A limousine stopped at the entrance of the Imperial Casino.
A man in all-white attire, including his hat, descended from it.
"Mr. Tony," said the police chief, bowing respectfully.
"I want five minutes inside the casino," Tony ordered.
"But sir..."
"I said," Tony continued walking into the casino, knowing no one could stop him.
All the police officers and detectives collecting evidence at the crime scene immediately left upon seeing Chief Tony's arrival accompanied by his henchmen.
"Who did it?" Tony asked his henchman.
"It was the Araña, sir."
"Are you sure?" Tony asked calmly.
"Yes, Chief Tony. It was her, accompanied by an unknown man. Everything was recorded on the security cameras."
Tony remained silent, as if deep in thought.
"What do you want us to do, sir?" the henchman asked.
"Burn the bodies. Nothing happened here. I won't let the reputation of my casino be tarnished."
"And with the Araña, what do we do?"
"I think it's time to have a talk with her father," Chief Tony said as he watched his men collect the bodies to make them disappear.
Kim Ballmer arrived home completely pale.
She had never felt so much fear in her life, and it made her cry, smudging her makeup.
Her father, Charles Ballmer, watched her arrive with cheeks stained with black tears.
Kim threw herself into her father's arms, breaking into tears.
"It was horrible, Dad, it was horrible."
"I don't understand, what happened?" Charles asked, bewildered.
"It was Curtis, Dad, it was Curtis. He entered the Imperial Casino and started shooting at three innocent men who were just having a couple of drinks there."
"Curtis? Your Curtis? That idiot who used to live here?"
"Yes, him," Kim replied, crying, "I'm terrified.”
Charles pondered for a while until he grew tired of his daughter's incessant crying.
"Shut up!" he shouted angrily, "you deserve it for behaving like a whore in those night places."
"But... Dad," Kim said, sighing.
"I've had enough of you; go to your room and let the idiot you have in there as a toy console you. I can't stand you," ordered Charles, his nerves shattered.
Kim left crying while Charles remained there in deep thought.
The dealer took control of the car, steering Curtis away from the driver's seat. The adrenaline had diminished, and now silence prevailed between them.
"By the way, what's your name?" Curtis asked suddenly.
But the dealer remained silent and continued driving, as if she hadn't heard Curtis.
"Oh... come on!" Curtis exclaimed, "we just killed three guys; I think I can at least know your name."
But the dealer stayed silent, smiling slightly with a hint of malice.
"You know my name, and you also know I was part of the Ballmer family."
"You were the Ballmer family's bitch," the dealer said with a malicious smile.
"Yes..." Curtis said, recalling the horror he saw on Kim's face, and that's when he smiled in relief.
A second silence filled the car.
"Call me 'Araña,' if you want," said the dealer.
"Araña?!"
"If you dare to mock my nickname, I'll cut off your balls," she threatened, pulling out a knife unexpectedly.
"No, no, no," Curtis exclaimed, very scared, "it's just that 'Araña' isn't a person's name, let alone a woman's."
Curtis raised his hands as she threatened his scrotum.
Araña frowned and lowered the knife, taking it away from Curtis's balls.
"My name is Evangeline... And woe betide you if you make fun of my name."
Araña suddenly put the knife to Curtis's neck.
Curtis swallowed with difficulty, that thick knot in his throat, and with effort, he said,
"The way... The way..." Curtis remembered his companion, that she was the one driving.
Araña resumed driving as if nothing happened. It was quite clear that she wasn't right in the head, and for some strange reason, Curtis liked that even more.
"I'm hungry," Araña said expressionlessly.
"Don't look at me," Curtis, still traumatized, said, "I'm the beggar, remember?"
"We need money... We must rob a bank," Araña said as coldly as possible.
"A bank? Have you completely lost your mind?"
"Look who's talking, the guy who just killed three mafia members," Araña said.
"Wait... what did you say? You didn't tell me they were mafia," Curtis exclaimed.
"You never gave me the chance. You just came in like Rambo, shooting like crazy, and I had no chance for anything," she exclaimed.
