Welcome to WonderHell: A Dark Fairytale Romance with Reverse Harem

1970 Beverly Hills, Los Angeles

Life in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, was always known for the lavish lifestyle and influential people who lived their lives there. Celebrity residents and guests have their little world there — sex, drugs, and money make the place go around. If one can use words to describe Beverly Hills, it would be glitz and glamour, but the antonyms of these words match the place, too. People avoided talking about the dark side of the golden-paved streets; prostitution, sex abuse, the overdose of drugs, especially cocaine, and so much worse.

Jack Greystone was no different from these shadows of the household names. He was blessed by birth into a wealthy family, and from the first day he was born, expensive silk bedsheets surrounded him, along with a golden pacifier. We are not going into details about his life when he was a child or teenager. He simply had it all from birth. When his father died of cancer, Jack instantly inherited the entire wealth of the family. The luck of being a single child. His mother quickly followed after his father, and Jack found himself alone, but that wasn’t an issue. From an earlier age, he was labeled as a sociopath, or how he liked to label himself: A high-functioning master manipulator.

He was too busy to keep the family’s business up, and despite being snobby, arrogant, and selfish, he managed to grow this business. It was a long chain of hotels and restaurants, but he expanded it into nightclubs, which were enriching, considering at that time casinos and the obscene lifestyle were yearned by many.

The man quickly made an image and brand. Not only was he a genius but charismatic and handsome too. He was tall, almost 6′2 with a lean muscular build. His hair was a rich burgundy color, neatly styled into a quiff with the upper part slicked back. His eyes reminded people of sapphires. It was a bewitching shade of blue, with the eye shape of an almond. He had sharp eyebrows, a roman nose, and bow-shaped lips. His skin wasn’t too late, nor too tanned. It was the perfect balance of healthy.

He always wore tailored suits, never once leaving the mansion if he wasn’t in top shape from head to toe. Some would call him a narcissist as he held into his vanity with sharp claws. The wiser ones would always comment about what kind of woman would ever live by his side, but Jack never lacked female company. Ladies always swarm around him as if they were bees, and he was the sweetest honey. Young women adored him and fought to the bone to achieve the title of Miss Greystone. It was all futile since this man wouldn’t marry even if someone held a shotgun at his forehead. He loved himself too much to care for having a family of his own.

Plus, the lifestyle he had wouldn’t allow for a new chapter of wife or even children. The life of drugs quickly surrounded him, and so did prostitution. Behind closed doors, he would bring young women and have men do them. No, he never once forced them into a life of sex for money. The manipulator had the tongue of a snake and could make any woman do as he wanted. Sweet promises and a little money for the work they provided. With each day, his wealth increased, and Jack couldn’t be happier. Not only was he a man of pride, but greed, too... and he welcomed the third sin, gluttony.

One day, something went wrong. One of the girls he took for sex work had a panic attack from an overdose of ecstasy, and the man who was supposed to fuck her, left in a hurry, complaining to Jack, who wasn’t very happy and yelled at the young woman to calm down. She obviously didn’t and threatened Jack by telling him she will go to the police and tell them all the dirt Jack is doing with drugs and the prostitution chain behind the hotel and casino business.

In the heat of the moment, from raging emotions and uncontrollable impulses, Jack had knocked the girl on the bed and wasted no moment in taking the white pillow and pressing it over the woman’s face. She had struggled like an animal caught in a bear trap. Her arms flew around, trying to claw at Jack’s face, but without success. Dull blue eyes watched how the girl fighting died down, and her limbs were all limp. Her chest didn’t move anymore. A few minutes turned into half an hour. That’s how much the billionaire kept the pillow over her face, taking her last breath away.

When he pulled the pillow away, he saw her lifeless expression. No hint of life in her pretty eyes. He should have been repulsed with himself, panicked and horrified, but the opposite happened. A sick thrill swarmed in his belly, and a grin stretched across his face. Jack had never felt like this before, the power and urge to take someone’s life. It was morbid, but to him, it was the sweetest drug. The need to dominate in ways not even animals did.

Everything happened at his mansion, where he would continue to bring women, and the same grotesque scenario happened. He switched from asphyxiating them with the pillow to do it with his bare hands, and the crimes turned on different sick levels. He no longer felt the rush with his hands, so he brought knives, saws, and scalpels. Cocaine was nothing compared to the slice of flesh and the flow of blood. He buried the bodies in the vast Greystone estate. No women ever left the royal and lavish grounds.

One by one they all fell for his devilish charms, and no one could stop him. He was too influential, with too many relationships with noteworthy people. Plus, he was sneaky, and hiding his prints was child’s play. The police and investigators couldn’t find anything to hold him in. Jack Greystone had no fear of the authorities, but there was someone he should be more afraid of. Jail would have been a better deal than the fate he was going to endure.

