Chapter 1: MY CONTRACT
"Wake up, Cermila. It's not your time to be with us yet."
I opened my eyes with a gasp, breathing heavily. My clothes were soaked from the river. The last thing I remembered was the freezing water pulling me under.
Then I heard a voice.
Cold.
Empty.
I slowly turned my head and saw the same man from before.
.
Fear gripped me instantly.
Vector: "Cermila."
I swallowed hard. The way he said my name... it sounded less like he was calling someone and more like he was claiming something that already belonged to him.
I kept my eyes fixed on the floor for a long moment before forcing out the words.
"W-Who are you?"
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Vector: "I'm hell, sweetheart."
My body froze.
There was only one man who called himself Hell.
Vector Blackwood.
The man who ruled half the undercity.
A man who could silence a room with nothing more than a glance.
A man whose name people feared to say aloud unless they had already accepted death.
And now...
I was kneeling before him.
My eyes widened with terror.
Vector: "The river was kind to you, Cermila."
I trembled—not because of the cold, but because of him.
He stood, casually lighting a cigarette. Taking a slow drag, he stepped closer, lifted my chin with one finger, and blew the smoke into my face.
I coughed.
He leaned close enough for me to feel his breath against my ear.
I instinctively tried to move away.
His hand shot out, pulling me back.
His voice was calm, but it carried the weight of a death sentence.
Vector: "Don't ever back away from me."
My mind went blank.
I couldn't speak.
I couldn't even think.
Without warning, he pulled out a handgun and pressed the barrel against my forehead.
Vector: "Be my stand-in. Use that pretty face of yours for me."
A woman stepped forward and handed him a stack of papers.
He tossed them into my lap before leaning close again.
Vector: "It's a contract. The moment you sign it, your life belongs to me."
He pulled back the hammer of the gun with a sharp click.
The sound echoed through the room.
My hands shook violently as I picked up the papers.
Then he asked,
Vector: "What do you say?"
It wasn't a question
It was an order.
I never had a choice.
With trembling fingers, I picked up the pen and signed my name before silently handing the contract back to him.
He glanced at it and smiled.
Vector: "Good."
He turned toward the woman, wrapped an arm around her waist, and kissed her neck without taking his eyes off me.
Vector: "My lovely assistant will take it from here."
He started walking away before stopping at the door.
Without looking back, he spoke one last time.
Vector: "Fail to comply... and you'll be gone before tomorrow."
The door closed behind him.
The woman stepped forward and offered a small smile.
Angel: "I'm Angel... and from today onward, I'll be your guide."