"Damn... I'm screwed," Curtis lamented, covering his face with his hands.
"You should be happy... Today, you moved up in rank.”
"Rank?"
"Yes... Rank... You went from being the Ballmers' bitch to being a full-fledged killer. For me, that's a positive change," Araña said, taking her hands off the wheel to light a cigarette.
The car began to swerve, and Curtis had to take control to prevent a crash.
"For heaven's sake, Curtis. If you make me burn with the cigarette, I'll cut you into pieces," she threatened.
"I can't believe it, I can't believe it," Curtis said, regretting what he had done.
"Don't be so dramatic, Curtis. We're in this together... We'll be fine. We just need money."
Curtis thought for a moment in silence, and the answer came directly to his mind.
"I know where there's a lot of money," he said, smiling evilly.
Minutes later, Kim Ballmer cried on her knees in her room while Curtis shoved the revolver's barrel into the mouth of the wealthy girl.
Araña removed the painting Curtis indicated to reveal the safe, of which she obviously knew.
"Damn it, Curtis, this thing has a secret combination," Araña exclaimed.
"33... 23... 13... 03..." Curtis indicated, savoring the terror on Kim's face.
Araña opened the safe, finding thousands of dollars in cash.
"This is what I was talking about." Araña said eagerly, upon seeing all that money.
"Take it all, and let's go," Curtis said.
Everything was set to esc
ape, but not without pulling that trigger, even though the gun had no bullets.
Nevertheless, Curtis gave Kim Ballmer the biggest scare of her life.
The Araña's father was also a mobster, but the difference is that he always maintained a low profile.He was content being a subordinate to Boss Tony, ensuring years in the mafia business without any problems."Done," said the Araña's father once he finished assembling a small ship inside a bottle, his favorite pastime."Now you'll be my best piece."He was an old man, struggling to stand and place the bottle on his shelf.He had done it; it was the fifteenth ship he had assembled inside a bottle since he began to develop an affection for that activity.But his peace and tranquility would be disrupted in a second.His office door swung open abruptly. Burly men threw it down as if it were cardboard.Bottles with the small ships shattered on the floor. Fifty years of work lost in a second."What the hell is happening here?! Who are you?!" the old man demanded.Those men remained silent, standing by the door."Where are my bodyguards?" the Araña's father asked."Dead," Boss Tony replied,
Franchesco rose to greet his daughter, expecting a hug and a kiss."My father," Araña shouted with arms outstretched.Franchesco struggled to take step after step, moving painfully slow.Araña pulled a revolver from her pocket and suddenly fired six shots at her father.Curtis was stunned. It happened so quickly; he barely had time to see the lifeless body of the old man fall to the wooden floor."What the hell are you doing?" Curtis yelled.Araña just laughed, observing her father's corpse."This wasn't part of the plan. You told me you were only coming to ask him for money, and then we'd leave," he protested."Curtis, Curtis, Curtis... If I had told you I planned to murder my father, you would never have come with me. I know you, Curtis; you're crazy but soft."Curtis gestured wildly, but words wouldn't come out. It was clear that this event had a profound impact."Don't worry, Curtis. I know you don't understand now, but I assure you everything is going according to plan.""But wha
However, there were still formidable rivals opposing them, posing significant obstacles to gaining total control of the mafia nationwide.Tony and Charles Ballmer were still powerful mobsters with enough clout to give them competition."I've never seen so much money in my life," Curtis shouted, seated atop a small mountain of cash."Not bad, but we need much more.""What the hell are you talking about? Today alone, we've earned over five million dollars, and that's not even counting that we now own the east side of the city.""Tony, the idiot, is still alive, and as long as that damn guy lives, no one will fully respect us.""I think you need to relax," Curtis said, "shall I call Nicolle and Gladiana to come pamper you?""No, Curtis. No prostitutes. I'm serious... I'm tired of sharing the business with those old decrepit men," she exclaimed. "They've even started selling modern drugs for profit, after wanting to kill me for trying to sell them.""What do you suggest?" Curtis asked."W