It was an autumn evening, the sun was starting to set. Fiery colors of yellow, orange, and red dominated the blue sky, and with that, it brought darkness. The maze of a mansion in the Greystone estate was dead silent save for the antique gramophone playing a classic jazz song. Jack was in his office, working on some late reports. A glass half-full of expensive 100′s year old brandy was next to the intensive paperwork, and an ashtray full of cigarette butts next to the glass. Jack was so absorbed, he only snapped out of his workaholic state when there was a firm knock at the office’s door. Looking up, in the doorway were his two loyal butlers, both dressed in a black tuxedos with a tailcoat. One had dark grey hair, slicked back, and the other butler had inky black hair with white streaks.

“Mr. Greystone. There is a woman who demands to talk with you. She wouldn’t leave the gates of the estate.” One of the butlers spoke, giving the master of the house a worried look.

Jack wasn’t phased by another crazy person on his tail. He had to deal with quite the lunatics in his life.

“If she doesn’t have an appointment or if she isn’t some celebrity, I am not interested.” The businessman waved his hand, a grimace taking over his handsome face.

The butlers didn’t leave the office, and both took a step inside. “She knows about... your hobbies.” Jack stopped mid-writing something, and a cold shiver ran down his spine, but he masked it quickly with a cough. Drinking away the rest of the whiskey in his glass, his jaw tightened, and slowly, he stood up from the black leather desk chair, adjusting his magenta tie. He wasn’t scared but more so, annoyed. Dealing with people investigating the missing women cases always ended up on his doorstep for questions and interrogations.

“Fine. Let’s deal with her.” Jack spoke, rolling his broad shoulders and walking toward the door of his office with his two butlers behind him like lap dogs.

All three walked toward the prime room of the mansion, to the front door. Jack rose an eyebrow at the woman waiting there. She was dressed from head to toe in black clothes. A simple dark dress, reaching her ankles, dark brown kitten heels, dark stockings, and a black knitted cardigan. Her hair was grey and pulled into a tight bun. Judging from her appearance, she was in her middle 50′s earlier ’60s. The prominent wrinkles on her face and hands spoke more than her boring attire. Jack almost grimaced at the elderly woman, whose grey eyes landed on him. The man stopped a few feet away in front of her.

“May I help you?” Jack asked as he crossed his arms over his chest, taking a dominant stance. The old woman’s lips pulled into a firm line. Her expression was as serious as ever.

“You killed her.”

Jack chuckled. “I beg your pardon? I think you’re mistaken, lady.” He gave her an amused look, acting as if he didn’t hurt a single fly in his entire life.

The woman narrowed her eyes, sending the wealthy man a look of disgust.

“You may have fooled everyone, but not me. Sierra has been missing for one year, and the last thing she said was that she was going to one of your parties.” Jack internally cursed as the woman persisted, but he wasn’t about to let his guard down.

“A lot of people go missing every day, especially in Los Angeles. The crime rate is high. It’s not my fault that people who attend my parties drink too much and aren’t responsible. Who knows? Maybe she ran away with a prince charming or something. You know, young girls.” Jack joked, but the woman wasn’t biting on his bitter humor and nonchalant attitude. The two butlers kept their poker face on, not saying anything.

“You are a despicable man, Mr. Greystone.” She hissed, clutching her navy umbrella in her trembling and wrinkled hands.

Jack rolled his blue eyes at her. “You came here to accuse and insult me? Is that it? Because trust me, woman, you are not the first and probably won’t be the last.” Jack snarled, no longer acting friendly as the old woman made no sign that she was leaving.

The woman kept her stoic face, but her eyes sent invisible daggers toward the man. “I know about the bodies buried in your garden... all over your grounds.” The woman’s words made Jack tense since no one except him, and his butlers knew about this shady secret. The two butlers looked at each other, starting to get anxious, but Jack remained unfazed, although inside, there was turmoil. This woman knew too much.

Jack swallowed hard, and it felt like shards of glass were stuck in his throat. “You are speaking nonsense, lady.” The businessman grunted, and his hands balled into fists. Oh, he had a bad temper, and always kept it at bay until he had to encounter persistent people like this elderly lady.

“Do I, Mr. Greystone? You are a murderer.” She whispered with a raspy voice full of sorrow and vengeance.

“Ransom. Randall. Take care of the old hag. If she knows so much it’s only fair we make her part of this.” Jack hissed and motioned to his butlers to get the woman.

