Chapt 1: Trigger

A man stood in the room, his glare fixed on the woman who stepped in. She didn't know what made her husband look so bad: a tightened jaw and a reddened eye looking at her intently with a bunch of paper in his hand.

"Is this what you do to me during this time, Abby?" The man's question caused the woman, whom he called Abby, to widen her eyes.

"Wh—what are you talking about, Zac? And what're you doing in my room?"

"Just answer my question!"

"Zac, what's it about? We're OK; nothing happened this morning. We even had sex and tried to fix everything. Then now—what happened, baby?" Abby eroded the distance between her and Zac, stroked his jaw, and looked into his eyes. "Is there someone who said something to you?"

"No one told me about anything—even you. I just found out myself that everything we've been through is just a piece of shit to you. You marry me for a purpose."

"What? What are you talking about, Zac? Was it your father? Or was your mother the one who told you this? She's always hated me, don't you remember?"

"Don't—ever talk about her like that!" Zac gave Abby the paper in his hand, and she carefully read it for another surprise.

"What is this?"

"You tell me. What is that shit, Abby? Why is that paper in your drawer? Did you intend to trick me? To play me, huh?"

Abby shook her head. Her chest felt tight, as if something huge had pinned her and made it hard for her to breathe. She still couldn't answer Zac's question, but she stared at the thing in her hand.

Zac raised his hand with a gun and pointed it at his wife. "Tell me why did you have so much information about my family?"

"It's just—Zac, please. We can talk about it calmly. Put the gun down, baby, please ..."

A knock on the door shattered the intense bond between the husband and wife, potentially destroying their marriage.

Abby asked herself where Zac got the paper from. She remembered moving all the files to her secret locker at the bay. But why?

Abigail strolled to close the distance between her and Zachary, but before they could notice, the door was open, and someone stood watching them both. He was shocked and stormed towards Zachary.

Momentarily stunned, Zachary unintentionally pulled the trigger.

A projectile streaked and hit one of them. They might not realize what happened until one of them fell on the floor and drenched in blood.

***

Two years ago,

A silver luxury car stopped right in front of a long abandoned building. The front yard was littered with dry leaves. The fence was rusted and no longer stood upright, showing how old the building was.

A young woman in a black suit got out and walked into the house's yard, escorted by two men in similar clothes.

One of them opened the fence, inviting the woman to walk ahead. When she reached the doorway, a middle-aged woman hurriedly greeted her.

"Please come in, Abby," the woman said.

The young woman, called Abby, nodded and then stepped slowly, catching a glimpse of the entire room she was walking through. It was the same as before, eighteen years ago. It felt empty. Only a cold stare emanated from her beady eyes, further enhancing her features.

In the corner of the room was her favorite piano—a birthday present from her father. They used to play it together every afternoon. They would sing together or dance at precisely the same time as she was now. The memory continued to pop in her mind, just like the music she always played.

"What's wrong, Miss?" asked one of the stocky men who was her bodyguard and had been accompanying her. Abby shook her head.

"This house feels so empty and hollow," she replied softly. She was still looking around as she collected the scattered memories.

No comment came out of her bodyguards' mouths. None of them knew their boss's origins. Abby didn't say anything about her, either.

Abby continued walking until she reached a dark room. Only a glimmer of sunlight shone through the gap in the curtains.

A man lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Abby came closer to touch the sturdy arm that was now just a bone. She stared at him with a sad look.

"I'm home, Papa." Her red lips tried to make a smile. Her eyes could not lie, eager to shed the millions of clear beads that had accumulated behind her eyelids, but she held back with all her might.

The man remained unmoving, making Abby swallow her saliva. She swallowed the pain that was now running through her heart. The man she loved so much—her first love—now lay like a living corpse. No one could help him.

The machine connected to the hose that supported the man's life continued to sound, accompanying the silence of two people who truly loved each other.

"Papa..." she called again, softly. Her heart ached as if a knife had cut her when she looked at the condition of her beloved father. She turned and hurried out of the room. Closing the door slowly, Abby shed the tears she had been holding back.

"I will keep my promise, Papa. I will never let them live in peace," she said, monologuing before taking another step, leaving the place that had brought millions of memories to her life. The memories will never die, even if the ground buries her body someday.

She wiped the tears from her cheeks. All she wanted was to seek justice for her dying father. She will not remain silent. No matter what, she would avenge the one who brought suffering to her family.

***

Abby padded into her office building. Several employees greeted and welcomed her. One of the employees ran a little after her. She turned his body to see who seemed to be coming in a hurry.

The woman caught her breath before delivering the news to her boss, Abby. She handed her a brown envelope with an invitation.

"The brown envelope was just delivered by the detective you hired, and the invitation—"

"I can read it. Thank you. You can continue your work. Oh, one more thing. Could you please order the best dress at my subscription boutique? You'll know how I like." Abby walked back to her room.

Arriving at the room, she opened the brown envelope from her hired detective. There were several names of business rivals who owned shares in her father's old company. Unfortunately, the company had left only rubble at that time because of her actions.

Remembering that, Abby gave a sardonic smile.

She placed the envelope on her desk, reaching for another envelope with gold accents. The inauguration of the new CEO at Zacamers Corp. She had just heard of the company. It could be a new or growing company. Not as successful as hers, of course.

Abby tossed the invitation on the table, picked up the office phone, and pressed the line button that connected directly to her assistant to inquire about the dress she had ordered.

She hung up and then rushed to the salon as she had planned. Inauguration events can be a variety of occasions.

It was an opportunity to establish business relationships with new companies, as well as meet and get to know one of her father's business rivals. Abby was not going to miss that moment to make her plans work.