The following morning, Jane arrived early at Kingsley Imperial Holdings, the prestigious corporate empire where Donald had recently assumed leadership. The company headquarters towered over the surrounding buildings, its gleaming glass exterior reflecting the early morning sunlight. Every time Jane walked through its revolving doors, she still found it difficult to believe she worked there. Only a few weeks earlier, she had been desperately searching for employment after her family's business collapsed. Now she was employed in one of the most respected companies in the city. And even more unbelievable... Donald Smith was the Managing Director. She adjusted her identification badge and greeted the security officers with a polite smile before making her way towards the executive floor. "Good morning, Miss Wilson." "Good morning." She smiled back warmly. Soon she reached her office. Her desk was already stacked neatly with files that had arrived before she did. She sat down a

Jane did not hesitate. "I need you to do something for me." Her friend frowned immediately. "What is it?" Jane glanced around her room before lowering her voice, as though she wanted to make sure no one else could hear the conversation. "I remember something you once told me." Her friend sounded confused. "What was that?" Jane answered quietly. "You once mentioned that your boyfriend has a friend." "My boyfriend's friend?" "Yes." "The one everyone whispers about." The moment those words left Jane's mouth, her friend's expression changed. She immediately became uneasy. "What about him?" Jane continued speaking as though she had already rehearsed the conversation in her mind. "I've heard stories." "I heard he associates with underworld groups." "I heard people fear him because of the kind of things he does." "They say he's ruthless." "They say he's villainous." "They say nobody wants to cross him because of his reputation." Her friend's heartbeat seemed to quicken.

Jane sat on the edge of her bed with her phone still in her hand. The conversation with the mysterious man had ended only moments earlier. Even though the call was over, his deep, emotionless voice continued to echo in her mind. "When you've made your decision, call again." She drew a long, slow breath. "I've already made up my mind." The words came out almost as a whisper. She stared down at the phone resting in her palm. For a brief moment, she wondered whether she should simply delete the number and forget everything that had happened. But that thought disappeared almost as quickly as it came. She convinced herself that she had already come too far to turn back. Opening her banking application, she stared at her available balance. It was nowhere near enough. She mentally calculated the amount she needed again. The numbers refused to change. She sighed heavily. Without allowing herself time to think further, she navigated to the online loan portal she had reviewed ear

One of his trusted men nodded after checking the location they had traced. "Our information matches, sir." Donald clenched his fists. "Ivy is inside." The confirmation erased any remaining doubt. He had feared they might arrive too late or discover they had been sent to the wrong place. Instead, every piece of information pointed to the abandoned building before them. Donald stared at the worn structure for a brief moment. Its broken windows and weathered walls gave it an eerie appearance. The place looked deserted from the outside, yet he knew better. Someone was inside. More importantly, Ivy was inside. Without wasting another second, he signalled for his team to move. The men immediately sprang into action. Following the plan they had discussed during the journey, they spread out around the building, covering every possible exit before Donald led the advance through the front entrance. No one was going to leave unnoticed. Every route had been accounted for. Donald t

Jane remained seated on the edge of her bed long after the phone call had ended. The silence in the room felt almost unbearable. Every time she closed her eyes, she heard the ruthless man's voice once again. "We don't refund money." Her jaw tightened. Five hundred thousand. It had disappeared just like that. She had borrowed the money, believing it would solve her biggest problem. Instead, it had only created another one. She slowly stood and walked towards the window. The evening sun cast long shadows across the compound outside, but Jane hardly noticed. Her thoughts were fixed on only one thing. Donald. "I've come too far to stop now," she whispered to herself. "No." "I won't give up." She folded her arms tightly. "If one plan failed, I'll think of another." "I refuse to lose him." Her breathing gradually became steadier. The frustration she had been feeling slowly transformed into determination. She had made mistakes. She admitted that. Hiring dangerous men had