CHOOSE ME, VALLORINE

CHAPTER FOUR: WITCH AND THE DEVIL

Vallorine

Trash.

Those are the things that must be disposed of when they no longer serve a purpose, because if you don't get rid of them, only two things will happen: you'll die from pollution or you'll be dragged down with the trash.

The smile immediately faded from my face as my knife plunged into the flesh in front of me, and its sauce flowed from the flesh.

We sat facing each other, and a familiar long table separated us. It was covered with a variety of dishes, a feast laid out for just the two of us.

The cook, a woman in her mid-50s who had prepared this meal, stood on either side of the table. She kept a safe distance, but I could practically taste her fear. It hung in the air, thick and heavy, like the scent of burnt meat.

"They cooked this steak blandly, am I right or is my taste just too refined?" I glanced at Luca in front of me, clearly savouring the taste of the steak in front of him.

As she heard what Luca said, the woman, who was the cook and had remained standing on either side of Luca and me, nervously closed her eyes. She clasped her hands together and brought them to her lips as if she was praying. Even the tiny beads of sweat on her forehead didn't escape my eyes.

I gently placed the sliced meat inside my mouth without shifting my gaze from the cook. She continued to watch my face attentively, eagerly anticipating my reaction. As I quietly savored its taste, I focused on keeping a neutral expression, hiding my emotions carefully. The sensation of the tender meat melting on my tongue heightened the moment. I could feel Luca's penetrating gaze on me, analyzing my every move. When I nodded in approval, he simply shrugged, unfazed by my response.

The cook breathed a sigh of relief and smiled sweetly. However, the peace on her face quickly turned into fear as I reached for the tissue beside me and placed it on my lips to spit out the chewed meat.

"Erede-"

"Oh, is this dog meat?" I asked sarcastically, pointing at the meat pierced by the small knife I held.

Her eyes widened as her head whipped back and forth. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision. She clutched her hands so tightly that her knuckles almost turned white, burying them deep within her sleeves.

"I-I'll t-try c-cooking again!" Her voice, a dry rasp barely above a whisper, cracked with each word. A tightness constricted her throat, making it hard for her to swallow. Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill like a full glass of water.

I gave a gentle nod to her, and she lowered her head as she softly wiped her tears.

She turned around and was about to leave when I suddenly called her name.

"Carolina." I called her.

She paused in her steps and remained facing away from me.

"You forgot your thing," I said in a gentle tone.

She slowly turned towards me, and I promptly handed her what she should receive.

Not long after, the loud bang of the gun I held echoed, its barrel still smoking.

Her body slowly slumped until it landed on the cold floor.

"It seems your lifeless body is more appealing to look at than the meals you prepare," I said firmly.

Rotten apples are contaminating the whole bunch. It's time to cut it out, before it infects the rest.

I pointed to her body with the gun I held, and Luca's men quickly carried her body away.