A Vengeful Heart

Tragedy Strikes

As winter drew near, the city fell into a hushed stillness. Not a single sound broke the silence; only fallen leaves lay scattered on the ground, some swirling gently with the wind.

The air was crisp and biting, a chill that seemed to seep into every corner, keeping everyone indoors. No one was seen outside; the neighborhood felt lifeless, as if it were holding its breath in anticipation of the cold season's embrace.

In one of the numerous estates in the middle of town, Mr. Nicholas Mendez and his wife, Natalie, were in the dining room discussing tomorrow's activities when suddenly a sharp sound, like something breaking, shattered the silence.

"Honey, did you hear that?" Natalie asked her husband, who looked surprised at her query.

Since he didn't reply at once, she turned to the nearest window but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"You worry too much, sweetheart. I didn't hear anything, ok?" Mr. Nicholas answered in a nonchalant tone in an effort to ease her mind.

Natalie immediately went upstairs to check on Catalina, who was fast asleep. But on the way to their young daughter's room, she found their bedroom door slightly ajar.

"I could have sworn I locked that when I went downstairs. How could this be open?" She whispered as she slowly walked into the room, looking about for anything out of place.

Suddenly, she sees her vanity table, and her brown eyes widen. The strawberry-blond wife had placed an important document on top of it before she left, but now it was missing. Natalie rushed towards her dresser and rummaged through its cabinets and shelves, but the papers were nowhere to be found. She immediately ran downstairs.

"Sweetheart, I can't find the special document!" the middle-aged worriedly exclaimed.

"What do you mean?" Mr. Nicholas clarified with furrowed brows. "I thought you said you had it on your vanity."

"Yes, it was there a while ago, but now I can't find it!" Natalie remarked in panic as she slumped into the nearest armchair. "What are we going to do now? You know how important that document is."

"Are you sure that it's gone?" Nicholas asked, rubbing his temple. "Did you check all the drawers of your dresser?"

"I did! I went as far as~"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The front door's doorknob and locks were shot from outside. Then a strong kick threw open the door. The terrified couple flinched at the crashing sound and held each other tight as a small group of people dressed in black with their faces covered entered their house.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my house?" Nicholas yelled, trying to sound tough in the hope that these goons would not hurt his family.

"We're the ones who'll ask the questions, Mister Mendez! Where the hell are those documents?" One of the men shouted back, his angry voice echoing throughout the house.

"What documents?" Nicholas blurted out with a shaking voice. "And where is my security staff?"

"Do you mean those three chicken shit that pass as guards?" The masked leader sneered as he stepped closer to the frightened couple as he pointed his semi-automatic rifle at them. "We took care of them, and you'll join them soon if you don't answer my questions. Now where are those fucking papers?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Nicholas replied with a trembling voice.

"You think I'm playing here?" The unknown group head screamed as he released multiple shots on the poor man's right leg.

"AAAAAIEEHHH!!" Nicholas let out a blood-curdling scream as he fell to the floor, feeling the intense pain radiate through his whole body. "I don't know where it is!"

Mrs. Mendez quickly kneeled in front of her writhing, bloodied spouse with both arms outstretched. "Please, for the love of God, he's telling you the truth. It has gone missing from my bureau, and we can't find it!"

As if he didn't hear her, their livid attacker furiously repeated his question, "For the last time, where are those documents?"

"I don't know where it is! It's missing! Please spare us!" Nicholas pleaded for himself and Natalie despite his agony pain.

Their angry aggressor cocked his rifle and released a volley of shots on the pair. Within seconds, neither one of them was breathing.

"I want those papers with me before we leave! Search everywhere..."

Meanwhile, the eight-year-old Catalina was seated on her bed with her hands covering both ears. She was about to run outside to find out what's happening when her door creaked open and a familiar face peeked inside.

It was Miranda, their head housekeeper.

"Miranda, what's going on?" Catalina asked, her face filled with fear. "Where are my parents?"

"I can't explain right now, but I need to keep you safe. I must hide you this instant!" their long-time house staff said hurriedly as their female butler dragged the young girl out of bed and into the walk-in closet, then hiding her behind a bunch of bulky winter clothes that were hanging there.

"Can't I make sure that mom and dad are safe first?"

"I'm sorry, child; you can't do that. You need to be safe-that is what your parents would want," Miranda explained as she took Catalina's clammy hands in hers. "Please stay here and do not make any noise. Whatever happens, do not come out, okay?"

"But Miranda..." Catalina tried to speak up, but the elderly housekeeper covered her mouth.

"Please, Cat, do this as my last wish," she said as she embraced the girl who was her ward ever since she was an infant, then kissed her head before quickly walking out.

Miranda then locked the closet door with a key that was attached to her belt along with a set of other keys. She went to the bedroom's private bath and flushed the keys down the toilet, took a deep breath, and tried to steady herself before going to the bedroom's entryway. When she opened the door, three of the masked hired guns stood before her, their deadly weapons pointed at her.

"Boss, what do we do with her?" one of the men asked their leader, who was right behind them.

"Kill her," he replied in a harsh tone that sent chills down her spine. "And make sure you leave no stone unturned," he added before walking away.

"Yes, boss," the three henchmen said as one of them pulled her by her hair.

"Tsk tsk tsk, it would be a waste not to have a taste of such beauty before executing her. What do you think, compadres?"

"Yeah, even if she's a little older than what I would like! She's still worth a little fun before we ace her." The shortest gang member said with a leer as his lustful eyes raked over her top-heavy body.

Within minutes, they had already gagged her, tore off her clothes, dragged her to Catalina's bed, unzipped their pants, and taken turns raping her. After completely satisfying themselves, one of the goons took his large dagger and slit her throat. All three watched as the naked woman writhed on the bed as her blood soaked through the sheets and blankets.

"Delicious," the knifewielder said as he licked her blood off his blade. "Let's go and check on the boss."

Meanwhile, through a tiny hole in the closet door, Catalina had witnessed everything as tears rushed down her cheeks and silent sobs escaped her lips. She watched silently as her former nanny's cruel killers exited her room.

It would be a full day later before she was found by the police.