Chapter 5 - Auction Chaos

"Dye my hair red." Dianne looked in the mirror smiling to herself as she listened to the soft music in the background. The woman nodded before she let Dianne lay down to wash her hair first. It was a sunny day, the perfect day for a woman like her. She hates the mud, hates getting wet, and feels sad on a rainy day. 

Once her appointment was done, she looked at herself in the mirror with a smirk before looking at her red painted nails that are sharp enough to slice a man's neck. "Looks great," she said before handing the woman her credit card. She put her wavy long red hair behind her ears before another woman was sent to do her makeup. 

"I'm going on a… date," she explained and the hairstylist smiled. 

"Must be romantic," the woman commented with a giggle. 

"More like bloody," Dianne whispered and the woman's smile fell. "P-pardon?" Dianne ignored her before checking her phone. A show will begin in an hour, let it be brutal and bloody. 

Once she was ready, she put on a silk red dress that is cut low behind her back that shows the tattoos that cover the entirety of her back. She was enjoying the sight of her own sexy body when she was interrupted by a call from Harrison. She rolled her eyes before answering it. "We're an hour late." His annoyance was evident. 

Dianne walked out of her house and saw him outside the gate. "Correction, fashionably late," she said with a sly smirk before flipping her hair. Harrison stared at her with admiration, she looked beautiful indeed. "You'd be a target, everything about this look is easily distinguishable. You're a walking red target, Dianne," he said with worry but she not only ignored him but also got inside the driver's seat. 

"I'll let them know who they should bow down to." She smirked before turning on the Engine. "No one else but Dianne Reeves." She laughed darkly as he had no choice but to let her do as she wished. After all, she commands the syndicate, leader of all leaders. 

Once they arrived at the mansion, they were greeted by millionaires and billionaires, both young and old. With the money and fame Dianne has, it's no doubt that rich men and women will acknowledge her. 

"Ms. Reeves, I'm surprised you came. I didn't know you had a liking for paintings," the receptionist joked and she forced a laugh. I certainly don't like paintings, she thought to herself. 

The woman gave the invitation back to her before letting the pair inside. The amazing mansion almost took her breath away. The chandeliers, gold furniture, massive rooms, and even a statue. "Beautiful isn't it," Harrison asked with a smile but she scoffed. 

She admired it but thought of the cost. "Waste of money," she whispered and chuckled lightly.

The lights turned off as the auction began. She sat down next to Harrison while the only thing anyone can see is the stage where the paintings will be presented. Everything else, pure darkness. It'll be harder to find the traitor in this state. 

She leaned against Harrison's ear as her breath hit his neck. She whispered over, "Stand guard." He nodded before gulping as the tension for him grew. Why did she even get that close to him? 

The mission was made easy when her eyes landed on the man who walked in front of the stage, wearing a black tuxedo, confident with himself. "Bold of him to be the speaker," she said with a smirk. 

"Let's enjoy the night, shall we? Our target is easy to kill." 

As time went by, she became bored of the said event. She does not like paintings, not even close. But one particular painting caught her eyes, it was as if the woman in the painting was pulling her closer. 

A painting of a woman in an elegant and feminine dress stares at the crowd. She looks sophisticated yet deadly as thorns are wrapped around her arms and body while she holds a sword and arrow. 

"This was painted by a well-known–" Dianne raised her hand and cut off the speaker. 

"Half a million!" she shouted and Harrison looked at her as if she was insane. He grabbed her arm and pulled it down. "We're not here to spend money," he whispered but she ignored it. 

"A million," an old man said and whispers of the crowd were heard. Dianne frowned before raising the price once more. "A million and a half," she challenged with a smirk. 

"Dianne," Harrison warned with gritted teeth. 

"Two million," the old man said as the guests' chatter grew louder. 

"Three mil–" He covered her mouth before she could say anything further. She tried to say something but couldn't. She desires the painting, it pulls her as if it was gravity. "Any other bidder?" the speaker asked. 

The painting was about to be given to the old man when someone with a rough and deep voice spoke. "Five million." The crowd went silent as no one spoke to one-up the man. "Sold." 

Dianne removed Harrison's hand before glaring at him. "Are you insane? You're going to spend millions on a painting?" he asked and she rolled her eyes. 

"Let's kill the speaker," she said like an excited kid. He couldn't do anything but watch her stand up and walk away in the darkroom as her shadow vanishes from his sight. Dianne almost gave mercy because of the painting but remembered his traitorous deeds. Surprising that he had the guts to show himself like this. 

While her heels were echoing, she bumped into someone. She was going to ignore the man but when the lights turned on, her eyes widened. "Hello, Dianne," he simply greeted and her heart raced. 

"Silvester…" She stepped back before looking behind him, not finding the target. She composed herself and tried to walk away but he blocked her. "How have you been after sneaking out of my house?" She clenched her jaw but didn't let him know it bothered her. Harrison looked at them in confusion before going after the target himself. 

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said as soft music played in the background and the guests started to dance. "No recollection of that night?" he questioned as he stepped towards her. 

"You need to stay away from me, Silvester," she warned him before moving past his masculine body but stopped midway when he uttered, "Did you perhaps lose your wallet?" She doesn't have time for this as the man could've gotten away already. 

