What motivates some people to want to see those around them in misery?

and will even go out of their way, at considerable cost, monetary and time, to achieve this? The person in question has everything she would need in worldly terms, money, property which she holds dear. She can be extremely charming when she wants and can influence others easily to her way of thinking. She has all the potential to be "good", but in the end after she is got what she wants from you she will devour you, with devastating consequences to the victim. She takes a lot of pleasure seeing those around her languishing in the gutter of life, even those who are supposed to be closest to her.