As soon as Dante stepped out of the office building, the weight of yesterday's events came crashing back onto his shoulders, dragging his mood down instantly.It was the very reason he had come to work today in the first place.For the first time in his life, he had willingly buried himself in work.From the moment he arrived at the company that morning, he had locked himself inside his office. His computer sat before him while he monitored ongoing operations, reviewed reports, approved transactions, and signed every document that required his attention. One after another, he did all the work with ease.For the few hours he buried himself in work, he had forgotten the anxiety that almost caused him to lose his mind last night.The constant interaction with his subordinates had helped.Watching employees move around with purpose, seeing departments function smoothly under his leadership, and listening to brief reports from managers had provided an unexpected distraction.It reminded hi

“Is this really you I’m seeing?”The voice came from above, carrying a mixture of surprise and amusement.Dante instinctively looked up.A middle-aged man dressed in a white doctor’s coat was making his way down the staircase. A stethoscope hung loosely around his neck, swinging lightly with every step.His eyes were fixed on Dante as though he had just encountered someone he never expected to see again.Dante’s brows knitted together.He carefully studied the approaching figure, trying to place the face somewhere within his memory.The man looked familiar in the vague way strangers sometimes did, but no matter how hard he searched, he couldn’t find a single memory attached to him.Instead, the harder he tried, the more confused he became.“I bet you didn’t recognize me?” the man said with a chuckle.Dante remained silent for a moment.From the coat and stethoscope alone, he could already tell that this was the doctor he had come to see.His anticipation to see the doctor had now vani

It was only when Maverick told Dante he had been granted amnesty that Dante finally believed him.Until that moment, he had been prepared for the worst.The instant Maverick introduced himself, countless possibilities had flashed through Dante's mind; none of them were pleasant.He had thought Maverick was being used by the Serpent Gang to trace Greg's adversaries. The hospital itself had appeared suspicious to him, especially for the fact it was newly established.For all he knew, the Serpent Gang could have invested money into building the hospital solely to monitor him. They had resources. They had influence. Creating a medical facility wouldn't even be difficult for people like them.That possibility had seemed more believable than Maverick standing before him as a harmless doctor.Even when Maverick calmly revealed his identity and explained his circumstances, Dante had remained tense throughout the conversation.Every instinct in his body had warned him to stay alert. His muscle

“I told you it would work,” Dorothy said as their glasses clinked together with a sharp chime, a toast to what they both considered a successful victory.The sound lingered in the air as the mother and daughter exchanged satisfied smiles.“Mom, you're amazing,” Giulia confessed, unable to contain the excitement bubbling inside her.Even now, she could hardly believe it.Dante had been fooled. He's completely outplayed.The thought alone filled her with a sense of triumph she had never experienced before. For weeks, Dante had always seemed ten steps ahead of her.Every conversation with him felt like a chess match where he already knew every possible move before it happened. He was observant, calculating, and annoyingly difficult to deceive.Yet somehow, they had managed to do exactly that.Giulia lifted her glass and took another sip before setting it back on the table.“I thought he was some kind of master strategist,” she scoffed. “How did he not see any of this coming?”A laugh esc

Dante had just finished eating dinner when his phone suddenly rang.The sharp vibration against the table broke the silence that had settled inside the small apartment. He barely spared it a glance.He wasn't expecting any calls, so he didn't want to answer.Since returning to the ghetto, Dante had gone back to the low-profile lifestyle he was known for.He kept to himself, minded his business, and avoided anything capable of disrupting the fragile peace he had managed to build around himself.However, he was working underground on apprehending the remnants of the serpent gang.With the vital information about the serpent gang Maverick had provided him, the job has become easier for him.The phone continued ringing. Annoyed, Dante frowned but remained seated.A few seconds later, the ringing stopped."Finally." Dante leaned back in his chair and released a breath.Then the phone rang again. His jaw tightened.The sound echoed through the one-room apartment, filling every corner of the