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Blood

"Darling, take this first aid kit", Alice's mother tenderly passed the first aid kit and softly urged.

With utmost care, Alisha led Alice to the sofa, then knelt before him to attend to his injury. As she tended to his wound, Alice's gaze never left her.

"She's my guardian angel. Unfazed by my blood staining her dress, she cares only for me," Alice pondered, looking at her with newfound admiration.

Alice's mother noticed a longing in his eyes, something she had never seen before, a desire he kept hidden. She understood he yearned for this girl, yet she feared that his darkness might consume her purity.

"If Alice truly desires something, he'll stop at nothing to attain it," she thought, her mind troubled by it.

Once Alisha had finished dressing Alice's wound, she gently declared, "Alright, I must be on my way now. Mr. Alice, promise me you won't harm yourself or others."

Alice snapped out of his daze, but her words ignited a storm of anger within him. "How dare she lecture me as she leaves?" he seethed silently.

"Alisha, at least change your dress; it's stained with blood," Alice's mother advised.

Alisha paused, then replied graciously, "It's alright, Auntie. My mother must be worried about me too. I didn't return to the orphanage last night either."

Alice's eyes widened in surprise, and he questioned, "You're an orphan? But when I asked before, you said you had a mother. What's the truth?"

Alisha smiled softly, explaining, "I'm the eldest at the orphanage, so I call the owner 'mother.' But Mr. Alice, I want you to know something. In all my life, I've never met anyone as cruel as you. You took an innocent life, and I hope never to cross paths with you again."

After Alisha's departure, Alice's thoughts consumed him. He realised his angel was an orphan, and her words cut deep. "Yes, they all think I'm heartless," he contemplated. "But her words sting. She left me in this abyss, taking her radiance with her."

Alice's mother watched him silently, knowing he desired Alisha. She believed she could be the beacon of hope he desperately needed.

Alice storms out of the house, his mind consumed by one question: "Why has my angel left me?"

He spots the negligent guard who had failed in his duty, allowing an intruder into his home. Anger courses through Alice as he approaches the trembling guard, declaring, "You haven't forgotten what I told you. You will pay for letting that intruder into my house."

The guard stammers,"I'm sorry, sir," as he continues to tremble.

"You know that Alice Sharma doesn't forgive mistakes," Alice asserts, watching the guard's fear intensify.

"Yeah, yeah, okay," Alice's conscience taunts him about his initial indifference to the girl. He responds with a dismissive shrug, saying.

"So, your punishment..." Alice begins, his voice dangerously calm, "how about death?"

"Sir, please don't! I have children to feed, a wife, and an ailing mother who depends on me for her treatment," The guard pleads.

Alice remains unswayed, saying, "It doesn't matter to me. I pay you to do your job, which you didn't do properly."

The guard's tears flow freely, catching the attention of Alice's mother, who comes outside to investigate the commotion.

Approaching Alice, she asks, "What happened? Why is the guard crying?"

"Mom, he's going to die today because he didn't do his job when someone intruded into our house."

His mother, shocked by his response, implores, "Alice, he's a human being. How can you take a life for a mistake?"

"That's precisely why I'm punishing him, Mom. Because he's human, and this world has no room for those who make mistakes," he retorted.

His mother tries to reason, "Alice, making mistakes is part of human nature. They teach us, and we learn from them."

Alice remains resolute, saying, "Mom, there's no place for forgiveness in my dictionary. This is my final decision."

His mother, deep in thought, contemplates how to save the guard. She eventually says to the guard, "You can go."

The guard leaves, still trembling and in tears, leaving Alice furious. Through gritted teeth, he asks his mother, "Why did you do that?"

His mother explains, "The guard made a mistake, but you met that girl, right?."

"I know, so what?"

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