How Do You Like My Present Sweetheart?

Lara looked up and met her husband's gaze as he stepped into the house. She dropped the package on the table and got to her feet and then advanced towards her husband.

"Hey, Honey." She planted a kiss on Felipe's lips which he didn't return… again.

"Hey," Felipe replied curtly, taking off his jacket and handing it alongside his suitcase to Mandy as he stared around the house as if searching for something. "Where's Lucy?"

But Lucy wasn't who he was looking for. He was looking for Raven… well, Lily.

"She's in her room, asleep," Lara answered as she stared at her husband's face.

She'd been living with him for the past five years to know that something was unusual. He always came home with a sad, unhappy face, not looking forward to being home… but today, he looked… happy. Like he was glad to be here. Did something happen?

"Did something happen, Babe?" Lara didn't hesitate to ask.

"What? No." Felipe answered brusquely as he furrowed his brows. "Why do you ask?"

"Well… because you look… well…" Lara stuttered. "I don't know… happy?"

After she said, she realized how stupid she sounded.

"You're ridiculous!" He spat softly before hurriedly moving to the dining room, expecting to find Raven there just like yesterday. "I'm hungry, let's eat."

But he was disappointed. It wasn't Raven setting the table today, it was someone else.

Where is she? He wondered.

Felipe sat down comfortably on his chair and then rolled up his sleeves. Lara sat beside him, and they both began to dig into their steak, accompanied by creamy sides and succulent seafood.

They ate in utter silence except for the clacking of the knives and forks against the plates.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry to disturb your lovely meal but there's a call for you. The caller said it's important." Mandy said coming into the room with a landline in her hand. Then she handed over the landline to her.

Lara took the landline as she wondered who it could be since she had no friends.

"Who's this?" She asked curtly into the landline with her mouth full.

There was no response.

"Hello?" She said again. "Who's this?"

"Did you get my present?" A woman's mysteriously dark voice came over the line.

"What?" Lara asked blindly, then she remembered the package that had come in minutes ago. "Oh! I received a package, but... who are you?"

"It's a surprise." The voice said. "Why don't you open the package and see for yourself?"

"Hold on. Mandy!" Lara called out to Mandy, who appeared just almost immediately. "Bring me that package I left on the table."

"Yes ma'am." Then she disappeared.

Felipe was still enjoying his meal, not paying any attention to Lara and her stupid call. He kept wondering where Raven was.

Mandy appeared with the package seconds later.

"Open it." She instructed.

"Yes ma'am."

There was a moment of silence as Lara stared up at Mandy who was unsealing the package.

"Ahhh!" Mandy let out a shrill scream as she tremblingly dropped the box on the dining table.

As the box hit the table, cockroaches, centipedes, tsetse flies, ants, bees, all kinds of insects – you name it— instantly flew out of the box, spreading around the room.

"Ahhh!" Lara yelled, jumpingly rising to her feet and dramatically darting out of the room.

"What the fuck!" Felipe cursed dropping his cutleries and running after his wife.

Mandy followed suit. But the insects were also behind the three of them.

The whole house was now swarming with both crawling and flying insects. There was no safe spot.

They all made a frantic dash out of the house, including the maids. Lara forgot she was a mother at the moment and had to save herself first while Felipe ran into Lucy's room and scooped the sleeping little girl out of her bed then made a dash out of the house.

Once out of the house, Lara's rage knew no bounds.

"Who the fuck are you?!" Lara slowly snarled through gritted teeth into the landline, her face a mask of livid fury. "You did this didn't you?"

The mysterious woman laughed maniacally through the landline… just the way The Joker and Harley Quinn laughed. The laughter only added to Lara's fury.

"How do you like my present, sweetheart?" The mysterious voice asked. "I'm sure you loved it. Didn't you?"

"I don't know who you are or what the fuck you want, but know this, I will find you!" Lara snarled viciously in utter fury. "And when I do, I'm gonna make you regret ever being born! I assure you, you have absolutely no idea who you're messing with!"

"Try me, sweetheart!" The woman said in a challenging tone, unfazed. "Now tell me, does my present ring a bell?"

