Chapter 75: Chapter 75

A/n: Sorry for the late updates. I will be updating every day since today. I hope you enjoy watching this story until the end.

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Third Person’s POV

A hired killer should never feel guilty for taking lives. So, when Maxine's hands became stained, she thought it would be easy to forget the moments when blood splattered on her pale skin. However, her nightmares every night serve as undeniable evidence of her conscience.

"I had no other choice. If I didn't kill them, I would have died," that's what she said to justify her sins.

Yet tonight, she is filled with fear, as it is possible for her own resolve to crumble.

While walking, Maxine glanced at the large suitcase she had brought into an abandoned warehouse in the countryside. An abandoned place is the perfect location for a murder, considering the time it takes for authorities to investigate a missing person.

The night was chilly.

She placed the suitcase exactly where the moonlight illuminated the old wooden window; it was the only source of light in the dusty place. Spider webs were scattered everywhere, and the shadow of a web on the windowpane was cast upon the red suitcase. She unzipped it and slid the lid open.

Agatha's face was now adorned with the eerie shadow cast by the web. It made her look like a helpless prey ensnared in a trap. She remained unconscious, showing no signs of waking up anytime soon. At any moment, someone could end her life forever. Isn't it a relief to die without feeling any pain?

No matter what, dying in such a way is simply unjust.

As Maxine gazed at Agatha's face, she couldn't help but wonder why such an innocent and young woman had to meet her demise. What had she done wrong? Who would benefit from her death?

Maxine desperately searched for reasons that could delay Agatha's assassination. However, she soon realized that the longer she hesitated, the more impossible it would be to execute the perfect crime. Time is of the essence when it comes to killing.

"Don't worry," Maxine whispered from behind her black mask. "It won't be agonizing."

In her hand, she held a syringe filled with a deadly poison. She removed the cap and pressed the plunger, observing how the liquid traveled to the tip of the needle.

“That's it. All I have to do is give her this, and I'll finally be free," she thought to herself.

But as she looked at Agatha's face, a flood of good memories came rushing back:

The time she greeted her with a warm smile.

The time she knocked on her door just to share a meal.

The time she offered her a bandage for a small wound.

The time she always waved goodbye from the window as she left for school.

The time she found herself smiling whenever she thought of her.

Those memories, for Maxine, were both poison and cure. She couldn't help but regret ever forming a friendship with someone, and for opening her heart to this young lady.

"I can't... I just can't do it," she sobbed, her voice trembling with fear and despair. The injection slipped from her trembling hand and fell to the ground. She didn't make any move to pick it up, instead, she let out silent sobs under the moonlight.

From that moment on, she understood why she couldn't go through with it. She cherished the daughter of the man she had killed.

"Why did it have to be you? Why?!" she screamed, her anger echoing into the night sky, as if pleading for forgiveness from the heavens for her sins. Her greatest punishment was taking the life of the woman she loved. "Damn it!"

She pounded the ground, once... twice... thrice. Even through her gloves, her knuckles stung with pain from the force of her punches, causing her hand to bleed. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the anguish in her broken heart.

Maxine sat there in silence, not knowing how much time had passed. When her tears finally dried, she lifted her head and stared into the empty space with a gaze filled with vengeance.

"If I can't kill Agatha," she murmured. "Then I'll eliminate anyone who dares to harm her."

She understood that it was an impossible feat to go against the man who had turned her into a monster. But despite the odds, she was determined not to back down from her plan. Once she left this place and ensured Agatha's safety, she had to be ready for the impending battle.

Maxine rose to her feet. She intended to leave Agatha in the warehouse and call the police, pretending to be a concerned citizen. However, just as she was about to make her escape, the door of the warehouse swung open with a loud creak.

"Hey, you there!" a voice shouted from outside.

Instinctively, Maxine reached for the knife she had concealed at her side. She waited for the intruder to step forward and reveal their face.

In the moonlight, she locked eyes with a man who had pale skin, red lips, and dark eyebrows.

"I've got you now, you son of a bitch!" Adam's curse reverberated in the air. As his eyes fell upon the woman inside the suitcase, he knew he wouldn't hesitate to end this person's life. "I'll send you straight to hell!"

Maxine stepped backward as she tightened her grip around the knife.

Adam's days were mostly filled with terrorizing others, while Maxine dedicated her time to keeping track of the people she had killed. Out of the two, Maxine seemed to have the advantage due to her expertise as an assassin. Although Adam had never taken a life before, tonight he didn't care about losing control.

In Agatha's eyes, he believed he had the ability to eliminate anyone.

"It was difficult to find you, but I won't be labeled as a mad dog for no reason," Adam declared, grabbing a sturdy steel object from the side. He stretched his neck, cracking it from side to side, emitting a sinister chuckle from his crimson lips.

Maxine remained silent, observing Adam's movements to assess his skills. However, before she could react, Adam was already standing behind her.

Maxine couldn't believe how quickly things escalated. Her heart raced as she spun around, eyes wide with shock.

"Surprise, surprise!" Adam exclaimed, brandishing his weapon menacingly.

