•The present•

Heels clicking against the Versailles parquet flooring. My curled hair flicked to my back as I walk into the grand building. I could tell I caught everyone's attention as eyes began to turn to me. One by one. I strut walk over to the receptionist as my black blazer hanged on my shoulders. I flash the guy a fierce look.

"Miss Kuznetsova." His voice shakes as he instantly looks up once he notices me. Right I forgot I'v been here before.
I give him a fake confused look.
"Excuse you? How could you misname me?" I scold him with the intention of making him feel bad. "Sorry ma'am, must've mistaken you." His voice gets lower and I smirk with pride.
"It's Anna Kournikova." I correct giving him my fake name. Yeah being an assassin means make up a million fake names. Part of never being caught and tracked back to your real identity.

The guy typed away on his computer as I start to get impatient. I tap my heels knowing I still had the attention of most people around me.

While I waited I grab my mini mirror from my purse and fix my deep red lipstick. Mwah.
The guy looks back at me while I was fixing it and stares. "Using your words is basic manners." I give him a dirty look snatching my room key-card from his hand. I walk off to the seating area which was lavishly decorated. Golden chairs.
Big golden pillars. I place myself down on one of the many seats. I grab the newspaper from the small glass table in front of me.

God newspaper's are so boring!
Sometimes I hate these type of missions.

I proceed to do what I'm best at. Pretending. I pretend that I am reading this boring piece of shit in-front of me as I had one leg over another.
Wearing a black body-con skirt making it slightly difficult for me. I fix my shirt as I had the top 3 buttons undone revealing a bit of cleavage to leave you wondering.
I fix my boobs so that they don't fall out of place.

My eyes scan the newspaper in front of me.
Someone killed their mother, sounds oddly familiar huh? I chuckle mentally trying not to chuckle physically as I had to act like a lady and think like a boss. Basically my everyday rules.

I could tell from the corner of my eyes that my victim was already drooling over me.
Just what I expected. It's sad how predictable men are. Always so easy to manipulate.
I smirk slightly. A woman dressed in a waitress like outfit walked over to me with a golden tray. What's with everything being golden here? She smiles at me but I don't.
She hands me a cup of coffee.
I inhale the scent just incase it had anything inside it. I know all the tricks in the book.
I basically created all of them.

"I drink plain coffee only." I hand her the cup of milk coffee as she looked down in embarrassment. I slam the newspaper on the glass table. "When you speak to someone, you look at them." My voice became louder as she nods slowly. I can tell the way she was fumbling under the pressure of me. I stood up with my head high and proud proceeding to walk to the elevator. I enter pressing number "17". I fix my hair quickly and get my act on.
As the elevator door began to close, it reopens and my victim walks right in my trap.

I smirk mentally eyeing him once then looking away. He kept eyeing me up and down making it to most obvious thing ever. He's in his 50's staring at a girl who is 21. Creep.
I could tell he was undressing me with his light brown eyes. His hair was a grayish colour. He was wearing a heavy silver chain which read the numbers. 5476. Hm. I'll keep that in mind.
I was taught to observe everything, never know when it could be helpful.
"Miss Kournikova, is it?" He questions and I simply nod not giving him a proper reply.
It's a way to get them to want more.
When they want more. They follow.
When they follow, you win.

The elevator door opens and I step out.
This is it bitches. Andddd....action. My phone began to ring. I pick the phone.
"Mhm." I fake.
"What? Where is she now?" I pretend like I'm speaking to someone when really the ringtone was also fake. "Is she gonna be okay?" I begin to fake cry. For some odd reason I had this natural talent of fake crying which was really handy when it comes down to manipulating.
I could tell the man was at his room door listening in. "Natalie, you know I can't lose her. She's my mother." I cry once again using a false name as I wipe the tears sniffing. "I know, I'll be there. Tell her I love her." I impostor one last time then hang up putting my phone away.

I then burst into tears while dapping under my eyes. I lean against the way as I try to hold myself together. The man instantly starts to walk over me. Awh, how gullible.
I pretend that I did not notice him.
"Ma'am, are you alright?" He asks as he rests his hand on my back. I shake my head "no" and sniffle more. "She's gonna die. I cant lose her." I sob even more as he hugs me.