"Look, I don't know what game you're playing…" Lara made to speak.

"Shut your goddamn hole and answer the question, you bitch!" The woman growled, interrupting her. "Do you remember me?"

Lara clenched her fist in utter fury! No one has dared insult her this way!

"Why don't I jug your memory?" The woman said. "A girl. Dark haired. Innocent. Naive. A milk over her head on her first day of school. You sent the same gift to her and her family on her first week at Gomez University."

Then it clicked!

"Moon???" Lara echoed in shock. "Raven fucking Moon?!"

"Bingo!"

"You're alive?!"

"Surprise!"

Lara burst out laughing. "Man, I can't believe you're still alive! I thought you were six feet under with your bones already rotten by now!"

"Sorry to disappoint you, My Queen."

"What do want, Raven? You haven't had enough? After all these years? You want another piece of me? Cause I'll be more than willing!"

"I think you've got it backward," Raven said venomously. "You and your friends have had your fun back in the day, it's my turn now. You're the ones getting a piece of me this time."

"Oh, you're on!" Lara said amusingly. "I haven't had fun since you disappeared out of the blue ten years ago, after your mom's and sister's pathetic death over that small fire." She wanted to get a rise out of her. "But now you're back, I guess I won't be bored anymore. Who knows? You might be joining them soon!"

There was a pause as Lara listened to Raven's muffled breathing over the landline.

It worked! She smirked. She's mad!

"You…" Raven hissed slowly. "... won't see me coming! That's a warning!"

And then the line went dead.

------

Mandy was already waiting for Raven with bated breath at the front gate of the Brant Mansion.

Apparently, Raven wasn't home at the time of the chaotic incident. She had excused herself from the house and had instructed Mandy to cover for her in case anyone noticed her absence… or else.

She was the one who sent the package. She wanted Lara to know who she'll be losing her everything to. She wanted her to know she was back. She wanted her to know she was no longer the weak and helpless girl she once was ten years ago.

She was going to make her kneel, cry, and beg her — Raven, the girl she once treated inhumanely — for forgiveness. Raven was determined and she was going to make it happen! Nothing was gonna stop her!

A black cab pulled over in front of the mansion and Raven got out of the car and paid the driver off.

"You did this, didn't you?" Mandy ranted as Raven came closer. "You sent those cockroaches and all those insects! They were swarming all around the house! Both Mr and Mrs Brant are raging!"

"Good," Raven said smoothly, nodding her head. "They should be."

"I want out!" Mandy argued. "I was scared at first because you blackmailed me but I'm not doing this anymore! I'm telling Mrs Brant everything!"

"Okay. Go ahead." Raven said and then brought out a burner phone from her purse and dialed a number, then put it on the loudspeaker.

"What are you doing?" Mandy asked.

There was a beep, signifying the call had been answered. "Chicago Police Department, how can I assist you?"

Mandy's heart gave a lurch on hearing the voice then she broke out in a sweat.

"Oh, hello, Mr officer, I'd like to report a fugitive," Raven said sweetly in a voice one would mistake for that of a grandma. "She's wanted for arson and attempted murder."

"Alright, who's he or she?"

"She's my neighbor, but she isn't from around here. You see she's from Florida, but she's currently staying in Chicago at the moment. I'm sure she's hiding here."

"Report away, ma'am."

Mandy signaled Raven to disconnect the call, her eyes pleading.

Raven glanced at poor Mandy who was now shit scared. Good.

"Oh, I'm sorry for wasting your time, Mr officer; I was wrong." Raven apologized, still maintaining the grandma's voice. "I mistook her for someone else… you know, old age."

"It's okay, granny." The officer said. "You have a nice night."

"You too Mr officer."

Then she disconnected the call.

Raven stepped a bit closer to Mandy who had now gone pale.

"Cross me one more time, Martha," Raven said in a slow, murderous voice. "And I'll make you regret it! Trust me, I don't bluff! Got it?"

Mandy nodded.

"You'd better!"

And then, with that, she sidestepped Mandy and walked into the Mansion.