Van Deloney: To My Dearest Emma [[BOOK ONE]]

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑿𝑰

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NOTICE OF CONTENT TRIGGER WARNING

This novel contains harsh descriptions of heinous crimes, violence, gore, swear words, and disturbing scenes, and other issues that may be considered inappropriate for younger readers. Parents are advised to exercise caution when determining whether this content is appropriate for their children.

THE KNAVE OF ARISTOCRACY

November 23, 1882

            A GENTLEMAN partaking in a verbal exchange with his telephone expressed his feelings of discontent. “Are you positive? The potential ramifications are rather precarious. Unless that lady possesses enough value to merit me accepting the risk of making her one of my slaves.” He uttered, while puffing on his cigarette, his lips stained with the bitter taste of tobacco, his eyes glued to the screen as a smirk formed on his face.

The gentleman continued to converse with the individual on the other end of the call, sporting a smug expression on his face. “Well, how about this proposal? I will offer you half a million units of the Auric currency in return for my possession of that woman, eh?” He uttered, his confidence steadily growing the more he listened to the individual’s response to his offer.

Abruptly, the man’s eyes widened with outrage at the response of the individual at the other end of the line, his confidence suddenly shaken. “Huh?! What do you mean that’s not enough?! You miserable wretch!” He yelled into the phone; his words abruptly cut off as a sharp stab to his left lung pierced his body. He staggered forward, his eyes growing wide with shock and surprise as blood spilled forth from the fatal wound, drowning his clothing in a dark redness.

An excruciating wave of pain washed over the man, causing him to stiffen and struggle to maintain his composure. His eyes darted to and fro, just to see the source of the attack from his behind, his gaze coming to rest on the presence of an individual shrouded in a cloak, their face hidden from view. The mysterious figure stood with a smirk, their tone taking on a seemingly seductive edge as they addressed the beleaguered man. “I assume you must be one of those men?” They purred, their voice dripping with a dangerous undertone that caused a shiver to run down the man’s spine.

“No? My, my. How disappointing.” The unknown figure spoke with an ominous chuckle, his gloved hand moving to the man’s chin and forehead, forcing his head around in a violent manner that ended his life in an instant. The man’s lifeless eyes remained open; his mouth frozen in a silent scream. The man’s body slumped to the ground, his blood slowly pooling around his body.

After dispatching the man, the unknown killer surveyed the scene before their eyes, their gaze falling upon the phone still hanging on the wall, its voice echoing a faint “Hello?”. With a touch of irony in their tone, the assassin remarked, “It appears your illicit trade has been rendered obsolete. Thank you for the riveting exchange.” They then replaced the phone back into its original location, leaving the scene in a quiet still, untouched by the blood that pooled around the victim’s lifeless body.
The killer wasted no time in fleeing the scene of the crime, quickly exiting the room, and escaping the backstage of the Opera House, their footsteps echoing amongst the empty halls, the sense of urgency evident in their steps.

Hastily making his way away from the scene of the crime, the mysterious figure moved past two individuals, one being an elder and the other, a blonde-haired man bearing a blindfold over his eyes. As the figure drew closer, Lucien who turned out to be the blonde-haired man; seemed to take notice of the individual’s dark and ominous presence. Turning to face the stranger who was walking away, his expression betrayed a hint of unease and tension, as if sensing the potential danger present in the mysterious figure’s aura.