Chapter Three: The Third Person

It was almost seven PM when Cierra opened the door. The moon had already risen, and no one was outside.

Looking left and right, she let out a deep breath before grabbing a large sack and stuffing the rotten body inside—the body of the one who had assaulted her. "I hope no one comes looking for you anymore… but based on what happened earlier, it seems like your value is nothing compared to mine," she mumbled.

She dragged the heavy sack toward the water wheel. Looking down at it, the weight of its contents pressed on her mind. "Can a ten-year-old like me really carry this old man?" she murmured.

Cierra took a deep breath. The water wheel's design seemed almost inviting. It was wide, shallow, and low-lipped, more like a giant wooden bowl than a menacing machine. "It's more of a bowl than something terrifying," she joked to herself.

Gripping the sack's rough fabric, she pushed it toward the wheel. "One… two… three," she counted, rolling the sack forward. Its weight and momentum carried it ahead. The sack tumbled into the water wheel's basin, the slats creaking in protest, but ultimately, they slid smoothly into the water.

"That was almost a failure…" Cierra whispered, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Watching the body disappear with mixed emotions, she reminded herself that she still had a job to do. Pushing her feelings aside, she turned and walked away, leaving her secrets to be carried off by the flowing water.

By the time Cierra arrived at the organization's hideout, it was already past seven PM. A cold gaze welcomed her—it was John.

"You!" he sneered. "I see you're still kicking. I didn't expect you to be alive."

Cierra tilted her head, narrowing her eyes as she tried to focus. She furrowed her brows, blinking repeatedly. "Who are you, old man?" she asked.

Enraged, John grabbed her collar. "I see you have a filthy mouth. You can't even recognize your own biological father, Cierra."

"F-Father? You're my father?" Her mind swirled with confusion, colliding thoughts making her dizzy. "Are you here to save me?" she asked, almost hopeful.

John stared at her blankly before bursting into breathless laughter. "What? Save who… you? Why would I save someone as useless as you? If it weren't for you, your mother wouldn't have divorced me."

His glare intensified, his hoarse voice cutting deep. "You're the unluckiest person I've ever met. You deserve to suffer—because I'm suffering too."

Cierra froze. His words stamped themselves into her mind. At this point, she was certain—no one was coming to save her.

"How… How was I supposed to know you're my father?" she shot back, her voice trembling but firm. "Even a baby forgets their family's faces when they don't see them for too long. How could I recognize you when I never even knew you?"

John's expression darkened as he looked down at the ground, his brows knitting together. He suddenly shoved her backward, smirking as he turned his back on her.

"GET THIS BITCH OUT OF MY SIGHT!" he roared. "SO YOUNG, YET SHE DARES TO TALK BACK TO ME LIKE THAT!"

"I don't sleep with a ten-year-old!" he added, his voice dripping with disdain.

Cierra collapsed onto the ground, her body refusing to move. Two men grabbed her roughly, dragging her away.

The people inside the hideout whispered amongst themselves. Some mocked her for being "presumptuous" at such a young age. Others laughed, amused by the rumor that she already knew how to use her body for money.

"She sure has high standards," someone snickered.

But no one knew—it was all a lie John had spun to protect his ego.

"But I heard it loud and clear from our boss's own mouth—this girl is his daughter," muttered Teo, one of the men carrying her. "Has he really lost it?"

The other man groaned. "Just shut up. Even if I were the boss, I'd do the same. If something like that happened to me… I'd abandon her too. Even if she were my own child."

"But… I'd have a taste of her first, of course," Feon added with a grin.

Cierra didn't know how to react. Finding out who her father was, learning her real name, and realizing she had been abandoned by her own blood—it was too much. But suddenly, she remembered Old Fen's words.

The more pain you endure, the more beautiful your shedding will be.

When she returned to the mansion, Mrs. Gravi rushed toward her with fury in her eyes.

"You bitch!" Mrs. Gravi shouted.

Teo was surprised by what Mrs. Gravi did. He turned around and put Cierra down, shielding her from Mrs. Gravi's slap. "Hey! If you have something to say, use your mouth! Don't go around slapping people, old woman. If you don't change, your husband will keep cheating on you forever," he said.

Leaving Cierra behind, Teo touched the part of his face that got slapped. Meanwhile, Mrs. Gravi grabbed Cierra by the collar and started dragging her. "I know my husband told you where he's going, so tell me, or else you'll be dead."

Mrs. Gravi's eyes were bloodshot, her grip tightening around Cierra's collar. "Why do you people love grabbing my collar? Is there some miracle in tha—"

Before Cierra could finish, Mrs. Gravi slapped her across the face, not once but twice. Still unsatisfied, she shoved Cierra to the ground and stomped on her stomach. "Slut! I know you said something to my husband! Where is he?! I won't let you both be happy!"

