PROLOGUE

The night was aglow with city lights. It was chilly and quiet. The wind is whipping through the trees, creaking and groaning like an old rocking chair.

On the 120th floor of an apartment building, a figure can be seen. She had her hands crossed over her chest her body resting on the window walls while watching the city lights.

"It's winter already" Melany whispered to no one in particular.

"are you complaining? I thought you liked the cold. " it was not a question but a statement. "The weather suits you so well... it's just like your heart..."

Melany chuckled and glanced at the reflection of the other person in the room. "I wish I could be more like you"

Melany didn't mean what she said as the other person could see the ridicule in her eyes. Everyone knows how much of a trouble maker the other person is.

"You can only dream Melany, you are the worst of all, the evilest thing a person can ever birth," the other person said tauntingly

She couldn't see Melany's eyes since Melany had her back towards her

But she could guess what Melany was thinking.

She squinted her eyes and continued "I am different from you, unlike you, I am the best gift that my parents have ever received."

Melany rolled her eyes and didn't bother to pay attention to her.

Just then, a knock sounded and a man in a black suit opened the door and walked in.

The other girl observed this newcomer and concluded that this is not your typical bodyguard.

This is nothing new as every wealthy and Elite family have their own secrets and mysteries.

The man bowed his head towards Melany as a show of respect then opened his mouth to speak

"Miss, we have Sam"

She wondered if he hasn't noticed her yet or he is pretending she isn't there.

He can't be blamed though, she is a very known troublemaker in the country and the people around Melany don't like her much

Not just them, a lot of other people too. But when has she ever cared?

Melany didn't react to the man's words immediately.

A long while later she sighed and pushed her weight off the window walls.

She grabbed her coat from the couch and headed to the door. The guard walked forward first to open the door for her then stepped out after, closing the door behind him.

The third person in the room long forgotten.

"How did the investigation go?" She inquired as they walk towards the elevator.

"he didn't out any info and we're reluctant to inflict much damage because of miss."

Melany halted and turned to him "because of me? why?"

The man stayed silent glancing at the floor.

He could not tell whether she was angry or not as she had asked him in such a flat tone and he could not guess what she was thinking.

"Look at me" he heard her say in that same flat and unfeeling tone.

He couldn't

he remained staring at the floor.

There was silence in the hallway and the man has started sweating profusely.

"Incompetent"

She muttered then turned and continue walking no longer paying attention to the him.

Seeing that she has continued moving foward, the man silently let out a breath of relief.

He brought up his shaky hands to clean the cold sweat on his forehead

'scared me to death '.

They arrived at the location where Sam was held. It was one of the many properties belonging to the Adelio clan.

This particular property had a warehouse in it. Melany got down from the car and observed her surrounding. There were two men in suits behind her.

Before getting to the entrance of the warehouse there were already twenty of them behind her. This scene and setting does not seem like it is happening for the first time. Everybody is moving with familiarity.

A few men stationed outside the door of the warehouse were heavily armed.

They bowed their head in respect immediately they saw her approaching and opened the heavy metal doors.

Melany spotted someone on the floor. He was blindfolded with both hands and feet tied.

Melany walked straight to the captured man. She pulled out a gun from someone's pouch, cocked and pointed it at the captured man

All these done smoothly without stopping.

There was a chair placed opposite the captured man. But Melany did not want to sit, she did not have that time.

Starting from when he woke up this morning, Sam had been having a bad feeling about the rest of the day.

When he got to work someone spilled coffee on him, his secretary missed work today without informing him which made him lose an important project, the girl he was secretly dating called to say she was pregnant and he won't stop her from announcing it to the media if he does not get married to her, then when he was about to go home some unknown men kidnapped him and brought him here.

From the interrogations he has realized who has kidnapped him. What he doesn't understand is how she got go know about the situation.

The people involved had all swore an oath and whoever lets the secret out will be assassinated. It is obvious that is not the case as she is trying to get the truth from him.

But, how did she know he was involved? All witnesses were killed at the scene. Or did dey miss one person? Could someone have escaped without their knowledge?

Sam could feel his heart beating heavily at that possibility.

He didn't have the time to think about it anymore because the gun was already pointing at his head.

Sam glanced at the Melany holding the gun and his heart thudded against his chest.

She had unfeeling eyes, Sam could not help but think back to a memory from long ago, the image from his memories and the one before him overlapping, the same indifferent expression.

It would seem that this is the only expression Melany is capable of showing. In all honesty no one has ever seen a different expression on her.....it is baffling the more you think about it.

Sam didn't know why he cared about this now when he clearly didn't give a damn before. Maybe it's the situation or maybe it's his brain reacting to the danger before him.

