Chapter 1 - Rain on a Friday Night

The night breeze gently touched the girl's skin which sent shivers down her spine. Someone could easily smell the stench of blood lingering in the air, the smell of blood and gunpowder mixed together makes it hard for someone not to vomit, the smell is too strong to ignore.

For some, this is a normal Friday night, families gather in the dining room enjoying their dinner, while some were still cooped in their offices trying to finish their workloads before weekend, kids holding onto their game consoles playing their hearts out to level up and normal seven years old girl is playing with her dollhouse inside her room while humming her favorite theme song in a Barbie movie she'd recently watched.

That is how a typical Friday night goes for normal people but for this young girl, this particular young girl everything seem to have gone wrong.

Did you ever felt like you woke up in a different world, making you think you were still in a dream but only to find out you're not?

The girl is staring at the pool of blood next to her, then she trailed her eyes on the person lying three steps away from her. The pool of blood is coming from the woman's body, anyone could tell that there is no way to save this woman anymore, the number of bullet holes in her body is enough to say so and if by any chance she is still alive it is indeed a miracle.

There is no one else on the place, only the girl who remained standing looking at the woman's body, she's not speaking nor there is any reaction coming from her. She's simply staring, nothing more, nothing less. Her eyes were lifeless, as if this girl is nothing but an empty shell, like a lifeless doll that was placed in the wrong room.

All of a sudden, the girl twitched when something cold touched her and upon realizing as if the world is trying to mock her, the rain slowly and quietly started erasing the foul smell of the blood around but it didn't erase the horror of the night instead it seems to be adding more onto the heaviness of it. This is a Friday night, this is her Friday night.

- - -

The room is filled with nervousness as they are gathered inside this spacious conference room, seated facing each other. This is one of the most terrifying day of the month in Xi Corporation because today, their regular meeting with the most powerful person of Xi Empire is being held.

The next person to speak started fidgeting the moment he stood up, as walked slowly in front and was about to speak the woman motioned him to stop which he immediately did without asking why.

"Are you confident that your report will be able to satisfy me? Because if what you will about to tell me is the same as the trashes that came before you then I advice you to sit and shut up." she sneered. The meeting has been going on for almost three hours and there is still no report that could meet her expectations.

Each words resounded all throughout the conference room which made the people who are already nervous to begin with feel even more pressure than before. The person in front was still standing at lost about what to do next.

"Sit." she said as she threw a deadly glare at him. The threatening look that the woman gave him almost made his heart rate beat faster like it will jump out of his body.

"Yes, President." he said as soon as possible and he hurriedly went back to his seat as if his life is dependent on it. Who would not right? He is facing the most powerful woman in Xi Empire, and one of the most influential person in the country.

As soon as he's seated, President Xi stared at everyone inside the conference room as if telling them that they are not good enough. No one wants to meet the president's eye because if they do, that could mean an instant death for them.

Xi Ana, the current president of Xi Corporation and the heiress to the whole of Xi Empire could easily make your life a living hell. Xi Ana is considered as the venomous flower in the corporate world that no one has dared to touch. In short, she is someone you can't afford to offend, provoking her is like giving up your life. The Xi Empire has always been a powerful empire but the Xi Empire of today is frighteningly powerful and that is because of this young, wise, and merciless queen.

"You sure wasted my time, you made me sit here for almost three hours just to hear you spouting these trashes? I think I've made myself clear during our last meeting. I clearly told you not to show me such poor performances for this meeting and yet you have the guts to show me these."

She threw all the written documents in front of her which made a thud sound on the floor and because no one is making any noise the sound is very audible to one's ear. This action made all the executives present tremble in fear. She's not shouting, she's not even raising her voice but the sharpness of her tone made it impossible for them not to cower in fear.

"I'm giving you a week. If you still dared to show me these kinds of report you have to be ready for the consequences." after saying this she immediately stood up and went straight to her office. As for the staffs, the president leaving the room felt like 10 years was added to their lifespan.

Upon reaching her office, she gave her ȧssistant an order which is not to bother her unless it's urgent she needs time to calm her nerves, she opened a bottle of wine and pour herself a glass of it.

During the entire day, she felt like nothing seems to be going her way. She sipped wine from her glass while her other hand is busy massaging her temple trying to ease the pain brought by her entire day.

She swiveled her chair and now she's facing the glass wall of her office, facing the busy streets of City A. The most prosperous and most developed city in the whole country.

While still looking outside she saw that there are some water droplets on the wall and only then did she realize that it is already starting to rain, she glanced at the digital calendar on her table and saw that it is Friday today, upon realizing the day today her head started to hurt again.

"I hate it when it rains on Friday." she mumbled to herself not entirely sure the reasoning behind it, all she knows is that whenever it rains on Friday her entire being seems to betray her usually calm and mean self.