Cierra's body trembled. Her cheeks were burning, her stomach throbbed in pain, and her mind was slipping into a haze. "I... I don't know... Please... Stop," she uttered weakly.

Mrs. Gravi ignored her pleas. She punched Cierra again before pulling out a silver lighter. Blood trickled down Cierra's face, her vision blurring, her body on the verge of giving up. But Mrs. Gravi wasn't satisfied. She flicked the lighter on, a cruel grin stretching across her lips. "Now, you'll understand what it feels like to burn. Be thankful—this lighter costs a million."

The flame kissed Cierra's shoulder, sending a searing pain through her body. A guttural scream tore from her throat. Deeper and deeper, the burn worsened, the pain unbearable. Blood seeped from the wound.

"Damn it... I'll tell you... Old woman..."

Tears streamed down her face. Her body had endured too much. She collapsed in front of Mrs. Gravi. "Just... wait..." she whispered before losing consciousness.

Mrs. Gravi carried Cierra to an abandoned storage room—Cierra's so-called room. She took out a first-aid kit, treating the burn before wrapping Cierra's shoulder in a cotton cloth.

An hour later, Cierra woke up. Her body ached, but what caught her attention was the bandage covering her shoulder. Looking around, she spotted Mrs. Gravi, fast asleep at her desk.

Forcing herself to stand, she clutched her stomach. "Damn old woman," she muttered.

She reached for a water jug but changed her mind. Instead, she grabbed a bat and, without hesitation, slammed it against Mrs. Gravi's head. The woman slumped forward. Cierra wasted no time. She retrieved a rope from her drawer, tied Mrs. Gravi up, and stuffed her into a large sack.

Her eyes were cold. Her demeanor, unreadable.

Dragging the sack behind her, she walked toward the area where people discarded old belongings. Along the way, she smiled at those she passed. They smiled back, unaware of what she was truly carrying.

Once she arrived at her destination, a smirk formed on her lips. "Finally, you'll know how it feels to burn alive," she whispered.

A large signboard stood before her, marking the designated place for burning unwanted things. Without hesitation, she pushed the sack forward. As she turned away, she let the fire consume yet another secret.

"That's why you shouldn't use an item unless you're ready for it to be used against you," she murmured.

Watching the flames dance, her emotions swirled into a chaotic mix.

"Please... I don't want to kill anymore. When will my family save me? Am I really abandoned?" she whispered, tears streaming down her face.

Wiping her tears away, she muttered, "It's fine... It's not four yet. I'm still human... They will still love me..."

Meanwhile, deep in a forested area, a young teenager sprinted toward the organization's hideout, clutching a small sack.

He saw it.

But he didn't speak of it.

He heard about it.

But he kept his mouth shut.

He knew everything.

But he was too afraid to say it.

His heart pounded against his chest.

His tears fell silently down his cheeks.

"I... I'll take everything from you... just like you took everything from me," he muttered.

Upon reaching the hideout, he entered a dimly lit room. It was darker than the night sky.

"I'm here to request permission to join your team," he declared.

His eyes were bloodshot, his fists clenched tightly. "I want revenge... against the person I ended up falling in love with. Please... Make me as cold-hearted as the rest of you."

John smirked. For the first time, he saw someone like this—someone ready to abandon who they once were.

"What's your name?" John asked, tapping his desk while locking eyes with the teenager.

"Rafael…" He clenched his fists, his voice low but firm. "It's Rafael Von Gravi."

John's gaze flickered to the sack Rafael was holding. "Is that your entrance fee? Whose head is that?" he asked, his eyes gleaming with interest.

Rafael opened the sack and pulled out the severed head of a child. "It's my younger brother."

John folded his arms, unimpressed. "A kid? Of course, he couldn't fight back. How lucky for you. Do you think my organization is that cheap? Maybe if it were your parents, I'd accept it." His voice turned cold.

Rafael's expression didn't change. He stared straight at John. "He was my only family. My parents were eaten by someone else. The reason I took my brother's head... was because my parents gave all their attention to him."

John leaned back, intrigued. "So you want revenge on your parents' killer... and you killed your own brother because of jealousy? Wow." He let out a dry chuckle. "I guess you pass. But don't act yet. I don't want trouble. Not yet."

"Yes, boss. I understand." Rafael's voice was eerily calm. "As for the one who killed my parents... I don't just want revenge. I want to be acknowledged as her equal. But at the same time... I want to destroy her."

John studied Rafael carefully, his lips curling into a broad smile. "I see. Looks like you're her future prey. I just hope you won't regret it. Regardless... Welcome to the Dark Organization."