Chapter 1 - The Bleeding Bandage
The grand luxury dining room was a portrait of absolute wealth. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm, flickering candlelight over a long mahogany table set for an extravagant autumn feast. A massive roast turkey sat in the center, surrounded by rich seasonal decor and formally dressed elite guests.
But at the head of the table, the atmosphere was suffocatingly tense.
Victor, a heavily muscular man in his late thirties, sat in silence. He wore a tailored black suit over a crisp black shirt. His dark hair was slicked back, a sharp goatee framing his jaw, and intricate, dark tattoos crawled up his neck and across his knuckles. He was the most feared syndicate boss in the city.
Standing beside him was Maria, his sixty-year-old loyal housekeeper. Her grey hair was pulled back tightly, her classic black maid uniform pristine except for one horrifying detail.
Maria was serving Victor’s wine using only her right hand. Her left forearm was wrapped in a thick white bandage, and fresh, dark red blood was rapidly seeping through the gauze, dripping silently onto the marble floor.
Victor’s dark eyes locked onto the blood.
"Maria," Victor said, his voice terrifyingly calm and observant. "Why are you using one hand?"
Sitting immediately to Victor’s right was Evelyn. She was an elegant woman in her thirties, her dark hair styled in a flawless, sophisticated updo. She wore a dark red off-the-shoulder evening gown and a sparkling diamond necklace.
Before the terrified maid could even open her mouth, Evelyn smiled nervously and leaned forward.
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"She burned herself on the oven," Evelyn interrupted, her voice quick and heavily defensive.
👉 What will the ruthless mafia boss do when he realizes his fiancée is lying?
