Chapter 5

(Flashback)

“Why are you doing this?” Anastasia sobbed, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and disbelief. She stood frozen, her eyes fixed on the lifeless body on the floor, the crimson pool spreading slowly, staining the once pristine carpet.

Her tears flowed freely down her cheeks, mingling with the horror that gripped her soul. The man she had once loved and married now sat casually on the couch, his foot resting on the fallen man’s chest, as if it were nothing more than an inconsequential event.

A twisted smirk played upon his lips, his eyes gleaming with a perverse delight. The cruelty emanating from him sent shivers down her spine. It was as if he derived pleasure from the pain he caused, reveling in the power he held over life and death.

“Don’t be too upset, malysh,” he taunted, his voice dripping with malice. “Next time, just remember to inform me before you plan to leave the house. I hate surprises.” His callousness was chilling, contrasting starkly with the tragedy that