The news of Boss Tony's death quickly spread everywhere. No one could believe that two upstarts out of nowhere were the new owners of the entire mafia business in the country.But it was time to take the business into a much more legal realm. Like Charles Ballmer, Araña and Curtis considered the possibility of opening a national company."What do you think?" Araña asked, showing an elegant office to Curtis."Are you sure this is a good idea?""Curtis, do you really plan to spend your whole life killing people and selling drugs on the streets?""It's the only thing we know how to do.""Think about it. We can continue being the biggest and most respected mobsters, and we can also be refined entrepreneurs.""You and I have no idea how the business world works."Araña smiled at him for a moment."You know so little about me, Curtis... you offend me.""Let me guess," Curtis said, "you already have it all figured out?""Exactly."Araña walked to her desk, and pressing a button, she contacte
"I swear, Curtis. I felt thousands of things when I saw her," Araña said, pacing back and forth in the main office of their company."Tingling in your vagina?" Curtis asked without much enthusiasm, trying to solve a Rubik's Cube at the desk."I even like her name a lot... Veronika... I love her!""You don't even know if she likes women too.""Please, Curtis... Everyone loves women, even we love ourselves. It's scientifically proven.""You're sick; you should see a psychologist," Curtis said."Mock if you want, but that little Russian girl will be my wife.""We need to talk about something much more important," Curtis commented, "the dealer on 19th street still hasn't reported his payment.""It's very easy; we just have to kill him, problem solved.""You're a freaking lunatic. We can't kill everyone who doesn't walk to our tune. Maybe he had some issues, and that's why he delayed payment for the merchandise.""Curtis, this isn't a doll's game. Here, you have to be the toughest, or else
"I told you, Curtis, I told you," Araña shouted as she arrived at the hospital."Miss, we're in the middle of an operation," said the surgeon."Silence!" Araña exclaimed. "Keep working.""Araña, please. At least wait until they operate on me to scold me.""No way, Curtis. Why do you think I didn't let them administer anesthesia? I need to scold you right now.""I would have preferred to die.""Don't say that, Mr. Curtis," said the mysterious stranger who had saved his life."And who is he?" Araña asked."He's the one who saved me from that gunfire. Thanks to him, I'm alive," explained Curtis. "By the way, what's your name?""I'm Ander, and it was an honor to serve you, Mr. Curtis," he said, bowing respectfully."Yeah, yeah. Thanks, guardian angel," Araña said. "Now, you're going to listen to me, Curtis.""I'm listening," Curtis replied, very annoyed."Right now, I'm sending a large commission of our men to wipe out that street 19. Those bastards will witness the power we have, and we'
The door to Veronika's room suddenly sounded."Daughter, it's me... Can I come in?""Of course, Dad, come in."Vladimir Novikov entered his daughter's room, and it was clear that his steps weighed like lead.He sighed deeply, as if gathering courage, and after sitting on his daughter's bed, he said:"Daughter... I have news to tell you.""Is something wrong, Dad?"Mr. Novikov remained silent, expressionless, with a cold and empty look directed at his daughter."You are going to marry Evangeline," he revealed bluntly."You're joking, Dad," Veronika said while laughing.Veronika couldn't believe it, but she knew her dad was never one to make jokes."How am I supposed to marry Araña? She's a woman just like me; that's absurd. I'm not a lesbian," she shouted."You should have thought about that before kissing her."Vladimir Novikov didn't listen to his daughter's tantrums. He had spoken, and it was a done deal."Dad!" she shouted.But her father turned away and continued walking."I'd rat
Curtis's life had literally taken a 360-degree turn. The car he was traveling in with his escort had overturned and tumbled a thousand times until it was completely destroyed.He had been unconscious for a few minutes, but it felt like he had lived an entire lifetime in those moments.He vividly recalled all the abuse and mistreatment he had endured in the Ballmer mansion when he was a mere aspiring son-in-law. He especially remembered the day that marked him forever within that luxurious estate.It was a day when Charles Ballmer decided to play a prank on him in the middle of the street."Son-in-law.""Mr. Ballmer.""Thank God you're here. You're just the person I needed.""Tell me, what do you need me for?""I'm such a fool; I just locked my keys inside the limo.""Why not just call one of your drivers to come get you?""That's not the attitude I expect from a son-in-law. I knew you didn't have what it takes to be part of the family.""Alright, fine... You win. What do I need to do?
