My Anti-hero Fairy System

Damn. This bastard must be pissed that I took his money, Cara thought, vividly recalling taking the mortician's cash.

Bernie edged closer, the space between them shrinking by the second. Cara could practically feel Hagrit's voice stir in her mind.

[What's the plan here? Are you going to give him back the money?]

'Just watch and see, Hagrit. I'm figuring it out as we go,' Cara muttered inwardly.

Just as Bernie closed the distance to mere feet, Cara stood abruptly, slipping out of the reception area and heading toward the parking lot. She knew better than to let this confrontation play out with an audience. It was a scene that would be better handled away from prying eyes. As expected, Bernie followed her outside.

Once they were alone in the parking lot, Bernie wasted no time, his voice was sharp and venomous. "You stole from me, you cunt. Give me my money!"

"Hey, calm down. What money are you even talking about?" Cara responded, her voice laced with feigned ignorance.

"Don't play dumb with me, missy. Give me back my money—now," Bernie snapped, his tone was menacing, he took another step closer, his presence looming.

[Damn, this guy's intense. What's your plan?] Hagrit chimed in again.

'Just wait and see,' Cara thought, a small smirk tugging at her lips.

Cara crossed her arms and smirked. "Man, you seem really obsessed with this allegedly stolen money. How much exactly do you think I took?"

"You know damn well what! You stole $1,000 from my wallet last night, you thieving bitch. And now the good Lord has crossed our paths again so I can take back what's mine!" Bernie spat, his grin twisted with rage.

Cara arched a brow, the smirk on her face widening. "You think I stole from you, hence I owe you, huh? Well, what if I told you that you are the one who actually owe me? Ten grand, to be exact."

Bernie's face contorted in confusion and rage. "What the hell are you talking about? Are you insane? Did coming back from the dead fry your brain?"

"Maybe it did," Cara replied coolly, stepping closer until they were nearly nose-to-nose. "But that's irrelevant. What matters is that I know you run a necrophilia brothel in this hospital—a government facility, by the way, one my stepfather, the mayor of this town, has significant influence over. I am certain he would be very interested in hearing about it. You know all about the corpses you have desecrated."

Bernie's eyes widened in fear, but he quickly recovered, shaking his head. "You can't prove anything. And I'm not paying you a dime. For Christ's sake, you stole from me!"

Cara's smirk widened. "Oh, I can prove it. And I'll destroy your life while I'm at it. It wouldn't take much to get Darren to spill his guts. Then there'd be an investigation, and I'm sure they'd find all kinds of damning evidence, like semen samples on or inside the bodies you've desecrated. By the time it's over, you'll wish you'd never been born. You won't be able to show face anywhere in this town."

Bernie's face turned red with rage. "You're a horrible cunt! I could kill you right now, and no one would know," Bernie snarled, stepping toward her with murderous intent.

Before he could make a move, Cara grabbed his left hand and twisted it behind his back in one fluid motion. Bernie cried out in pain.

"Uh-uh. Quiet down," Cara said sharply. "Didn't you notice why I led you out here? There are CCTV cameras recording us right now. Smile for the cameras, Bernie." She nodded toward a nearby camera, its red light blinking steadily.

[You think fast.]

[Man, you think fast,] Hagrit remarked.

'I was a cop, remember? And a damn good one. Thinking and reacting fast is part of the job.'

Cara tightened her grip, leaning close to Bernie's ear, her voice a low, menacing whisper. "So, what's it going to be, Bernie? Pay me now or watch your entire life burn to the ground. Your choice."

Bernie's thoughts raced, his internal debate practically audible to Cara's mind-reading ability.

"Fine," he finally said through gritted teeth. "But I don't have that kind of money on me."

"Ever heard of Venmo?" Cara asked, pulling out her phone.

"I know what Venmo is," Bernie snapped.

Cara held up her phone, her account already open. "Good. Then transfer the money. Now."

Bernie hesitated for a moment before reluctantly pulling out his phone. As he began the transfer, he looked up at Cara, desperation in his eyes. "How do I know you won't expose me anyway?"

Cara tilted her head, pretending to consider his question. "You'll just have to trust me. It is not like you have any other options."

A moment later, Cara received the notification confirming the deposit. "Pleasure doing business with you," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Bernie's face crumpled, tears streaming down his cheeks as he realized the gravity of his situation.

"Now, get your disgusting self out of my sight."

Clutching his twisted arm, Bernie shot her a venomous glare before retreating toward the hospital.

As Bernie disappeared inside, Arlene emerged from the building, looking around before spotting Cara. "See? Fifteen minutes, just like I said. Let's go."

Cara slid into the passenger seat, her mind still buzzing from the encounter.

[Wow. You keep surprising me.]

[You literally made that man cry.]

'I have to admit, I enjoyed that more than I probably should.' Cara paused, her lips curving into a smile.

'though I'm going to expose him and Darren eventually—just not today.'

[Damn. That is wicked.]

[By the way, you've been rewarded with 500 points for blackmailing and manipulating someone.]

Hagrit was about to continue, but Cara cut him off. 'Hagrit, have I always been this… wicked? Have I always been this person who enjoys breaking people down?'

The car fell silent as Arlene drove, but Cara couldn't shake the feeling that she was no longer the person she was in her former life, and that the kind-hearted Sylvester is gone as she anticipated Hagrit's response.