"I am going to count to three" Sam heard her speak "if I don't hear what I want, the bullet from this gun is going through your head"

Sam could tell she was serious. He rushed to his knees and tried to pacify her and at the same time try to buy more time. If there's a way to reach into his pocket to press the distress signal to alert that person he will be saved. "Mel sweetie, who got you angry?"

"1" Melany started with a flat tone.

Sam was stunned at how straightforward she was. He knew that at this rate he needed to go change tactics, "I know you are angry with uncle for not being there for you but I- "

"2" she continued with no change in her expression.

Sam started panicking and his panic turned to irritation. why won't she smile like other people, why does she not feel fear, why didn't she cry year's ago at the gruesome scene before her?why isn't she normal?!

"why are you so weird? aren't you capable of any other emotion? It's creepy!"

"3" She pulled the trigger.

Silence.

Melany turned to at the minion she collected the gun from.

It was a new face and a young one at that. Probably one of the new guys that just came joined.

"why isn't it loaded?"

The young guy looked up to see her staring at him. His heart skipped bit, whether she is angry or not he can not tell but one thing he can affirm is that she has the prettiest smile he has ever seen. "I was in a hurry to meet you when you arrived so I forgot Miss" She stared at him for a while and handed the gun back to him. He breathed a sigh of relief and collected the gun 'what did the rest mean by she is cruel, that's a lie she is rather forgiving".

She signaled to another person and she was handed a pistol she cocked it and pointed it to Sam again. Sam was already shaking he knew he got saved the first time because the gun wasn't loaded but he was shocked. 'She wants to kill me'

"Mel I'm your uncle, you'll kill your uncle?"

" wrong answer Sam"

she turned and shot at the boy that made a mistake.

Sam's body went rigid as his breath hitched a broke out in cold sweat seeing the dead body drop right in front of him. That guy was alive before

"I swear... I-I- know nothing about the accident I was just-"

She shot at his leg and sighed "that's not what I want to hear Sam"

" you- you - evil thing you have sold your soul to the devil-" At this point Sam has lost his mind. He has been able to send a signal while Melany was distracted, but he was shocked to realize that the signal was not received, his device has been de-activated.

The association has obviously given up on him.

Melany tilted her head slightly "Why would I?" Not when I'm the devil herself!"

Sam never thought that this same cold and apathetic eyes that he has always feared and loathed since the night of the accident will be the last thing he sees before he died. He looked at the hole in his chest, shock shadowing his face before he slowly drop to the floor, dead.

Melany turned to look at the other two hostages in the room who have been quiet since she entered. She walked up to them and stood staring at them. Emilia was shaking. She had always boasted that she'll make her dad proud by being the leader of the clan after they get rid of Melany. But seeing Melany kill her dad and then looking down at them (Emilia and her mom) with that emotionless eyes. She suddenly realized that she had been delusional.

Melany gave instructions that the mother and daughter should be out of the country by tomorrow then made a few things clear to them "if you make any disturbance I'll kill you....live your lives quietly, Sam obviously did not adhere to this that's the reason he is dead. If you are smart, you will obey".

Melany's phone rang out at this point, seeing the caller ID she contemplated before answering.

"What do you want?"

"Baby! I have been trying to reach you.... don't you love me anymore!" A rather boisterous voice sounded out from the phone. The owner of the voice sounded playful and full of charm at the same time.

Melany moved the phone from her ear and declared without any emotions "if you don't have anything to say I'll end this call"

"Wait, wait, I have info for you" The other side now knew to panic because he knows how serious she is about ending the call.

"How can you treat your best friend like this?'"

"Harry you are not my best friend" she knew he wasn't sad but only pretending to be. Considering Harry's behavior, this is not the first time they will b having this kind of conversation.

"Okay, okay, I get it

"Elders from the four Clans were at our house today"

This statement succeeded in getting Melany's attention, she moved her hands that were about to end the call

Melany was not aware of such a thing. Harry 'overheard' them talking about Elite Academy and how they planned on using 'clan power' to pressure the school into accepting a 'special' student who is a successor. Harry checked the list of students that attending from the four great clans to know if Melany's name was added. She is already the clan leader and there was no need for a to be admitted into the school.

The concerning part is even if her clan sends students it will be from the branch families belonging to the clan. But, the Adelio clan did infact send someone to be part of the successors in the East wing and his name did not sound familiar.

Melany already had an insight to who that person is. Her grip on the phone tightened but there was still no change in her expression. "Well, who is it?"

Harry paused for a while then sighed "it's Micheal, Michael Adelio"

Melany ended the call. She turned to stare at Sam's body on the for a while before walking out of the building resolutely.