And that ladies and gentlemen is how it's done.
I hug the man for a while so it won't seem suspicious but he begins to reach his down down my back. Oh hell no. Wrong person love.
I instantly take out the knife I had hidden in my sleeve and stab him directly in his spine as his hands suddenly lose grip on my back. He slowly but surely collapses to the ground groaning. "You bitch." He groans in pain.
I smirk at the sight. "Yet weren't you all over me 2 minutes ago?" I sass at him.
He doesn't reply and keeps grunting.
That's what I thought.

I pick up his room and then enter his hotel room. It reeked of Vodka. Don't get me wrong I love vodka but this shit smelt like it's from 1876. I take careful steps as the whole room was trashed with cigarette's and bottles of vodka. I look through all the cabinets and drawers trying to find where he kept his documents.

I huff as I take a few looks around the place.
Hm. Where does a 50 year old man hide his documents? Ding ding.
Behind the paintings. I begin to check each and every painting of the place. Andddd the prize goes to Ivina Kuznetsova. Or shall I say Anna Kournikova? I smirk and place the painting down.
Pin lock. Hm. I guess he's dumb enough to wear the pin around his neck.
I type the numbers 5476 in.
Boom. I must say I am proud.

I quickly grab the dozen documents and shove them inside my blazer. I wanted to let out a sigh of relief but not yet. I'v been taught to wait until I am out of the location to declare my victory. You never know what can happen.
I turn around. "Going so soon?" The man speaks once again and I roll my eyes.
How the fuck is he alive? Is he like immortal?
"Yeah, just fancied some eggs. Might've left the cooker on you know. My apologies if the whole building burns to the ground." I use a bit of British words considering the man before me was British. To be honest I already observed that he didn't have eggs so if he believes me I'm gonna be embarrassed for him.

He instantly turns around as fear fills his eyes.
Geez he's more stupid than I was told.
I take this as my chance and grab my blades that were strapped at the back of my skirt being covered by my black blazer. I pull two out and stab him in either sides of the neck.
He falls to the ground as blood gushes out.
"Oops, my bad." I chuckle then clean up the blades and then place them back.

I exit the room and take the elevator down.
The smirk on my face was growing larger and larger due to my victory. I always won.
I always will win.

I was taught to win.
I lived my life winning and I will continue to win. I will continue to be in charge.
I am power itself.

I exit the elevator and walk towards the exit.
I get interrupted by a mans voice.
"Miss Kournikova, are you gonna check out or?" The receptionist asks and I stop in my place not turning around. I scoff.
"It's Miss Kuznetsova." I correct him as I could hear a few gasps escape peoples mouth. The silence was deafening. I leave the building and walk back to my jet black Chevrolet Camaro.

❦

I drop the pile of documents of Czar's desk.
He looks at them and then up at me proudly.
"Now, care to enlighten me why they are so valuable?" I question as I didn't even know the reason of the mission I had just went on.
"We'll speak of it tomorrow." He doesn't even bother to look up at me as he inspected the documents. I scoff at him. It's honestly unbelievable the way he acts. Sometimes the urge to slit his throat open tests me at my worst moments.

But if he wants to the play this game. So be it.
"Oops." I slip out a piece of paper from the documents I had hidden in my bra since I already knew that Czar would start with his bullshit. He looks up at me.
"What is that Ivina?" He grits through his teeth as I smirk wobbling the piece of paper with somewhat important information.
"Probably slipped from the pile." I smirk as I begin to open the folded paper.

"Why don't I read and see? Hm?" I suggest but I wasn't giving him a choice.
I began to read.

•

Sir Nicholson also known as Isaiah Nicholson. British Assassin born and raised in London. Based in New York City. 28 years old. Born on 1993 November 17th.

Address:

Unknown.

Family:

Unknown.

•

"Who's Isaiah Nicholson?" I slam the paper down on the desk keeping a tight grip of it incase he tries anything. He sighs and stays quiet. "Answer me Czar." I growl at him getting impatient. He's literally going after some assassin and then you have me who is like a clueless puppy in the middle of all of this.
What the fuck does he think he's playing at?

"Ivina, we'll talk about it tomorrow." He stood up trying to avoid the problem he caused.
"You are gonna sit down. You are gonna explain who he is, right now." I spat at him. He will listen to my orders. I know he's the boss but in this household I held the power. I held the power everywhere I go.
He groans and sits back down.

