HER DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

Elena finished packing her clothes and took a refreshing bath. As she sat on her bed, she dialed the agent's number.

"Hello?" Agent John's voice came through the line.

"Hello," Elena replied. "Am I speaking with Agent John?"

"Yes, that's correct," the agent confirmed.

"Oh, good," Elena said. "I'm Elena, CEO of LD Corporation. You should know me, right?"

Agent John's tone turned deferential. "Oh, I'm honored, ma'am. I know who you are. It's a pleasure to have you call."

Elena got straight to the point. "I'm looking for a place to stay. I need a house. Can you arrange that for me?"

Agent John agreed eagerly. "Of course, ma'am. I'd be happy to help."

They discussed the details, and Elena suggested meeting the next morning.However, Agent John apologized, saying he would be busy in the morning.

Elena asked, "What time will you be free?"

Agent John thought for a moment before responding, "I think I'll be free around 1 or 2 pm."

Elena agreed to the afternoon meeting. "Okay, fine. Where should we meet?"

Agent John demurred, "I think you should decide, ma'am. I don't have the right to choose the meeting location."

Elena nodded, even though Agent John couldn't see her. "Okay, no problem. I'll decide on the destination and send you the address."

The agent agreed, and they ended the call.

As Elena headed downstairs to find something to eat, her stomach growling with hunger, she encountered the youngest daughter of her father's second wife. The girl was notorious for her disrespect and spoiled behavior.

As she approached, the girl deliberately bumped into her, spilling water from a glass she was holding. "Are you blind? Can't you see where you're going?" Elena exclaimed, her temper flaring.

The girl smirked, her eyes flashing with malice. "Wait, did you just talk to me?" Elena retorted, her voice firm. "If I recall correctly, I'm much older than you, and you should show some respect."

The girl laughed, her voice dripping with condescension. "You think you're better than me? My father can take away your position as CEO. You're nothing without him."

Elena's anger boiled over, and she snapped, "Shut up! He's my father too."

The girl's smile grew wider. " your father??, I doubt it. Maybe your mother slept with someone else and passed you off as my father's daughter."

Before the girl could finish her vicious remark, Elena slapped her, her palm connecting with a resounding crack. "You dare not say that about me!"

The second wife clara stormed into the house,, her bodyguards and entourage in tow, carrying the numerous shopping bags from her earlier excursion.

The girl's face contorted in fake tears as she wailed, "mom,mom,elena slapped me!"

Her mother's eyes flashed with anger as she approached elena slapping her across the face before Elena could even defend herself.

The slap from her stepmother sent Elena reeling, but she quickly regained her composure. "Is this all you've got" Elena spat, her eyes blazing with anger. "You snatched your friend's husband. My mom was your friend, wasn't she?"

The stepmother's face twisted in a snarl. "Shut up! She's not my friend. That witch wasn't my friend. She stole my husband, and I took him back. She had you a bastard, and she passed you off as my husband's daughter."

Elena laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "You're lying. You manipulated my father into marrying you."

Her stepmother's eyes flashed with anger, and she slapped Elena again, sending her crashing to the floor. "Don't you dare..Don't you dare open your filthy mouth to speak to me like that!"

The maids watching the scene unfold exchanged sympathetic glances. They had witnessed Elina's stepmother's cruelty before, but it still shocked them.

As Elena struggled to her feet, her stepmother turned to her daughter. "I don't want to see you associating with this witch. Let's go."

As they walked away, the daughter asked, "Mom, are you preparing for father's birthday party tomorrow?"

The stepmother smiled. "Oh, yes. Your father and I have prepared everything. Make sure you wear something nice."

Elena watched them leave, feeling a deep sadness wash over her. Her father didn't care about her, and her stepmother's cruelty knew no bounds. She had traded forty years of her life to save her mother, and now she wondered if it was all worth it. Who would take care of her mother when she was gone? The thought filled her with a sense of despair, and she struggled to hold back her tears.

Elena's stomach growled with hunger as she headed to the kitchen. "I need something to eat," she told the head maid.

The maid looked at her with a mixture of sympathy and apology. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I was instructed not to give you food."

Elena's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean? Who gave you those instructions?"

The head maid hesitated before answering, "I'm sorry, ma'am.the head maid walked away.

Elena's anger simmered just below the surface. She quickly ran to her room, changed into a pair of ripped jeans, a baggy top, and sneakers. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and headed outside.

As she approached the cars, the guards stopped her. "I'm sorry, ma'am. We've been instructed not to let you take any of the cars."

Elena's eyes flashed with anger. "What? This is my father's house! Are you aware of that?"

The guards bowed apologetically. "We're sorry, ma'am. Those were the iinstructions."

Elena glanced around at the numerous cars parked in the compound. She was not even allowed to take one of those. The only car she had access to was the one her secretary had taken home.

Elena's hunger and frustration got the better of her. She headed out into the night, searching for a place to eat. After satisfying her hunger, she strolled around, not wanting to return home yet.

As she walked, she felt a presence behind her. She turned around, but there was no one there. Shrugging it off, she continued walking.

She stopped at a drink store and grabbed a bottle of liquor. As she drank, her thoughts turned to her miserable life. Why was she treated this way? Why did her father not care about her?

As the night wore on, the drink store closed, and Elena was pushed out into the night. She sat on the sidewalk, crying.

As she stumbled home, she realized it was late, and there were no taxis available. The streets were deserted, and she was alone.

Suddenly, she sensed someone following her. She quickened her pace, but the footsteps kept pace with hers. She spun around, but there was no one there.

Her heart racing, Elena walked faster, her senses on high alert. And then, she saw - a figure standing in front of her, blocking her path.

She screamed.