The Price Of Stew

Evelyn sat in the dimly lit staff room of Hell's Kitchen, her mind racing with thoughts of revenge against Victor Delacroix, the man who had killed her only friend, Sasha. Months of planning had led her here, each detail carefully considered to bring her closer to her goal.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Lyra's cheerful humming as she entered the room, a stark contrast to the dark thoughts swirling in Evelyn's mind. Lyra was a powerful mage with a knack for stalking, and Evelyn had seen an opportunity in her peculiar behavior.

"Hey, Evelyn," Lyra greeted, her eyes sparkling with an eerie enthusiasm. "What's up?"

"Just thinking about tonight's service," Evelyn replied with a forced smile. "How are you settling in?"

Lyra shrugged, her red hair catching the light. "It's been fun. The VIP section is always interesting. You never know who you're going to meet."

Evelyn nodded, her mind racing. She had initially brought Lyra into Hell's Kitchen under false pretenses, knowing full well about her obsessive tendencies. The plan had been simple: use Lyra's stalking behavior to expose Victor. She had hoped that Lyra's compulsion to follow people would lead her to uncover Victor's darkest secrets and perhaps even catch him in the act of one of his grisly crimes.

But she had underestimated just how crazy Lyra could be. While Lyra was indeed fixated on Victor, she was more enamored than investigative, swooning over his every move rather than uncovering his past. Evelyn had to keep her true motives hidden, ensuring that Lyra never realized she was being used as a pawn in a much larger game.

"Do you ever find it strange?" Lyra asked suddenly, snapping Evelyn out of her thoughts.

"Find what strange?" Evelyn replied, her guard instantly up.

"Victor. He's... enigmatic, don't you think? Like there's so much more to him than meets the eye."

Evelyn's heart skipped a beat, but she forced herself to stay calm. "Yeah, he's definitely a mystery. But that's what makes this place exciting, right?"

Lyra giggled, completely oblivious to Evelyn's internal turmoil. "Totally. He's like a puzzle I can't wait to solve."

Evelyn watched her carefully, noting the almost obsessive glint in her eyes. She had to keep Lyra focused, subtly nudging her in the right direction without raising any suspicion.

"Just be careful, okay?" Evelyn said, her voice taking on a serious tone. "Victor is... well, he can be intense. You don't want to get too caught up in whatever he's hiding."

Lyra tilted her head, considering Evelyn's words. "You're right. But I can handle it. I always do."

Evelyn nodded, though doubt gnawed at her. She needed Lyra to be her unwitting spy, but she couldn't push too hard. If Lyra realized she was being manipulated, everything would fall apart.

As Lyra left the room, humming softly to herself, Evelyn leaned back in her chair, deep in thought. Her plan was delicate, teetering on the edge of success and disaster. She had to tread carefully, ensuring that Lyra continued her infatuation with Victor while unknowingly gathering the information Evelyn needed.

This game of chess was dangerous, but Evelyn had no choice. Victor Delacroix had to pay for what he did to Sasha, and if using Lyra was the only way to achieve that, then so be it.

But as she sat there, the weight of her deception heavy on her shoulders, Evelyn couldn't shake the feeling that she was playing with fire.

Meanwhile:

Victor and Lucien sat in Victor's office, the flickering candlelight casting long shadows on the walls. The restaurant had closed for the night, and the staff had gone home, leaving the two men alone to discuss a topic that had been quietly simmering in the background for weeks: Evelyn.

"Do you think she suspects?" Lucien asked, his voice low and cautious.

Victor leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "She's suspicious of everything, but she hasn't made any real moves yet."

Lucien nodded, swirling the blood in his glass before taking a sip. "Why did you hire her? You knew who she was from the start."

Victor sighed, rubbing his temples. "I remember her. And her friend. I don't know if it was pity or remorse, but when she applied, I couldn't turn her away."

Lucien rolled his eyes. "Pity? Remorse? You? Please. You're as cold as that magistone refrigerator of yours."

Victor's lips curled into a faint, humorless smile. "Maybe I am. But I saw something in her. Determination, maybe. Or maybe I just wanted to see how far she'd go."

Lucien leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "What did you do to her friend?"

Victor's smile faded, replaced by a cold, distant look. "Stew."

Lucien slammed his glass down on the table, frustration etched into his features. "You can't be serious!"

Victor shrugged, unperturbed by Lucien's outburst. "It was a meal, like any other."

Lucien ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. "You're unbelievable. We need to figure out a way to keep her from going off the rails. If she finds out the truth about what kind of restaurant this really is..."

Victor waved a hand dismissively. "She's not stupid. She must have some idea, but she hasn't acted on it. Not yet."

Lucien paced the room, trying to think. "There must be a way to appease her, to divert her attention. Maybe if we show her some kindness, she'll back off."

Victor raised an eyebrow. "Kindness? From us? That's rich."

Lucien shot him a look. "Well, what's your plan then? Just wait until she tries to slit your throat one night?"

Victor was silent for a moment, considering. "I don't know. Maybe I'm curious to see what she'll do. Or maybe I feel like I owe her something."

Lucien scoffed. "You owe her nothing. But if you want to keep this place running smoothly, we need to deal with her."

Victor nodded slowly. "You're right. But for now, we keep her close. We watch her. And if she steps out of line..."

Lucien finished his sentence with a dark smile. "We deal with her. Permanently."

Victor leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. "Yeah. We deal with her."

The two men sat in silence, the weight of their conversation hanging heavy in the air. Victor's mind drifted to Evelyn, and the memories of her friend. He wasn't sure if it was pity, remorse, or something else entirely that had led him to hire her. But one thing was clear: Evelyn was a wild card, and wild cards were dangerous.