He begins to explain each and every bit.
I stood there listening to him as I felt betrayed in a way but it did not phase me.
Honestly it isn't the lies and secrets that offended me. It's the insult to my intelligence that I find highly offensive.

"So let me rephrase, an assassin from London has came all the way from London to kill us and you think it is best to keep it from us?" I summarise his words calmly as rage and shock was running through my blood but I had control over it so it won't get to me.
"You're making this a big deal Ivina. Give me the paper." He treats me as if I'm some child.
I hold the paper like it was about to be torn from my hands. No way he was getting it.

"We'll speak of it tomorrow." I repeat his words for him just to be petty.

❦

"Are you not mad?" Seo queries as confusion seemed to take over his expression. Honestly I think one of the most important things about me, is that you can try to make me feel but I have stopped feeling years ago. I have stopped feeling the day my mother's soul disappeared into thin air. I have stopped feeling the day my father walked out of my life. I have stopped feeling the day I realised the person my brother is a psychopath.

I don't feel. I don't wanna feel. I won't feel.
Maybe I'll get mad. Maybe disappointed. Disgusted even. But I will never care. I will never love. I will never be sad. I will never regret.
Simply because if I care, I am weak. I wasn't raised to be weak. If I love, I'm vulnerable. Vulnerable leads to weakness. If I am sad, I am open. If I am open. I'm weak. If I regret, well I won't. I take pride in every single thing I have ever done and said.

I have learnt to live life simply with no emoticons whatsoever.
I consider my life to be a game of chess.
Move in silence and discreet.
Only speak when it's time to say.
Checkmate.

"Nah, just disappointed." I reply bluntly. I was disappointed in both of them. They knew yet they said nothing about it.

• Czar Kusnetsov •

I knew I should've told Ivina.
She deserves to know yet I wasn't completely sure. He's very skilful. Clever. He's always one step ahead. Ivina is just the same yet she's more efficient with her missions so telling her before we had the documents would be a risk since she wouldn't wait. She'd do what was needed immediately.

I pull out a blunt and light it as I lean back in my leather seat. I look around my office as I take the first hit blowing the smoke out from my nose. Smoking became the best-friend I was warned to stay away from as a kid.
I know smoking is bad but the reason I smoke is worse. I have to live with the pain of something that died inside of me rather than someone dying.

Everyone tells me smoking kills yet I simply don't care because there's something already killing me deep inside. There's a fire of rage and pain inside of me that I can't seem to put out. I don't know how.

Losing her.
It wasn't just losing her.
It was losing my heart along with her.
Everyone expects me to get it back.
Truth is. I don't think I want to.
I'm happy. Not feeling.
Not hurting, yet I can't control it.
I can't control it because sometimes the "not feeling" falls apart and my anger gets the best of me. I just don't know how to control it.

I feel like I'v became a beast that's unstoppable. A beast who is set free in the wild.
I don't understand how Ivina manages to control her emotions and channel them so calmly. I break every time I try to. I guess that's because I haven't made my peace with life.

I haven't accepted the fact that my mother is dead. I haven't accepted the fact that my father has disowned me. I haven't accepted the fact that my brother is a psychopath. I haven't accepted the fact that the woman I love is gone.
I don't when or how I'm gonna accept the things life has put me through.

I feel like my way of making peace with the world was letting it hurt till it can't no more.
I feel like my life is purely my darkest fears becoming my reality.
I feel like my life is divided into a before and after because of her.

Rosa always said to me,
"No matter what storm comes your way, it will pass. You will get through it. You will survive. But you won't remember how you done it. You won't even be certain if the storm is really one but one thing is certain. When you come out of that storm. You will be a whole different person."

I feel like I'v ended that storm.
I'm not the same person I was three years ago.
I'v changed in ways that I never imagined.

Part of likes who I have become.
Part of me despises who I have become.
Maybe one day.
I'll learn to control the darkness within me.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Will Czar learn to control?
Or will he continue to burn whatever he lays his hands on? His veiny hands may I say, okay anyways.

Don't forget to vote loves!

❦ Goodbye darlings, mwah xo ❦