A graveyard in Sunshine City, May 2nd, 20XX.
"From dust we were formed, and to dust we shall all return..." The priest spoke as the casket was placed at the mouth of the grave, ready to be lowered. A few people were in attendance. They all wore black and looked solemn, but on closer inspection, it was clear that apart from the two ladies with a young boy quietly crying in the corner, the others seemed to be there merely to fulfil all righteousness.
Some of the men even had impatience in their gaze. No one was paying attention to the words being spoken.
"Will we not see Dad again?" the young boy turned to the two ladies as the casket was lowered. He was just a child and did not fully understand the concept of death.
He had heard that his mother died while giving birth to him. Since then, he had never met her, only seen her picture. His father always said that his mother was above, watching over him. Now that his father was dead, he feared that, just like with his mother, he would only have pictures to look at in the future.
"We will, when we grow older," the elder sister replied, unwilling to break the little boy's heart. The younger sister did not seem to agree. It was clear she thought her sister should have been more honest. No one truly knew what it felt like to be dead. But she swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue when she caught the warning gaze her sister sent her.
"Dad is with Mum now. They'll both be watching over us," the younger sister forced a smile.
The whole process passed quickly for the three children who had just become orphans. They stepped forward after everyone else had laid their flowers. The three stood before the tombstone, each with different thoughts and worries. The little boy thought about meeting his father again so he could finally get the promised bicycle. The second sister thought about the mobile phone her father had promised her but would never be able to give.
As she reflected on the fact that no one would ever pamper her like her father did, tears streamed down her cheeks. The elder sister, meanwhile, felt the massive weight of responsibility suddenly placed upon her. She did not dare to cry—after all, she had to console her siblings.
"I promise to do my best to keep our family together..." the eldest daughter was still speaking when a commotion broke out in the crowd.
The three turned around just as they were pulled apart. The sisters were quickly shoved into the back of a van.
"Whitney, we've been kidnapped," the younger sister whispered, hugging her elder sister in fear.
Whitney was just twenty. She was scared too, but there was no one to cry to, so she hugged her sister back and tried to comfort her.
"The neighbours will call the police, and we'll be rescued, right?" the younger sister asked in a small voice.
Whitney nodded, but there was a strange smile on her lips. She and her sister had been kidnapped immediately after their father's funeral. This was not a case where the victim was taken when no one was watching—everyone from their neighbourhood had witnessed them being dragged into the van. Yet no one dared to make a sound. Whitney had seen how the neighbours gave way to the men. How could they possibly report it to the authorities? Everyone knew Kevin Smart was the only one capable of committing a crime in broad daylight.
Whitney knew this too, but she did not want to frighten her sister further. Still, she could tell that her sister had already guessed the same thing. The two did not understand why their late father's boss would suddenly want to take them.
Whitney had only ever heard rumours about Kevin Smart; she had never seen him before. Many people feared her father simply because of his association with the man. Some said Kevin was terrifying, the very image of the devil. Others whispered that he was mysterious and could kill in seconds without leaving a trace. He was a known criminal, though never caught.
Whitney had built a mental image of him as an ugly man in his fifties—after all, she had heard his name for over ten years. As a child, she had even imagined him with horns, like the villains in the scary movies she had watched.
Whitney wasn't sure how long the ride lasted, but eventually the van door was pulled open. The men did not allow them to climb down; instead, they were roughly hauled out and slung over shoulders like sacks of rice. Whitney didn't bother struggling; she knew it would be pointless.
Her sister tried to resist, but Whitney stopped her. "Grace." Just calling her name was enough to send the message. Meeting her sister's eyes, Grace took a deep breath. The man was too strong anyway. It was better to stay put and wait for a chance to escape.
Although this was a side entrance used only by employees, the sisters caught sight of the club's name and realised they were at Club 24. It was the most popular high-end club in all of Sunshine City.
The club had three branches in the city, and this was the Southside branch—the one closest to their neighbourhood.
The two watched helplessly as they were carried into the elevator. The men tossed them onto the floor without mercy.
"You're going to see the boss soon. If you know what's best for you, behave yourselves," one of the men growled.
The sisters exchanged a glance and held each other's hands. Grace dared not cry anymore. She knew she was already in the lion's den—it was best not to anger these men.
She wasn't ignorant of Kevin Smart's reputation. Since they were in Club 24, it was clear he was involved. She prayed silently that they would not have to meet the devil himself.
Whitney wanted to ask, Are you referring to Mr. Smart? But one look at the man silenced her. She knew too well that she couldn't afford to get beaten. She would have her answer soon enough.
Even though she did not know what Kevin Smart looked like, she felt she would recognise him instantly. Club 24 was owned by Smart Corporation, so there was no doubt he was connected. Who else would dare use Kevin's name as a shield? Her father had been feared in the neighbourhood simply for being Kevin's secretary.
Ding. The elevator stopped on the tenth floor and the doors slid open.
"Follow me," one of the men ordered, stepping out first.
The sisters had the urge to run, but they knew better. Holding hands tightly, they obeyed. The second man followed behind. As long as they were obedient, the men did not make things difficult.
Whitney could feel how cold Grace's hands were from fear. She gave them a reassuring squeeze. Grace forced a smile, though it was clear she was only pretending to be strong.
The walk didn't take long. Soon, they stopped before a desk. Whitney read the sign on the wall: CEO's Office.
Seeing it, she realised just how serious their situation was—the devil himself was handling it.
Given how large Kevin's organisation was, Whitney had secretly hoped he wouldn't be involved directly. But in his empire, only Kevin was called the boss. Others had their names attached, like Boss Cain or Boss Yu.
"The Warmer girls?" the front desk lady asked.
It seems she's been expecting us, Whitney thought.
The receptionist's gaze was calm. She looked like a delicate flower—her innocent face and professional attire seemed completely out of place here.