26. Chapter 26
Chapter 2 6
ARGENT
I s it wrong to be proud of her? I know it is, but I am. The surge of satisfaction courses through me as I recall the events that unfolded. She deserved to get her revenge, and I’ll be damned if she didn’t get it.
The door to the apartment stands before me, anticipation building as I steal a glance at her. Her disheveled clothes cling to her body, stained with dried-up blood but, fuck, she’s never looked more beautiful than she does right now.
With a twist of the doorknob, we enter, catching Chloe and Demitri off guard. The horror etched on Chloe’s face speaks volumes, her voice trembling as she bombards us with questions .
“Oh my God! What the hell happened? Where the hell were you guys?” Her words echo in the room, a mix of concern and confusion, running towards Starlet to check her over.
“I’m fine. Actually—I’m more than fine,” Starlet replies, her voice carrying a hint of triumph. She offers Chloe a reassuring smile before making her way down the hallway, towards the bathroom.
Demitri approaches me cautiously, his throat clearing as he breaks the silence. “What did you do?” he asks, curiosity lacing his words.
“Not me… This is all her doing,” I respond, a smirk tugging at the corners of my lips.
Chloe’s eyes narrow, arms crossing over her chest as she demands an explanation. “What the hell does that mean? What does ‘all her doing’ mean?”
My chuckle escapes me as I revel in the shock that’s about to come. “She gutted that bastard from the inside out.” Chloe’s jaw drops, her disbelief evident.
A smirk dances across Demitri’s face as he remarks, “She’s just as crazy as you are.” Without uttering another word, I make my way to the bedroom, leaving Chloe’s ranting voice behind. We need to clean ourselves up. Our work isn’t done yet.
As we sit in front of her parents’ house, I can see the anger and doubt etched on her face. But before we can handle this, I need to make sure the mess she made is taken care of.
“Yeah, Joe, listen I’ll send you the location. Please make sure the place is spotless.”
“Got it, kid. But, seriously, this has got to stop. Cleaning supplies aren’t cheap, hey.”
Chuckling at his words, I end the call and turn to face Starlet, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Are you good to go?” Her face lights up with a radiant smile as she nods.
Before I have a chance to knock, she beats me to the door and confidently raps her knuckles against it. Her mother stood there, clearly startled by our presence as the door opened .
“Starlet? I didn’t expect to see you again.” Without uttering a word, Starlet forcefully barges into the house, her footsteps echoing through the hallway as she shouts for her dad. Outside, I remain motionless, casually leaning against the doorframe.
Suddenly, her father thunders down the stairs, his bewildered expression etched on his face.
“Did you know?” Starlet’s voice drips with anger as she confronts her mother, her words piercing the air.
“Know what?”
“That your dear husband paid Zavier to kill me?” Her mother’s face drains of color, revealing her shock and genuine ignorance. Despite her mother’s bitchy demeanor, it’s evident that she truly had no idea.
“Have you completely lost your mind?” Her father interjects, his voice laced with concern, and I struggle to contain my rage, resisting the urge to charge towards him and choke the life out of him.
“Shut up! You sick fuck.” Even I am taken aback by Starlet’s unexpected outburst. She needs to be careful. Every time she gets angry—my dick gets hard .
Unintentionally, a chuckle escapes my lips, catching her father’s gaze, and being the prick that I am, I flash him a mischievous smile accompanied by a sly wink.
“W-what are you talking about?” Her mother’s voice quivers softly, trembling with fear. Starlet strides over to her, her anger radiating like a blinding beam of light.
“I’m not his daughter, am I? He’s been plotting to get rid of me for years, and Zavier was the perfect opportunity. But it didn’t work, did it?” She glances at her motionless father, perched on the stairs.
“H-how did you find out?” Her mother’s tear-streaked face now contorts with anguish, her voice quivering. “Is it true? Who’s my father?” Starlet’s composure settles, her tone calmer than a few moments ago.
She found out her mother was raped, so the chances that even her mom knows who it is, are slim. But for her sake, I hope she gets some kind of answer.
“We attended college together and later ended up working at the same law firm,” her mother begins, wiping away fallen tears before locking eyes with Starlet once more. “We were good friends, but when I met your father... well, he didn’t take it well. One evening, after work, as I was heading to my car... he attacked me.”
Starlet’s face contorts from anger to sadness at her mother’s words. She places a comforting hand on her mother’s shoulder, “Who is he, Mom?”
Her mother glances briefly in my direction, revealing the hurt and humiliation in her eyes, before turning her gaze back to Starlet.
“Um, Storm. Dalton Storm. He was arrested a few years after that for rape and attempted murder of his wife.”
I watch as Starlet’s face drains of color, her hand trembling as it withdraws from her mother’s shoulder.
Storm? Why does that sound so familiar?
Suddenly, the heavy footsteps of Starlet’s father echo down the staircase, causing me to tense, ready to intervene if needed.
But before he can utter a word, her mother’s hand connects with his face, a resounding slap that echoes through the room.
“You fucking monster! Don’t come near me or my children again, do you understand?” Her words, filled with anger and defiance, pierce the tense atmosphere .
I move towards Starlet, grasping her arm gently, “Get your mother and sister and get out of here.”
“What? Why—”
“Just do as I say,” I demand firmly and without hesitation she nods and grabs her mom, asking where her sister is. Starlet glances at me before dragging her mother out of the house and slamming the door behind them.
I turn my attention back to the old bastard, his face contorting in realization.
“I told you I’ll be back for you.” I taunt him with a smirk, relishing the moment. Before I can take a step forward, he darts past me, his footsteps echoing through the house.
Really? Stairs again?
Frustration surges within me as I race up the stairs, my heart pounding in my chest. He slips into a room at the end of the hallway, but I am quick to follow, pushing the door open with force .
The sudden movement causes him to stumble and fall to the ground. The sight of him triggers a surge of anger, my blood boiling with a mix of emotions.
“I've seen my fair share of sick people, but you, you must be the absolute worst,” I seethe, my eyes narrowing as I take slow, deliberate steps toward him.
The sound of his frantic scrambling fills the room as he desperately tries to get to his feet and I can see the fear etched across his face.
“Your wife needed you. But instead, you got jealous of a fucking rapist. And instead of taking it out on him, you wanted to take it out on an innocent child.” He retreats behind his desk, a feeble attempt to create distance between us. As if that could save him.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” he stammers, his back pressing against the cold windowpane. I navigate around the desk, coming to an abrupt halt mere inches away from him.
Our faces are almost touching, and I can practically taste the acrid tang of his fear permeating the air.
“You’re a pussy.” I whisper venomously. “And I am going to make sure you get what you deserve, just like your bitch Zavier did.” The intensity of my words causes his eyes to widen in terror.
Before he can utter a single word, I seize the nearby curtain, swiftly wrapping it around his exposed neck. The fabric constricts, turning his face a deep shade of crimson as he desperately struggles for air.
Leaving him there, gasping and helpless, I turn my attention to the burning cigar resting on his desk. A twisted smile creeps across my face.
With careful precision, I grasp the glowing red ember in my hand, feeling its searing heat against my skin. I grab a sheet of paper from the desk and turn to face him, still wheezing for breath.
“I apologize for leaving you hanging, but I have things to do.”
As I hold the cigar to the paper, it instantly ignites, flames dancing and crackling in the air. With one last sinister smirk, I place the burning paper within one of the nearby bookshelves, instantly engulfing it in a furious inferno.
I turn and make my exit through the door. Leaving behind the chaos I’ve created.