Victor looked ready to explode. His entire body was coiled tight, shoulders rigid, fists clenched at his sides. One wrong word and he would snap.
Mia moved first.
Her heels clicked sharply against the floor as she stepped forward, placing herself between Victor and Leo. Her voice was calm, but it carried a clear warning.
"Let's hear what he has to say."
She turned her sharp gaze to Leo.
"So tell me, Leo Cross. What exactly are you offering? And more importantly… what makes you think we're for sale?"
Leo looked at her, a small, knowing smile touching his lips.
It would've been nice if Victor had made a move, he thought. He had been deliberately pushing Victor's buttons, hoping the man would lose control. Beating him in front of Mia would have given Leo a stronger hand. Still, the fact that she reined him in told Leo everything he needed to know about who actually held the power here.
They moved to the seating area. Mia and Leo sat opposite each other on the long leather couches. Victor walked over to the small bar in the corner, poured himself a heavy drink, and stayed standing. He was clearly pissed, jaw tight, eyes burning into Leo.
Leo's expression shifted. The lazy arrogance faded, replaced by something colder and more direct.
"I know your financial situation is bad right now," he said. "That shipment the police caught has your partners nervous. You need to supply if you want to keep generating money."
Mia crossed her legs, studying him. "So you're going to supply us with drugs?"
Leo shook his head. "I don't like getting my hands dirty with something that can tie a noose around my neck one day. I have other ideas." He looked at both of them. "What I want isn't your club. Or your money. I want you. Both of you."
Mia's fingers tapped once against her knee. She understood now — Leo had real connections. He knew about Victor's mistress when even they hadn't been able to dig up solid proof. So why would someone like him want them without any guarantee of loyalty?
"Let's say we agree to work for you," she said carefully.
Victor's head snapped toward her. "Mia—!"
She raised one hand, silencing him without looking away from Leo.
"What can you guarantee us?"
Leo's fingers drummed slowly on the arm of the chair.
"I can promise you wealth you can't even imagine right now."
Mia tilted her head. "And what exactly do you require from us?"
Leo smiled — small, sharp, and cold.
"Everything. And anything." His gaze flicked to Victor. "I know he can kill anyone with his hands… except me, of course." Then his eyes returned to Mia. "And you — sold by the yakuza as a child, forced to claw your way up until you became this capable… what more could I possibly need?"
The air in the room changed.
Victor went completely still. Mia's composed mask cracked for the first time — her eyes widened slightly, and her voice came out quieter than before.
"…How do you know about that?"
Leo stood up and extended his hand toward her.
"For now, let's just say I know every damn thing about both of you." His voice dropped, calm and final. "So. Are you willing to submit to me?"
Mia and Victor looked at each other. Victor gave a small, sharp shake of his head — don't do it. But Mia studied Leo for a long moment, then slowly stood up and took his hand.
"Deal," she said quietly. "As long as you keep your end of it… We'll do whatever you need."
Leo smiled.
"Wait for my call."
He walked over to Adam, lifted him effortlessly over one shoulder like a sack of rice, and headed for the door. Just before stepping out, he paused and glanced back. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
"I don't mind if you try to snoop around me," he said, voice calm. Then his golden irises seemed to darken, the temperature in the room dropping with his next words. "But if I see anyone near my family… I promise you, I'll kill every last one of you."
The door had barely clicked shut before Victor exploded.
He stormed back and forth across the room, his heavy footsteps echoing off the walls. His hands kept clenching and unclenching at his sides, the veins in his forearms standing out.
"Mia," he growled, voice low and rough, "do you even fucking realize what you just did?"
Mia let out a slow breath. She reached up and adjusted her glasses with two fingers, her expression tired but composed.
"It wasn't just me, Victor. You were playing right into his hands the entire time."
Victor stopped pacing and turned to her, eyes flashing with anger.
"What the hell does that mean?"
Mia didn't answer immediately. She walked over to the small bar, poured herself a drink, and knocked it back in one smooth motion. She set the glass down and finally looked at him.
"That man knows everything about us," she said quietly. "And he's not weak. You saw what he did to the twins. How the fuck do we negotiate with someone who can read us like an open book?"
Victor's jaw tightened, his voice dropping into a dangerous rumble.
