Sinner's Paradise|| 18+

the beginning of an end

                       

  Lucio's POV:

I sat alone in the graveyard, the cool night air brushing against my skin. The moonlight cast long shadows across the gravestones, creating an eerie, almost surreal atmosphere. The silence was deafening, broken only by the soft rustling of leaves and the distant hoot of an owl. I stared at the two headstones before me, the names of my mother and father etched into the cold, unforgiving stone. Their final resting place.

A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips as I spoke aloud, my voice low and steady, filled with a mix of triumph and cold determination. "Mom, Dad, this is it. This is the beginning of the Cruz family's end." My words echoed softly in the stillness, but the weight of them hung heavily in the air. "I've taken their power, stripped them of everything they held dear. And now," I paused, letting the silence settle in for a moment, "I promise to make them beg me for death. They won't even know what hit them until it's too late."

I felt a strange sense of satisfaction, almost a thrill, as I imagined the downfall of the Cruz family. For so long, they had held sway, their influence stretching far and wide. But now, that power was mine. I had turned the tables, and soon they would pay for everything they had done. Every slight, every betrayal—they would feel the full force of my wrath.

My thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of my phone in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw Juan's name on the screen. My right hand, my most trusted ally. I answered the call, bringing the phone to my ear.

"Boss," Juan's voice was urgent, but calm as always. "The Cruz girl won't stop screaming."

I sighed, annoyance flickering in my mind for a moment before I pushed it aside. "Lock her in my room," I replied coolly. "She'll wear herself out eventually." My tone was detached, almost bored, as if this were just another minor inconvenience in my path.

Juan acknowledged my command with a simple "Yes, boss," before the line went dead. I put the phone away and turned my gaze back to the gravestones.

"This is only the beginning," I murmured softly, my voice filled with quiet resolve. The Cruz family had no idea what was coming. But soon enough, they would learn—just as my parents had—that crossing me was the last mistake they would ever make. I stood up slowly, brushing off the dirt from my clothes, and gave one last look at my parents' graves. "Rest easy. I'll take care of the rest."

With that, I turned and walked away, leaving the graveyard behind, the weight of my promise lingering in the air as I headed back to finish what I had started.

It was midnight when I returned to my penthouse, the silence of the night broken only by the distant hum of the city below. As I entered, her voice reached my ears, soft but unmistakable, still crying. The sound grated on my nerves, a constant reminder of the weakness she clung to. My jaw tightened as I made my way to my room, the soft sobs growing louder with each step.

I reached the door and, without hesitation, harshly threw it open. The sudden noise startled her, and she quickly stood up from the bed, her tear-streaked face turning pale as she looked at me with wide, fearful eyes. I could see the panic in her gaze, the uncertainty of what I might do next. It was exactly the reaction I wanted.

I stepped inside, closing the door behind me with a deliberate click, sealing us both in the room. The sound echoed in the quiet space, heightening the tension that hung between us. I dragged a chair from the corner of the room and placed it near the bed, the legs scraping loudly against the floor. The noise made her flinch, and I relished the fear it sparked in her.

I sat down slowly, my movements measured, and stared at her coldly. My gaze was unyielding, piercing, designed to make her squirm under the weight of it. I could see her discomfort growing, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to avoid looking directly at me. The room was thick with her fear, almost suffocating, and I thrived on it.

Finally, she broke the silence, her voice shaky and filled with desperation. "Are you going to kill me?" she asked, her words barely above a whisper.

A smirk tugged at my lips, a dark amusement flashing in my eyes. "What do you think?" I responded, my voice low, taunting.

Her fear deepened, and I could see her struggling to hold herself together. "Please, just let me go," she pleaded, her voice trembling. "I'll pay you, whatever you want. Just let me make sure my family is okay."

Her words were like a spark to dry tinder, igniting a surge of anger within me. I stood up abruptly, the chair scraping harshly against the floor as I rose. Her eyes widened in fear as I charged at her, grabbing her arm with a harsh grip that made her wince in pain.

I leaned in close, my voice cold and unfeeling as I spoke. "You are in no place to negotiate with me." My tone was sharp, cutting through her pleas with the precision of a blade. "Besides," I continued, tightening my grip on her arm, "your cousin already gave you to me in exchange for her brother's life."

The realization hit her hard, the truth of her situation settling in. Her face went pale, and the hope in her eyes faded into despair. I could see the defeat washing over her, and it was exactly what I had intended.

"Now," I said, releasing her arm and stepping back, my gaze still locked on hers, "you'll do exactly as I say. And maybe, just maybe, you'll make it out of this alive."

I turned away, leaving her to process the cruel reality I had laid out before her. The room was silent once more, save for the soft, broken sobs that escaped her lips as she realized the full extent of her helplessness.