IN THE WAKE OF THE SILENT TYCOON

Ten empty glasses were scattered across the table in one of the private rooms of a bar tucked away in the corner of the city. Jaxon swayed unsteadily before collapsing to the floor.

“Mom… I still haven’t found your killer…”

The VVIP room door suddenly swung open. A woman in a black uniform, a name tag reading Callie, stared at him in shock. Seeing Jaxon lying on the floor left her momentarily frozen.

“My goodness, sir!” she exclaimed, rushing forward.

But before Callie could pull her hand back, Jaxon suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer. Their breaths caught for a moment as the distance between them disappeared.

Impulsively, without any explanation, Jaxon lowered his head and pressed his lips to Callie’s. A jolt ran through her body, but before she could protest, the kiss deepened, urgent and overwhelming, shaking them both.

Their bodies pressed together, the world outside the room fading away—just the two of them, heavy breaths and a night that burned with intensity. What had started as an ordinary night had now turned into something unexpected—the beginning of a relationship that would never be the same.

The passionate night finally ended. Jaxon woke precisely at three in the morning, the piercing ring of his phone cutting through the silence.

His head felt heavy. Jaxon’s eyes widened as he noticed the beautiful woman still asleep beside him.

“Damn… what a mess,” he muttered.

He then answered the call coming from Austin, his assistant.

Without another word, Jaxon ended the call and looked back at the woman.

He placed a thousand-dollar bill in her coat pocket.

The corridor was quiet, the dim lighting reflecting off the polished floor. His breath still heavy from the night before, he headed toward the elevator.

Suddenly, from the corner of the hallway, he spotted a figure that made him freeze. A tall man, wearing a black mask and dark sunglasses, was striding purposefully toward the VVIP room where Callie had been.

Panic surged through Jaxon. What…? What is he going to do to Callie?

He pressed himself against the wall, hiding in the shadows, peeking out cautiously.

The man looked toward the room and spoke in a calm but firm voice, “Miss Callie, what are you doing here? Why haven’t you gone home? Master is very concerned about your whereabouts!”

“Um, I… Ah, why didn’t you contact me? How did you even know I was here?!” Callie’s voice sounded nervous.

Jaxon tensed. Master? Miss?

“Of course I know where you are, Miss Callie. It’s best if we go home now, since you also need to attend the meeting at breakfast,” the man continued.

Her question caught Jaxon off guard.

Callie said nothing further, and their footsteps drew closer to the door. The sound of the VVIP room door opening reached Jaxon’s ears. He crouched in the hallway, watching the man guide Callie out, slowly toward the elevator.

Jaxon waited several seconds, holding his breath, until they entered and the elevator doors closed.

Only then did he step toward another elevator, pressing the button a few minutes after them. He had to be careful—not to be seen. His mind raced: there was more to Callie than he had ever imagined, and his curiosity now outweighed any guilt from last night.

"Who is this woman really… and what’s her connection to the Master he mentioned? Why do I feel like something’s off? I need to find out about Callie," Jaxon thought.