The two men wasted no time, and marched toward the lady, unaware of the fate which will fall over their heads. The woman narrowed her eyes as the two men approached her, and she twirled her dark umbrella and muttered something in ancient Latin. Right before Jack’s eyes, his two loyal butlers fell to their knees, screaming in agony as black smoke enveloped them. When the smoke cleared out, in the place of the men, were two Great Dane dogs with pointed ears. One had black-as-night fur, while the other was white with black spots.

Jack was absolutely stunned and horrified by the sight before his eyes. For the first time in his life, the man felt fear course through his veins, and he took a step back. The dogs whimpered as they lay down. The woman’s gray eyes snapped at Jack who backed away as she slowly walked toward him.

“S-Stay the fuck away from me!” Jack yelled, pointing a finger at the strange woman who just turned his best men into dogs.

The grey-haired woman tilted her head to the side. “Sierra was my niece, and you know what happened to her parents after a year of searching for her without success?” She spoke, calmly but with malicious intentions.

“They committed suicide. The thought of never seeing their beloved daughter broke their hearts... and souls.”

Jack backed more until he tripped and fell back. He started to crawl backward on the checkered marble floor, never once taking his eyes off the old witch.

“L-Look... I am sorry, alright!?” He screamed, goosebumps raising on his flawless skin. “I-I can give you whatever you want. Money, status, a house, a car. Whatever you want... only state your price.” Jack tried to bargain, offering her material riches, but the woman wasn’t impressed.

“You think this trivial material stuff will bring Sierra back? You are a selfish man, Mr. Greystone.” She spoke with a broken heart full of vindication.

“Come on. There must be a way to solve this problem.” Jack’s voice was shaky, and whatever confidence he had before, crumbled down to dust.

“There is a way... and trust me, you wish you’d gone to jail instead.” The man’s eyebrows tugged into a frown of confusion.

“What are you talking about?” He asked, and the woman began to chant under her breath, mystic words unknown to the average man. A shiver went down Jack’s spine as he noticed dark clouds of the storm surrounding the sky above the estate, followed by thunder and lightning.

“W-What’s happening?” Jack asked as he felt an icy wave running down his spine.

“You, Jack Greystone, a man of pride, greed, gluttony, and murder shall be cursed for all eternity in this castle of yours. You won’t be able to ever leave this place, surrounded only by your insignificant and endless wealth, forever alone with your pathetic lap dogs,” The two Great Danes whimpered, hiding their canine faces underneath their paws. “No one else will ever love your rotten heart full of worms and mold.”

Jack gripped at his chest, feeling like a thousand knives poked at his heart, then he felt like his entire body burned, and screams of agony echoed through the manor as he doubled over on his knees.

“W-What’s happening!?” He yelled, panting hard as his lungs burned too, and horror washed over him as he clawed at his burning face, seeing how his skin melted off. Ocean blue eyes widened when he saw his hand full of blood and flesh, and scarlet droplets hitting the black and white floor.

“What did you do to me!!!!?” he screamed at the top of his lungs, and a chorus of cries left him as he felt his body shifting, his bones cracking, and a ringing sound hitting his eardrums. His teeth fell out too, and sharp claws pushed his human nails out.

“Your handsome looks shall wilt and melt, leaving your true colors and identity out. The monster inside you shall come out.” The woman spoke, and Jack felt his rich, burgundy hair fall off at his knees. He glanced to his left, and shock hit him like a wrecking ball.

He was hideous as his entire look shifted to a horror image. His body was covered by dark magenta fur, his ears were longer, resembling that of a rabbit, and his facial features looked like that of an animal, with a muzzle and sharp teeth in his mouth. His sapphire eyes were replaced by blood-red irises. He even had a fluffy bunny tail at his rear end.

“No woman will ever love you, Jack Greysone... and the only way to break the curse is for a woman to truly love you... until then... you will forever stay here, in your purgatory of riches.” The woman finished, and Jack snapped his gaze to her. A snarl left his lips.

“You fucking old hag! I will fucking kill you!” He shouted, and stood up, ready to charge at the woman, only for glowing red chains to erupt from the floor and wrap around Jack’s neck and limbs, keeping him in place.

“I don’t think so. You won’t take any more lives, and I will make sure everyone knew what you did. The monster you truly are, but they will never find you. You will vanish.” She informed him and slowly turned around on her heels toward the exit of the manor.

“W-Where the fuck do you think you’re going, wench!? Come back here! I will tear you into pieces, bitch!” Jack’s empty threats meant nothing to her, as she opened the front door, looking over her shoulder at the man one last time.

“Good luck.” These were the last words the old woman said before she left. The heavy double doors of the front entrance slammed shut with a loud bang which echoed through the luxurious maze, along with Jack’s screams of rage.

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Welcome to WonderHell: A Dark Fairytale Romance with Reverse Harem by C.B. Blackburn