Morning sunlight filtered through the mansion’s windows.
Jay yawned as she stepped into the quiet hallway.
“Where is everyone?” she murmured.
As she walked downstairs, she heard a weak voice.
“Help…
please…”
She stopped.
The voice came from a storage room near the basement.
Curious, she slowly pushed the heavy door open.
Her eyes widened.
A man sat tied to a wooden chair.
Thick ropes bound his wrists and ankles.
His face was covered in bruises, and old scars marked his body.
Blood stained the corner of his lips.
He looked at Jay with desperate eyes.
“Please…
untie me.”
Jay hesitated.
“Who are you?”
“They’ll kill me…
Please…”
His breathing was uneven.
“I’m innocent.”
Jay looked around.
The room was empty.
No guards.
No one was watching.
After a few moments, she walked behind the chair.
“I’ll help you.”
She untied one knot…
Then another…
Finally, the ropes fell to the floor.
The man stood up slowly.
Jay smiled faintly.
“Come with me.
I’ll—”
Without warning—
BAM!
The man slammed both hands into her shoulders.
Jay was thrown backward.
She hit the marble floor with a painful thud.
“Ah…”
The man smirked.
“Stupid girl.”
He ran out of the room.
At that exact moment—
WHOOP!
WHOOP!
WHOOP!
The mansion alarms blared.
Red emergency lights flashed.
Guards stormed through the corridors.
“Seal every exit!”
“Find the traitor!”
Heavy footsteps echoed.
Then…
Keifer appeared.
His black shirt was slightly unbuttoned, his eyes colder than ice.
He immediately saw Jay on the floor.
Then he saw the cut ropes.
His expression darkened.
In three long strides, he reached her.
He grabbed her wrist harshly and pulled her to her feet.
“Why did you do that?”
her back hit the wall
Jay winced.
“K-Keifer…”
His grip tightened.
“Answer me damn it !” he shouted
She tried to speak.
“I…
I…”
Keifer’s free hand gripped her jaw firmly, forcing her to look into his furious eyes.
“Say it.”
His voice was dangerously calm.
“Why did you untie him?”
“I thought…”
” Say it Damn it!”
His shout echoed through the hallway.
“Jay!”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I…
I thought he needed help…”
Keifer laughed bitterly.
“You know who he is?”
Jay slowly shook her head.
“He betrayed us.”
Silence.
“He sold our locations.”
“Because of him…”
“…three of my men never came home.”
Jay’s breathing stopped.
Keifer’s voice became colder.
“They had families.”
“They had children.”
“They died because of him.”
Jay’s lips trembled.
“I…
I didn’t know…”
“You didn’t think.”
The words hit harder than a slap.
The guards lowered their heads.
No one dared interrupt.
Keifer released her jaw but continued holding her wrist.
“You think this world is about mercy?”
“It isn’t.”
“You show mercy…”
“…people die.”
Jay couldn’t even meet his eyes.
She whispered,
“I’m sorry…”
Keifer looked at the red marks forming on her wrist where he had grabbed her.
For just a split second…
His anger faltered.
He let go immediately.
The guard ran toward them.
“Boss!”
“We caught him.”
Keifer didn’t even look away from Jay.
“Take him.”
The guard nodded.
“Alive?”
Keifer’s eyes turned emotionless.
“Alive.”
“He’ll answer for what he did.”
The guards dragged the struggling traitor past them.
The man glared at Jay and laughed.
“You’re too soft for this world.”
Jay stood frozen.
Keifer walked past her without another word.
Before disappearing down the hallway, he stopped.
Without turning around, he said in a cold voice,
“From today onward…”
“You don’t interfere in mafia matters.”
Then he walked away.
Jay remained standing alone in the silent corridor, realizing that in Keifer’s world, compassion wasn’t rewarded.
It was a weakness others were willing to exploit.