[Volume 1] Chapter 1- Born a villian .

The evening had been magical, with the lawn decorated with colorful flowers, twinkling lights, and a gentle breeze carrying soft music from the party.

Tables had beautiful centerpieces, and guests mingled, their laughter blending perfectly with the atmosphere.

As the night wore on and the festivities peaked, a sudden silence fell over the scene, like a dark cloud overshadowing the joyful mood.

In the midst of the floral beauty stood a woman in a flowing floral dress, her demeanor calm yet filled with intense energy.

She held a sleek, silver gun, its polished surface reflecting the moonlight.

Across from her, standing in the crowd, was a young girl in a striking red dress. Her expression shifted from surprise to fear as she locked eyes with the woman holding the gun.

The girl's chest rose and fell rapidly, her hands trembling slightly as she realized the seriousness of the situation.

The guests, once engaged in cheerful conversations, now stood frozen, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.

Whispers rippled through the crowd, but no one dared move, captivated by the tense standoff unfolding before them.

The woman in the floral dress took a step forward, her gaze unwavering as she leveled the gun at the girl in red.

Her lips curled into a slight smirk, a hint of determination glinting in her eyes.

A sudden yell cut through the tension like a knife, snapping everyone's attention towards the source.

It was a man, his face a mask of shock and concern, pushing through the crowd to reach the woman in the floral dress.

"Rihana, what are you doing?" he exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief and urgency.

His eyes flickered between Rihana and the girl in red, his mind racing to comprehend the surreal scene.

Rihana's grip on the gun faltered for a moment as she turned to face the man who called out to her.

Her expression wavered, a mix of determination and inner turmoil evident in her eyes. She hesitated, torn between her actions and the sudden interruption.

As the man took one more step forward, Rihana's grip on the gun tightened, her eyes narrowing with determination mixed with a hint of anger.

Her voice, dripping with hatred, sliced through the tense air. "Stop right there, Edward, or I will shoot your dear Kiera."

Edward froze, his expression caught between shock and disbelief. He glanced at Rihana, his eyes pleading for reason.

"Are you crazy? Put that gun down!" he shouted, his concern for Kiera evident in every syllable.

Rihana found amusement in his reaction, her laughter ringing out in sharp contrast to the gravity of the situation.

"Haha, this is... hahahaha... my first time seeing reporter Edward so scared," she taunted, her tone laced with mockery and triumph.

Kiera's reaction added another layer of complexity to the tense scene.

As panic rippled through the room, her eyes fixated on Rihana, her features frozen in shock and disbelief.

The sight of Rihana holding the gun, paired with her hate-filled words, felt jarringly at odds with the person Kiera thought she knew.

In a voice soft yet heavy with emotion, Kiera asked, "Why?" Her confusion and hurt were evident, her lips quivering and brow furrowed.

Rihana's reaction added another layer to the tense scene. She smirked, her head tilting with defiance and self-righteousness. Her eyes shifted from Edward to Kiera, narrowing as she processed Kiera's question.

"Why, huh!" Rihana's voice dripped with sarcasm. She looked around the room, frustration evident on her face. "You're asking me that after what you've done?" Her tone turned accusing. "Oh yes, I completely forgot that you have the..." She paused, seething with animosity. Then, with calculated malice, she continued, "Great Kiera Si... No, what surname should I use? Every surname you've had has been taken from me, just like everything else."

Her words cut like a knife, dripping with bitterness. As she stepped closer, her expression twisted with hatred, her teeth gritted. The intensity of her emotions was palpable, her eyes blazing with fury.

Kiera's eyes were like embers, tears threatening to spill over as she fought to maintain her composure. Her lips twitched in a silent struggle between holding back and letting go.

Rihana stepped forward, her hand trembling slightly as she reached out. "No, don't cry like that," she said urgently, eyebrows arching in a plea. "Don't paint me as the villain, Kiera. I'm not some malevolent force lurking in the shadows." Her voice was firm, a plea tinged with frustration.

But as Rihana spoke, her composure began to crack, revealing raw emotion.

Her face contorted with anguish and suppressed rage. "You understand, Kiera," she said, her voice sharp and intense. "No one is born evil. It's circumstances, and yes, people like you, that can turn someone into a villain."

Meanwhile, Edward sensed the escalating tension and moved cautiously. His eyes flickered between Rihana and Kiera.

BANG!

The thunderous gunshot shattered the moment, sending shockwaves through the crowd.

Everyone froze, hearts pounding.

Kiera's breath caught in her throat as the bullet grazed her cheek, leaving a faint trail of heat. Her eyes widened in terror, her body frozen in shock.

Rihana's hand, still holding the gun, trembled as she turned towards James, a sneer of twisted satisfaction on her face.

She glanced briefly at Kiera, a silent reminder of the danger she had narrowly escaped.

Edward, wide-eyed with disbelief, stepped back, realizing just how close the shot had come to Kiera.