Campbell watched with concern the news of his mother's arrest on his cell phone as he prepared for the flight where he would escape with Dany.Dany noticed Campbell's demeanor and immediately took his hand to comfort him."We can't look back," Dany said, "I know just the thing to cheer you up."Dany went to the airplane minibar and grabbed a bottle of champagne, perfectly chilled. Without hesitation, she uncorked it in front of Campbell, letting the bubbly foam cascade everywhere, soaking the red carpet beneath their feet.It was all laughter, hugs, and kisses until a voice amplified by a megaphone wiped the smiles off their faces instantly."Campbell Stanton, step out of the plane with your hands on your head," the police chief's voice echoed through the megaphone.Campbell and Dany peered out the window to see an entire army of international special police agents on the runway, aiming their firearms directly at the plane.Curtis returned to the Stanton mansion safe and sound, as he
Charles Ballmer laughed maniacally. He couldn't believe that he had finally ended the life of the wretched Curtis Stanton. He had always known he would kill him since the day Curtis had used him as a stool alongside Araña years ago.His escorts also laughed, pleased to see that their boss had finally gotten what he wanted. However, things changed in an instant. A shot came out of nowhere, hitting one of the escorts directly in the forehead, killing him immediately. Another shot hit the leg of another escort, and that's when everyone finally reacted, starting to shoot in all directions without knowing where the shots were coming from.Charles Ballmer crouched down and quickly sought shelter from the gunfire while continuing to give orders."Shoot! Shoot at anything that moves!" Charles shouted, hiding behind one of the containers.Curtis was also crawling on the floor, completely unharmed by the shots Charles Ballmer had just fired at him.Immediately, the dock was filled with internat
The limousine slowly came to a stop in front of the Stanton mansion, and Agatha looked through the window while accompanied by Angeline."Welcome to your true home," said Agatha as the gigantic gate opened to allow the limousine to pass.Both were personally greeted by Curtis.Agatha quickly got out of the limousine and ran to hug Curtis."What the hell are you doing here? I told you to stay on the island and take care of Angeline," Curtis reprimanded."He came back, Curtis. He managed to find me," Agatha confessed, terrified, with a look of fear in her eyes."That's impossible!" Curtis exclaimed."I know, I know. But he did it. He reached the hotel and chased me up the stairs. He said Angeline was his daughter and that he had the right to know her," Agatha said, unable to stop crying."You are safe now," Curtis comforted her with a kiss on the forehead."Daddy!" Angeline exclaimed, hugging her father's leg while Alfred carried Agatha's suitcases."Hello, my love," Curtis greeted with
“Curtis?” said Beth, peeking onto the balcony, “I finally found you. I've been searching all over the mansion for you.”“I was reminiscing about the view from this magnificent balcony,” Curtis replied.“Remembering old times, I imagine.”“Exactly in this spot, I stood the day Baxter went crazy and killed Lucius for no reason,” commented Curtis, fully aware that Beth was the culprit. However, he never pointed the finger at her directly.Beth immediately understood the accusatory remark and simply smiled to keep up the pretense.“It’s a real shame that such a beautiful place brings such bitter memories to your mind,” Beth responded.“No, not at all. It’s the perfect occasion to remember the inexplicable things that only happen in the Stanton mansion. Ander died and no one knows a thing about what happened. It’s exactly the same with Lucius and Baxter,” Curtis remarked sarcastically. “These elegant walls hold mysteries that the world has no clue about.”Beth only responded with a feigned
Agatha couldn't believe it. That man had found her and surely wanted to harm her and her young daughter. She could expect anything from Prince Rick at that moment. It was impossible to trust someone who had abandoned her and stolen all her money."Let's go, Angeline. We need to go back," Agatha said, terrified, taking her young daughter by the arm to return to the elevator."Agatha!" Prince Rick shouted, rising from his seat when he saw that Agatha wanted to flee from him.However, the elevator had already closed again and was on the upper floors. No matter how many times Agatha pressed the buttons, the door simply wouldn't open.Agatha watched with concern as Rick quickly crossed the entire lobby to reach where she was."Let's go through the stairs," Agatha said, picking up her young daughter and carrying her to move much faster.She was forced to walk a bit further to her right to enter the door leading to the hotel's stairs. She tried to move as quickly as possible without drawing