She looked at the black wallet he was holding and recognized it as hers. "Keep it safe, will you?" She winked at him before running when she saw the man escaping. Silvester followed behind her, curious about what she was up to. The chase continued as the music in the room became louder.

"Dianne," he called but she continued ignoring him.

A bullet was shot across the room and she immediately lowered her head. Chaos spread in the mansion as the rich men and women scatter. She looked down and saw a bullet on the floor, she was the target. 

She looked around and saw a sniper pointing a rifle directly at her. "Dianne!" Silvester screamed in horror before pushing her out of the way, both of them landing on the ground. She breathed heavily as their bodies touched him on top while she was on the ground. 

"Don't get near me!" she frustratedly screamed at Silvester before pushing him off and running in the direction of Harrison and the traitor.

Every time Silvester is near her, he risks his life. 

Dianne arrived at the garden outside the mansion as she saw Harrison pointing a gun at the man begging for his life. She looked behind her and saw Silvester running towards her. "Shit," she whispered under her breath, not wanting Harrison to get caught. 

She ran to the other side to distract the man from seeing the events in the garden. 

HARRISON slowly walks towards the man with his finger near the trigger. "Please, no, please," the man begged as he kneeled down to plead. A cold-blooded Harrison fired a shot near his leg but only to scare him. 

"Provide me information and I will spare you." The man trembled in fear before bowing his head and nodding continuously. 

"Y-yes… I will t-tell you what I k-know," he said before gulping. 

"Go on, the time is ticking and my patience is low," he said as he played with his gun. Harrison can be a sweet man, but he is also vicious. 

"An organization will rise," he started.

"They want to take over the syndicate." Harrison laughed before scoffing. Defeating Dianne? Highly doubt the possibility.

"What organization is this?" The man gulped as sweat ran down his face. 

"The elite," he stated and Harrison's lips parted and he slowly nodded. "They come to take rev–" The man fell to the ground when a bullet was shot through his head. Harrison cursed under his breath before spotting a sniper. He quickly hides before he becomes the next one dead. 

THE PARKING lot was almost empty as everyone fled from the mansion. Dianne dragged Silvester behind her car before sneaking inside and starting the engine. "What the hell is going on?" he asked as he breathed heavily. 

A woman shot a bullet towards the car window but it was bulletproof. "Do you know how to drive?" she sweetly asked him and he nodded with a bit of suspicion. 

"Great," she said before crawling to the backseat. He took over the steering wheel as the woman continued firing bullets in their direction. 

She opened the car window before firing a shot, straight through the woman's heart. His jaw dropped after seeing his first love kill another woman right in front of him. "Who are you?" he asked and she fixed her hair before leaning into the front seat.

"I'm Dianne Reeves, a secret agent," she charmingly introduced herself with a smile. Hoping he would buy her lie, she leaned back confidently. "They're after me, Silvester. You shouldn't get involved with me anymore," she seriously said before going through his pockets and grabbing her wallet.

"You'll be in danger," she warned. 

He doesn't care about himself right now, he's bothered by the fact that she could've been killed earlier. But moreover, he couldn't believe that she was able to kill another person with only one shot, right through the woman's heart. 

It sends shivers down his spine as it reminds him of his wife's death. 

"Why were you in the auction?" he asked and she shrugged. 

"I was on a… mission," she simply answered. 

"To kill a man?" She didn't confirm nor deny the accusation. 

"Why were you in the auction?" she turned the question towards him and he smiled. "My long-lost brother gave me his invitation since he has no interest in paintings," he explained and she nodded. 

"I got the painting of the woman in thorns," he said with a smirk and her eyes widened. She grabbed his shoulder and her lips parted. "Give it to me, I'll pay you six million," she bargained but he shook his head. She didn't realize he was the third bidder from earlier.

"It's mine," he claimed. 

"Ten million?" She tried bargaining but he refused. 

She was about to offer a higher amount but she received a call. "What?" she annoyingly asked as the person was Harrison. 

"Glad you're still alive and rude," he sarcastically said and she scoffed. She relaxed her body before closing her eyes. "Meet me at my house later." She ended the call before they arrived at Silvester's house. 

He removed his seatbelt before exiting the car. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, concerned for her.

"Never been better," she said with a smile, realizing that nothing affects her. The night they met, he saw how weak and exhausted she was from everything. Yet seeing her like this, she looks like a completely different woman. "I'll see you again," he said before turning around. 

"I said, don't ever see me again!" she screamed before closing her window. 

She took over the steering wheel before driving home only to see Harrison sleeping against her door. She kicked his feet, making him wake up. "What's the news?" she asked before massaging her back. 

"The man's dead, a sniper took his life." She nodded, not even fazed by that fact. 

"He mentioned about the elites, they're making a move. That woman- the woman you took the life of three years ago, her parents are part of the elites." Dianne seemed bothered by this fact and she gulped. 

She vividly remembered how she saw her first love grieve over the woman's death. "They can't match me," she simply said before opening her house and closing it behind her. Her facade of confidence vanished as she held her heart, feeling the nervousness and guilt.