Reacting swiftly, Maxine leaped back, narrowly avoiding Adam's lethal strike. She knew she was in deep trouble if he managed to hit his mark.

"What a pathetic coward," Adam sneered, his eyes filled with malice. "Come on, let's finish this already."

Maxine had no intention of killing Agatha anymore. However, if someone like Adam suddenly barged in, she would have no choice but to defend herself.

In just two swift moves, Adam managed to get closer to his target. Like a bolt of lightning in the dark sky, another attack was about to strike Maxine. But she skillfully evaded it.

Stepping back, Maxine raised her forearms like a football player blocking an opponent, but Adam swiftly sidestepped, pushed her elbow down, grabbed her head, and swiftly brought her down to the floor.

Within a fraction of a second, Maxine was back on her feet, watching as the muscular man charged towards her in slow motion. As Adam approached, he sent the empty boxes blocking his path flying.

A growl echoed within her. Maxine swiftly brought up her knife and swung it towards Adam's neck, but he saw it coming! He used his other hand to avoid the blade, yet Maxine's quick reflexes forced Adam to shift his weight to the other side, causing him to drop his weapon.

'Bang!'

"Shit!" Adam grimaced in pain.

Seizing the opportunity, Maxine swiftly dropped to the floor. She was just about to get up and make a run for it when Adam lunged at her, like a football linebacker blindsiding a quarterback, delivering a powerful hit that caused Maxine's back to arch.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Adam exclaimed.

Grimacing, Maxine turned around and swung her knife.

'Swisssh~'

However, she didn't anticipate Adam's next move, causing her eyes to widen in surprise at his defense.

"I really despise this weapon," Adam growled as he held the knife with his bare hand. He delivered punches and kicks to Maxine.

"Ahh!" Maxine groaned and collapsed to the ground, both knees giving way. The knife slipped from her grasp and skidded under the cluttered boxes on the floor.

It was over.

Now that Adam had her trapped, pressing her neck to the ground with his sharp elbow, Maxine found herself completely immobilized.

"Who sent you? Who?!" Adam demanded, twisting her hand.

"Ouch," Maxine winced, struggling to catch her breath.

Before Adam could ask her again, he removed his mask. "Tell me! You bastard!" He was initially surprised to see that she was a woman, but the shock quickly faded and he tightened his grip on her. "Spit it out!"

Drenched in sweat, Maxine glanced up at the man towering over her. "Even if I failed to kill her..." She gasped. "...they'll just send someone else."

Adam twisted her finger even harder.

"Ah!" Maxine's trembling lips released a cry of excruciating pain.

"Come on, just tell me nicely," Adam said with a smirk.

Surprisingly, Maxine's eyes showed no fear. It seemed like she believed she still had the advantage over him.

"You..." Adam raised his hand, annoyed and ready to strike again. However, as soon as he released his grip on Maxine's neck, she swiftly grabbed something from the side and stabbed him with it.

"Ahhhhhhh! What the...!"

It turned out to be the injection Maxine was meant to administer to Agatha.

"What isAdam muttered, his body gradually succumbing to an unfamiliar agony that rendered him immobile. Helpless, he collapsed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably.

Maxine sat upright, observing as he teetered on the brink of death. "I administered a small dose," she remarked, retrieving the syringe and extracting it from Adam's flesh.

"Ahhhh~" Adam groaned, his tongue feeling as though it was being yanked from within, rendering him unable to speak.

Maxine inspected the remaining liquid in the syringe, her expression devoid of emotion. She glanced at him indifferently. "If you're fortunate..." She paused mid-sentence, then resumed as she rose to her feet. "No, forget it. It'll be a challenge to survive, unless you're not human."

Adam attempted to reach for her feet, but despite his ability to do so, he lacked the energy to grab hold. He was on the brink of death. Taking a deep breath, he felt the suffocation tightening his ribcage. Exhaling, he inhaled once more. Gradually, he began to feel numb as his head spun. His stomach tightened, and before long, he expelled blood from his mouth.

"Agghhh," he coughed.

Trembling, Adam stared at Maxine with bloodshot eyes.

"Boss?! Where are you?!" Voices from outside called out, one after another.

Upon hearing that Adam's other assistants were approaching, Maxine wasted no time in escaping through the window, despite her own injuries. However, before she fled, she stole a quick glance at Agatha, biting her lower lip before picking up her pace.

"Is this...the end for me?" Adam chuckled to himself, surrendering to his defeat.

"Boss?! Boss?!"

The voices he heard began to fade until they disappeared completely. Adam's vision blurred, and all his senses started to fail, leaving only excruciating pain coursing through his body.

"Damn," he chuckled weakly.

Adam strained his teary eyes towards the unconscious woman in the suitcase. With one last effort, he reached out his hand, only to cough up blood.

"Ugh! Ugh!"

Just a little more.

Just a little more, and he could grasp her hand.

‘Please, let me hold her hand,’ Adam silently pleaded.

Just as his fingertip was about to touch her... Darkness. Everything around him turned pitch black.