close, his breath warm on my skin, his scent a sickly mix of cologne and stale cigar smoke. Then, with a swift, practiced movement, I drew the pin from its hiding place, its sharp point glinting in the dim light of the study.

He didn't even see it coming. The pin pierced his skin, a tiny, almost invisible prick, just below his ear. He flinched, his eyes widening in surprise, but before he could react, I pressed the pin deeper, injecting the poison into his bloodstream.

"What... what was that?" he stammered, his voice thick with confusion.

I smiled, a cold, predatory smile that sent a chill down his spine. "Just a little… surprise," I whispered, my voice laced with a chilling sweetness.

He reached for his throat, his face contorting in pain. His eyes, once filled with lust, now reflected a growing fear. He tried to speak, but the words died in his throat, replaced by a series of strangled gasps.

I watched him, my heart strangely calm, as the poison took hold. His face turned a sickly green, his body convulsing uncontrollably. He slumped against the desk, his eyes wide with terror, his breath coming in ragged, shallow gasps.

He was dying, and I was the one who had brought him to this. A wave of satisfaction washed over me, a sense of vindication, a feeling of power. I had taken down a predator, a man who had preyed on countless women, and I had done it with elegance and precision.

But as I watched him struggle for his last breath, a strange feeling crept into my heart. Not guilt, not remorse, but a sense of emptiness. The thrill of the kill, the satisfaction of revenge, it was all fading away, leaving behind a void that I couldn't explain.

I had been a master of deception, a phantom slipping through the cracks of reality, a force of nature that could not be contained. Me, A wicked Queen, lost a part of herself.

The question lingered in the air, unanswered, as I turned away from the dying man and walked out of the study, leaving behind the scent of poison and the echo of his dying gasps. The world outside the study was still abuzz with the sounds of the party, oblivious to the tragedy that had just unfolded within its walls.

I walked through the crowd, my head held high, my eyes cold and calculating.

A smile crept onto my face, a devilish grin that felt like a warm, wicked fire spreading through my veins. It was time for the grand finale.

I glanced at Jackster, sprawled on the floor, his face contorted in agony. He was still alive, but barely. The poison was doing its work.

It was time to make my exit. I needed to make it look like someone else had done this, someone who had broken in and escaped. I grabbed the nearest heavy object – a crystal decanter – and smashed it against the window, sending shards of glass flying.

The sound of shattering glass cut through the music and chatter of the party. Heads turned, whispers started, but I kept my act going. I grabbed a small, sharp knife from the bar, the kind they used for cutting fruit. With a practiced movement, I sliced my arm, drawing a thin line of blood.

"Help!" I screamed, my voice trembling with manufactured terror. "Someone's trying to kill me!"

I stumbled back, my hand pressed against my bleeding arm, my eyes wide with feigned fear. Then, I grabbed the knife and pressed it against the broken window, leaving a clear fingerprint on the glass.

"He… he came through the window!" I cried, my voice cracking with emotion. "He was trying to kill me, but I fought back! He's still out there, somewhere!"

I took off running, my bare feet slapping against the polished marble floor, my dress swirling around me. I weaved through the startled partygoers, my eyes scanning the crowd, searching for any sign of danger.

I burst into the main party room, my face pale, my breathing ragged. "Everyone, get out!" I shouted, my voice hoarse. "The killer is still out there! He killed Jackster! He's going to kill us all!"

Chaos erupted. People screamed, scrambled for the exits, their faces contorted with fear. I let the panic wash over me, feeding the illusion of my own terror.

I had played the part perfectly. I had created a scene, a diversion, a story that would lead everyone away from the truth. The truth was that I, Callistia Ravenwood, the Wicked Queen, had taken revenge. And I had done it with such elegance, such finesse, such calculated cruelty, that no one would ever suspect me.

I watched as the guests fled, their panicked faces a testament to my success. I had played them all, manipulated them, used their fear and greed against them.

The room was a whirlwind of panicked movement, a symphony of screams and shouts. I stood amidst the chaos, my hand still pressed against my bleeding arm, my face pale, my breathing shallow. I was playing the part of the terrified victim to perfection.

Then, the sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder with each passing second. The police were here.

My heart skipped a beat. This was the moment of truth. I had to convince them I was a victim, not the perpetrator.

The first officer, a burly man with a stern face and a badge that seemed to gleam in the dim light, burst through the door. His eyes scanned the room, taking in the scene of chaos and c*****e. He spotted me, my pale face and trembling form standing out against the backdrop of panicked guests.

"Ma'am, are you alright?" he asked, his voice gruff but concerned.

I nodded, my head lolling to the side, my eyes fluttering closed. "I… I don't feel good," I whispered, my voice weak and shaky. "I think… I think I'm going to faint."

The officer, his gaze fixed on my blood-stained arm, rushed to my side. "Stay with me, ma'am," he said, his voice firm. "Help is on the way."

I let my head fall forward, my body slumping against his chest. I felt his strong arms wrap around me, supporting my weight. I closed my eyes, my breathing becoming shallow and erratic.

"Ma'am?" he asked, his voice filled with concern. "Can you hear me?"

I didn't answer. I was lost in a world of my own making, a world where I was the victim, the innocent, the one who needed protection. I let the officer believe I was fading, slipping away, succumbing to the shock of the attack.

But I was wide awake, my senses sharp, my mind alert. I was playing a game, a dangerous game, and I was determined to win.

I felt the officer's hand on my pulse, his touch a gentle pressure against my skin. He was trying to gauge my condition, to assess the severity of my injuries. I let my pulse quicken, my breathing become more labored, my body tremble slightly. I was giving him the performance of a lifetime.

He looked at me, his eyes filled with concern. "We need to get you to a hospital," he said, his voice firm. "Stay with me, ma'am. Help is on the way."

I nodded again, my head lolling to the side, my eyes fluttering closed.