Medusa could feel a shiver run down her spine, a sudden chill coursing through her. She gazed up at the sky as the car glided through the streets, carrying her back to Stardust Cybernetics.
She senses that some gods or goddesses are likely discussing her once more, and she is aware of their deep admiration for her beauty. But, beside Athena, no one god or goddess can face the serpents on her hair.
Medusa let out a heavy sigh. "What are they thinking again? Can they just leave me alone?" she muttered under her breath, exasperated.
In her time of roaming the earth, Medusa had encountered numerous minor gods and goddesses, as well as demigods, all of whom had openly displayed their attraction to her. This was despite the fact that she was notorious for her serpentine head of hair.
Yet, time and time again, these divine and semi-divine beings seemed incapable of leaving her be. Their persistent advances, even in the face of her fearsome reputation, only served to further vex Medusa.
She could not fathom what drove them to pursue her, knowing full well the petrifying consequences should they meet her gaze. Did they truly believe they could tame the legendary Gorgon? Or were their desires simply too powerful to be restrained by reason and caution?
Whichever the case, Medusa found herself wearied by their unwanted attention. All she craved was solitude, to be left in peace to wander the mortal realm without the constant threat of amorous advances from the immortal realm.
But alas, it seemed that was a luxury Medusa was destined to be denied. "It's not like I'm the most beautiful of all—they should've seen Athena," she muttered, her voice a little louder this time, causing Bernard and Timothy to turn and look at her.
"Oh, you two won't be head over heels over me once you've seen Athena," Medusa sighed. "Her and all of her glorious beauty—such a pain in my ass."
Bernard chuckled. "That's it, madam—such a pain in the ass. She may be beautiful, but clearly she doesn't have a heart of gold like you do."
"Eh, don't try to get chummy with me, Bernard," Medusa said, but a smile graced her lips, feeling a warmth in her heart at his words.
"Well, the goddess Athena may be beautiful, and she might make me stare a bit too long," Bernard conceded. "But that's all."
Timothy then chimed in, "A beauty is a beauty; it doesn't last long. Unless you have a golden heart."
"Ah, the famous Johnson quote," Medusa said, a wistful smile playing on her lips as she recalled the first Johnson she had saved from slavery and helped raise. "I remember Tony always saying that to all his children."
Once again, a solemn silence filled the car as it glided to the stardust's building. By this time, Medusa knew that Timothy had likely carried out her instructions, and those people were already scurrying with their tails between their legs towards Stardust's building.
Medusa had tasked Timothy to send out letters to all the parents and bullies of Aleysia, summoning them to Stardust Cybernetics. Accompanying the letters would be a dossier of documented evidence of their wrongdoings.
Through his network of contacts, Timothy had unearthed a trove of information—their sordid affairs, their acts of debauchery, and the way they had embezzled more than half the funds from their own charity foundation for personal gain.
All of this damning evidence would compel them to rush to Stardust Cybernetics posthaste. Their names and reputations would be utterly threatened if this information were to be revealed to the public.
True to Medusa's prediction, all the parents and the seven bullies of Aleysia were already gathered at Stardust Cybernetics, waiting anxiously. They fidgeted in their seats, unable to remain still, their eyes constantly darting towards the door.
Some of them were far more powerful and influential than Stardust Cybernetics itself, and they muttered darkly about how they would destroy the company once this meeting was over. However, Zoey Robinson, the CEO, simply told them, "I'm only the host here. My building is merely a meeting place. The people who have a problem with you all are not here yet."
Her calm, measured words did little to help alleviate the growing sense of unease among the gathered group of people. They knew, deep down, that they were in for an assessment—a judgement that threatened to tear apart the very fabric of their privileged lives.
The documents they had been summoned with promised to reveal the grisly details of their misdeeds, and they dreaded the consequences that would surely follow.
As they waited with bated breath, the tension in the room was noticeable. None dared to leave, for they knew that to do so would be an admission of guilt. They were trapped, caught in the web of their own mistakes, waiting with growing fear for the moment of their demise.
After one hour of waiting in terror, the door of the meeting room is open. A very beautiful woman walks inside the room. Bernard has just found a way for Medusa to hide the serpent under a new wig he had developed under one of Johnson's companies.
She walks inside the room with an air of striking elegance and understated glamour. Her floor-length gown is a stunning work of couture, crafted from a luxurious, jet-black fabric that clings to her figure in a sleek, form-fitting silhouette.
The dress features a high neckline and dramatic, cape-like sleeves that flow gracefully behind her, adding a sense of regal drama to her overall appearance.
Medusa stood tall and poised before the assembled crowd, grateful that she had chosen to don a more formal ensemble after her meeting with Aleysia and her family earlier that day.
Gone was the turban she had previously worn, replaced instead by a sleek, meticulously crafted wig that allowed her jet-black tresses to cascade naturally over her shoulders.
Though the wig felt somewhat unnatural and uncomfortable to her, Medusa couldn't help but delight in the way it enhanced her appearance. The smooth, flowing locks made her feel truly beautiful and powerful, a far cry from the serpentine coif that was her infamous curse.
As the mortals in the room basked in her striking presence, Medusa revelled in the surge of strength and confidence that their admiring gazes instilled within her.
She stood tall, her regal bearing and the aura of power that radiated from her commanding the attention and respect of all who laid eyes upon her. She was a force to be reckoned with, and these mortals would do well to remember that.
A deafening hush fell over the room as one person finally found the courage to speak up, his voice trembling with a mix of awe and trepidation. "Who are you?"
At that moment, Bernard strode into the meeting room, Timothy close behind him. "She is Ariadne Evangelou," Bernard announced.
Three individuals and their spouses within the room immediately recognised Bernard Johnson, the esteemed head of the Johnson Conglomerate, and Timothy, the heir apparent.
The reverence and care with which the two men treated the stunning woman left no doubt in the minds of the gathered group—they were in the presence of someone with immense power and influence, the absolute power of the Johnshon conglomerate. She's the woman behind the Johnson, who's always kept away from the media and protected by the Johnson.
Medusa took her seat and stared at the people inside the room. The mortals, cowed by the sheer weight of her stature and the powerful Johnson at her side, dared not utter another word.
They sat in stunned silence, their previous bravado and arrogance now replaced by a growing sense of unease. For they knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they were dealing with a force far greater than themselves—one that could not be trifled with.
"Why would the Johnsons do this to us?" the previous speaker questioned, a note of indignation in his voice. "Our companies aren't even big enough to pose a threat to you."
Medusa's lips curled into a mirthless smile. "Threat?" she scoffed, her words carrying a weight that silenced the man instantly, causing him to shrink back into his seat. "Don't be absurd. What possible threat could you pose to me?"
The room fell deathly quiet, all eyes fixed on the enigmatic woman before them. Finally, the man mustered the courage to ask, "Then why are you doing this to us?"
Medusa's expression darkened, the playful mirth replaced by a steely resolve. "I hope you all remember Aleysia Simon," she said, her voice dripping with venom. "I'm here for her—for payback."