The sound of sharp heels echoed through the meeting hall before the owner even appeared.
Click.
Click.
Click.
The steady rhythm immediately drew everyone's attention toward the entrance.
Then finally
The figure stepped inside.
It was Natasha.
Dressed elegantly in a fitted wine-colored dress and expensive heels, she carried herself with effortless confidence, as though she naturally belonged above everyone else in the room.
Without waiting for permission, she spoke immediately.
"Sorry I'm late," Natasha said casually while adjusting a strand of hair behind her ear. "The traffic getting here was terrible."
She glanced around the room briefly before adding,
"Can we continue now?"
A few employees exchanged confused looks instantly.
"Who is she?"
"Why is she talking like she owns the place?"
"Is she a shareholder or something?"
Whispers quietly spread across the hall.
The newer employees especially looked confused since many of them had never met Natasha before.
Christopher quickly smiled and said..
"Everyone," he said warmly, "especially the newer staff members…"
He gently gestured toward Natasha.
"This is my wife, Natasha. She's also a member of Team C."
An immediate wave of realization spread through the room.
"Ohhh…"
"So that's Natasha?"
"I've heard her name before."
"Now it makes sense."
The murmuring slowly died down.
Natasha smiled politely as though she enjoyed the attention. Nice meeting you'm all she said ..
despite appearing calm, her eyes were already scanning the room carefully.
Searching.
Looking for someone.
Then finally
Her gaze landed on Dinah Wellington.
There you are.
A faint smile curved Natasha's lips.
An empty seat beside Christopher was quickly arranged for her.
As she walked toward it gracefully, almost every eye in the room followed her movement.
Some admired her beauty.
Others admired her confidence.
A few envied her openly.
Natasha sat down elegantly beside Christopher while he handed the speaking position back to the General Manager.
Then Christopher leaned closer toward her immediately.
"Hi, darling," Natasha said softly while wrapping her arms around him in a light embrace. "I haven't seen you in days."
Her voice was perfectly controlled.
Not too loud.
Not too quiet.
Just enough for everyone nearby including Dinah to hear clearly.
"And honestly," Natasha continued dramatically, "it's been really hard for me."
Several employees instantly smiled.
Christopher also smiled warmly before pulling her slightly closer.
But both of them secretly had their attention elsewhere.
Dinah.
Natasha purposely watched her reaction.
Christopher too.
Yet
Dinah remained completely indifferent.
She sat calmly in her seat replying to messages on her phone as though nothing around her concerned her in the slightest.
No jealousy.
No bitterness.
No sadness.
Nothing.
Christopher's chest tightened unexpectedly.
That indifference somehow hurt more than anger would have.
Still trying to maintain appearances, Christopher leaned down and gave Natasha a light peck on the lips.
"I missed you too," he replied gently.
The meeting hall instantly erupted into laughter and teasing cheers.
"Aww!"
"They're so in love!"
"Couple goals!"
The atmosphere became lively immediately.
Natasha smiled proudly.
But her eyes unconsciously drifted toward Dinah again.
Still no reaction.
Not even a glance.
It irritated her slightly.
Across the room, Miss Chan watched the entire scene with satisfaction.
A triumphant smile slowly appeared on her face.
Serves her right, she thought.
Everyone in the office knew Christopher was the man Dinah once loved deeply.
The same Christopher who abandoned her and later eloped with her supposed best friend.
Miss Chan still remembered how devastated they said Dinah looked back then.
And now?
Seeing Christopher publicly affectionate with Natasha should have hurt her.
At least that was what Miss Chan expected.
But Dinah's complete indifference confused her deeply.
Was she pretending?
Or had she truly moved on?
Even some older employees secretly glanced at Dinah curiously.
But seeing her calm expression, they quietly dropped the matter.
Nobody wanted unnecessary drama during the meeting.
However
One person in the room was no longer paying attention to the romance display at all.
Benny Smith.
Since Natasha entered the hall, Benny's eyes had remained locked on her completely.
And the longer she stared…
The more horrified she became.
Impossible…
Benny's fingers tightened slowly around the cup in her hand.
As a demon born from one of the oldest bloodlines in existence, Benny could naturally sense darkness inside souls.
Humans carried traces of negative energy all the time.
Greed.
Hatred.
Jealousy.
Those emotions were normal.
But Natasha…
Natasha was different.
Terrifyingly different.
Benny could practically see the thick aura of evil surrounding her soul like black smoke.
And the smell
Jeez…
It was revolting.
Even lower-ranked demons Benny knew throughout the underworld had never accumulated this much evil energy naturally.
Most demons required centuries of slaughter, manipulation, and corruption before their souls darkened this heavily.
Yet Natasha was still human.
Young.
Mortal.
And somehow…
Already overflowing with darkness.
Benny's breathing slowed.
The realization unsettled her deeply.
Humans were born with conscience.
Empathy.
Regret.
Because of that, the corruption level within a normal human soul rarely exceeded ten percent.
Anything beyond that became dangerous.
But Natasha
Benny could sense nearly forty percent Evil inside her soul.
Forty.
That was monstrous.
No wonder her presence felt unbearable.
No wonder her soul smelled rotten.
It meant Natasha had committed countless evil acts without genuine remorse.
Without empathy.
Without regret.
And if things continued this way…
Benny's eyes narrowed darkly.
If Natasha ever crossed fifty percent corruption
She would no longer remain fully human.
She would become something else entirely.
A Human Demon.
One of the rarest and most dangerous abnormalities in existence.
A phenomenon that only appeared once every several thousand years.
The terrifying part?
Human Demons were often worse than actual demons.
Because unlike demons who understood the laws of the supernatural world…
Corrupted humans operated purely on obsession and chaos.
But there was an even darker consequence.
If Natasha ever genuinely regretted her actions before fully crossing into corruption
Her soul would collapse entirely into the Void.
Complete annihilation.
No reincarnation.
No afterlife.
No judgment.
Nothing.
Her existence itself would simply disappear forever.
Benny slowly looked away.
For the first time in centuries…
A human genuinely unsettled her.