The next day, all the media outlets were abuzz with a story that went global in a matter of minutes.Ander Stanton, the youngest member of the powerful Stanton family, had been found completely charred inside the remains of a limousine that had been intentionally set on fire. He was found alongside a girl, also charred, who, for some strange reason, had a chain tied around her neck.This news plunged the Stanton family into mourning and called into question the performance of the city's police authorities. The citizens were alarmed. If something like this could happen to someone as important as Ander Stanton, what could an ordinary citizen expect?"That's common in this city. People are murdered like that every day. It's just that now it's someone rich, and that makes the difference," said an old woman being interviewed on television while Charles Ballmer and Beth Aldress watched.They were both completely naked and sitting in a hot tub. Charles was enjoying a cigar while Beth just re
Ander lost all the harshness in his voice and his bravery vanished as if by magic. Now he was just a scared and cowardly child, trembling like jelly in front of what seemed like a ghost from the past."Annie..." Ander sobbed, a mix of lament and high-pitched cry.He began to sweat profusely, and tears streamed down his face like waterfalls as he remained in disbelief. He couldn't believe what his eyes were seeing.Annie was there, staring at him face to face. However, she seemed unresponsive. Somehow, Charles Ballmer had managed to destroy her feelings and emotions. Everything that Annie once was had been erased from her mind forever. Now she was just a kind of pet that only served to wag her tail when her master, Charles Ballmer, came home tired from work."What did that bastard do to you?" Ander said, crying like a child.He took the chain that bound Annie's neck and noticed it was made of very resistant material. Perhaps that was why she had never managed to escape. Or maybe Charle
Ander woke up again in the middle of the night due to a horrible recurring nightmare that he had over and over again. Annie's face and voice tormented him during his dreams, preventing him from resting. Since it happened, Ander hadn't been able to sleep peacefully on any of the following nights."You're a damn coward," he told himself to gather the courage to go on with his life.His idea was to convince himself that he had chosen well by showing loyalty to Charles Ballmer. After all, Annie had brought that horrible end upon herself. However, the nightmares and the bitter taste in his mouth didn't go away with anything. Maybe it was something he had to learn to live with.The next day, everything returned to normal at the Stanton mansion. Beth walked proudly around the mansion, not missing any opportunity to rub her triumph in Curtis' face.However, Curtis was locked in his room with no desire to come out. He just stared out the window while everyone else enjoyed the pool. Maybe they
"Congratulations," said Campbell innocently."I think you should be grateful he didn’t get your wife pregnant, idiot," Beth snapped angrily, while Campbell felt ashamed."My personal life with my wife is none of the business of anyone present," Curtis commented immediately, although, to be honest, he was still in shock."You’re right. We don’t care about the child of a bastard and a traitor," Beth said venomously, not caring that she was talking about her own grandchild."He will own everything you see," Curtis defended himself with a sharp comment."That reminds me," Beth stood up and began walking around the office, "the new company directors have been talking, and...""And what?" Curtis questioned."And we’re thinking of kicking you out of the business," Carson immediately attacked.Curtis smiled, letting out a bit of air in a half-laugh."That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard," Curtis said, smiling."We want to remove you from your duties as president of Stanton Enterpr