"So you're fine with us becoming his goddamn dogs? After everything we bled for to get here?" His voice rose. "We got beaten, starved, and cut open… all of it just to build something of our own in this fucked-up world. And now you throw it all away for some university brat who thinks he can buy us?"
Mia's eyes flashed.
"Of course it doesn't make sense!" she snapped. "Do you think I don't know that? But what choice did we have, huh? He already had us. He knew about your mistress. He knew about my past. He walked in here, put our men on the floor, and still gave us a way out instead of putting bullets in our heads."
She exhaled, her voice lowering.
"Let's wait and see what he actually wants from us. It's not like we have anything left to lose right now. If he's the real deal… maybe he can help us get out of this life."
Victor stared at her for a long moment. The anger in his face slowly gave way to something heavier. He knew Mia had never liked the drugs and prostitution side of their business. Hearing her admit she wanted out hit him harder than he expected.
He walked over to her, his heavy footsteps quieter now. Without a word, he pulled her into a rough, sibling-like hug, one large hand resting on the back of her head.
"I'm sorry," he muttered against her hair. "I took my anger out on you. That wasn't fair."
Mia patted his arm gently, her voice quieter now.
"I know you hate bending your head to anyone, Victor. But I can't lose you." She pulled back slightly and looked up at him. "We already have enough enemies in this world. Maybe… It's not the worst thing to have an ally for once."
Victor didn't answer right away. He just held her a little tighter, his jaw still tight, but the fight had drained out of him.
**
Leo walked out of the club with Adam slung over his shoulder. He opened the passenger door of the BMW, carefully placed Adam in the seat, and fastened the seatbelt around him before shutting the door.
He got into the driver's seat, closed the door, and for a moment, just sat there in the quiet. Then he exhaled a long, heavy breath he had been holding in. His hands tightened into fists on the steering wheel before he threw his head back against the headrest.
"Hell yeah… it worked."
A low, breathless laugh escaped him.
For a brief moment, he had felt like an omniscient reader. The Information Pack had revealed everything — not just surface details about Mia and Victor's operations, but their deepest secrets. The kind of things they didn't even share. That level of leverage was dangerous… and extremely useful.
Just then, the familiar dark-blue holographic screen materialized in front of him.
[Quest Complete]
Objective: Subdue the Eclipse Gang and bring them under your influence.
Main Target: Victor "The Butcher" Kane – Leader of The Velvet Chains / Eclipse Club operations.
Status: Successful
Rewards Granted:
• System Points +15,000 System Points
• Permanent Asset Acquired:Eclipse Club - Ownership of Eclipse Club and its operations has been transferred to you as a result of subduing its leaders.
Restriction: This asset cannot be sold. You may use it as a base of power and influence. Direct monetary extraction is restricted to maintain your current standing and image.
• Corruption Acceleration +5%: Corruption applied to all linked Prey.
Mary Cross → 13% Corruption
Jennifer → 12% Corruption
Leo stared at the glowing screen for a few seconds, reading through the rewards. A slow, satisfied smile spread across his face.
"Fifteen thousand points… and actual ownership of the club," he muttered. "Not bad."
Before he could start the car, another system window appeared.
[Minor Milestone Rewards – 10% Corruption]
Mary Cross – Reached 10% Corruption
Jennifer – Reached 10% Corruption
Combined Rewards:
• $15,000 (Untraceable deposit)
• New Active Skill:Information Veil (Temporarily obscures your personal information from high-level observation or investigation)
• +2,000 System Points
• 1 Lucky Draw Ticket
Leo's phone immediately vibrated with a bank notification. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and let out a low whistle.
"Fuck… these rewards are addictive."
He dismissed the system window and looked at Adam, who was still unconscious in the passenger seat. His expression gradually turned more serious as he started the car.
The engine came to life with a low, smooth purr.
As he pulled out onto the main road and drove away from Eclipse Club, Leo's golden eyes flicked toward the rearview mirror, watching the neon sign slowly fade into the distance.
He had won this round.
But he also knew one thing clearly — Mia Ito was not the type to stay submissive for long.
And Victor Kane was a bomb that could go off at any moment.
Leo's fingers tightened slightly on the steering wheel.
"Let's see how long this alliance actually lasts."
***
/c/DevilsWhisper