The soft golden glow of the chandelier cast a lazy warmth across the grand bedroom.
Silk curtains swayed gently in the breeze from the half-open balcony, their movement a slow dance against the marble floor. The scent of imported cologne and expensive wine lingered in the air.
Lucien LaRue reclined in a deep leather armchair, a silk robe half-draped over his sculpted frame. His golden hair, neatly combed back, caught the light with every slight tilt of his head.
On either side of him were two breathtaking women, both bare, their skin glistening with oil after massaging his shoulders and chest. One of them leaned in close, whispering something flirtatious into his ear. Lucien smirked. The other trailed her fingers slowly down his chest, laughing whenever he let out a pleased sigh.
Despite the luxurious scene, Lucien's eyes were focused on the screen of his phone. He tapped a number and placed the device on speaker, his smile vanishing as the line connected.
Miles away, parked along a shadowy stretch of emergency lane, four black sedans sat idle. The vehicles bore visible battle scars—dents, scrapes, and bulletproof glass cracked from the failed ambush earlier.
Inside one of the cars, Mike and Taison sat in tense silence. The engine hummed softly beneath them, but it wasn't the sound they were worried about—it was the voice they were about to hear.
Mike adjusted his glasses. Taison stared at the steering wheel like it had answers.
Then, the phone rang once… twice… and connected.
Lucien's voice drifted through, casual but cold.
"What the hell happened?"
Mike cleared his throat, choosing his words carefully. "Young master… we regret to report the mission didn't go as planned."
There was a pause. They braced for an explosion of rage.
But instead, Lucien chuckled.
"Oh? You failed?" he asked, amused—as if they'd just told him a joke.
Mike blinked, thrown off. "Yes, sir. The vehicle was heavily reinforced. And the driver… he was highly trained. We couldn't intercept them. We failed to retrieve the target."
He deliberately avoided mentioning Mark's name.
Lucien hummed in thought, then leaned back and gestured lazily for a refill. One of the women gracefully poured wine into a crystal glass. He swirled it once, then took a slow sip.
"That's disappointing," Lucien said, voice like velvet. "But expected."
Taison frowned, confused. "Young master… weren't we ordered to bring the woman in?"
Lucien rolled his eyes. "Yes, I said that yesterday. But kidnapping Jessica Moore? That was never going to end well."
The two women beside him giggled again. One kissed his neck. The other whispered, "She's not worth your time anyway."
Lucien ignored them.
"Besides," he continued, "what would I even do with her once she's here? Keep her tied up like some low-budget villain?" He scoffed. "No. That's not how I win."
Mike muttered under his breath, "Since when did he care about winning with dignity…"
Taison shook his head, finishing the thought aloud. "This guy… he's unbelievable."
Lucien, oblivious or simply unbothered, stretched out with a satisfied sigh. "The truth is, I'd rather have her choose me willingly. A woman like Jessica needs to be shown what kind of life I can offer her—elegance, power, desire. Not threats and cages."
The woman on his right stroked his chest. "She'll fall for you eventually, young master. Who could resist?"
Lucien grinned. "Exactly. I'm Lucien LaRue. I never lose… I simply let the game play out."
Back in the sedan, Mike rubbed his temples. "So what's next, sir?"
Lucien sipped his wine, thoughtful. "No more reckless attacks. No more brute force. If you push too hard, people push back harder. This needs finesse."
"Understood," both men replied.
Lucien smirked. "Good. Now leave me to my distractions. I've had a long day."
The call ended.
Silence lingered for a beat inside the car.
Taison exhaled sharply. "I swear, working under this guy is like babysitting a rich lunatic."
Mike nodded slowly. "Maybe. But never forget—he's a LaRue. Spoiled or not, he's dangerous. And he's playing the long game now."
Taison stared through the windshield. "Which makes him even worse."
***
As Mark drove smoothly along the highway, his phone vibrated softly on the dashboard. He quickly looked at it and saw a message from an unknown number.
Curious, he tapped the screen to read the message.
Unknown: [Stand down. The chase ends here. Today's target was Jessica Moore. Ethan Cole should be cautious—he's next on the list. 160703.]
'160703...' Mark thought. 'That means only one thing,'
Mark's expression hardened as he processed the message. Without a word, he eased off the pedal and signaled toward the exit for the nearest Rest and Recovery Station.
The car smoothly glided off the highway and into the parking lot of the station.
Jordan, sitting in the passenger seat, frowned and glanced at Mark. "Uh, Mark? Why are we stopping here? Is everything okay?"
Mark didn't respond right away. He kept his focus as he looked for anything strange. Finally, he parked the car near the convenience store at the station and turned off the engine.
Jordan looked around and felt uneasy. "This doesn't feel right. Also, where are all the cars? It's a highway. Shouldn't there be more people here? A gunfight like that should've caused a scene, right?"
Ethan, who had been quiet in the back seat, leaned forward a bit. He looked thoughtful.
"You noticed it too," he said. His voice was calm, but it showed he was realizing something.
He glanced at Mark, who met his eyes briefly before nodding.
"That means they're really powerful," Ethan continued, his tone measured. "More powerful than I thought. The fact that they didn't hesitate to pull something like that in broad daylight..."
He paused. Both Jessica and Jordan were waiting to listen more. "This means they control more than we imagined. The roads, the response times, and even the absence of witnesses. They've covered every angle."
Jessica, sitting beside Ethan, swallowed hard. Her face was pale, and her hands gripped the edge of her seat.
"You're saying… they planned for all of this? That's insane."
Ethan nodded, his gaze distant. "I believe it's not just planning. It's influence. When you have that much power, you can bend the world around you to hide things in plain sight."
"Everything Ethan said was on point." Mark turned to the group, his expression grim but steady. "And they're showing us how much they have."
Everyone paused for a moment. They all felt the heavy realization. Mark stayed calm because he understood a lot about their world.
He then took a deep breath and broke the heavy silence.
"Let's rest here for a while," he said, his voice calm but firm. "Get something to eat, stretch your legs. What just happened must have been too much for you all."
Jordan raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure it's safe here? After what just happened?"
Mark nodded, his expression steady and reassuring. "No need to worry anymore. We're safe."
Ethan leaned forward slightly, his gaze questioning. "Mark, is everything really alright?"
Mark met Ethan's eyes and gave a small nod. "Yes. For now, we're fine. We're not being followed anymore."
Jessica took a shaky breath, feeling relieved. Jordan looked at Mark with doubt but chose not to ask more questions.
Mark unlocked the car doors. "Let's head inside. While we eat, I'll explain everything."
The group got out of the car and looked around the quiet Rest and Recovery Station.
Ethan, Jordan, and Jessica followed Mark closely, their eyes scanning for any sign of danger.
They entered one of the fast-food restaurants there, where the smell of fried food and coffee filled the air. Inside, a family with two kids sat at one table, and a truck driver quietly sipped coffee at another.
Mark gestured toward the counter. "Order whatever you like," he said, his tone casual but firm. "You all need to eat."
Jessica hesitated, glancing at Ethan and Jordan.
"I'm not moving far from you, Mark," she muttered, her unease clear.
Jordan nodded in agreement, his usually playful demeanor replaced with wary seriousness. "Yeah, same here. I'm not taking any chances when it involves bullets."
Mark sighed, folding his arms. "Relax. They won't target us here. For now, we're in the clear."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "You sound confident, Mark. But why? What's changed?"
Mark did not reply right away. Instead, he took out his phone and opened the message he received. He showed it to Ethan, who read it quickly before passing it to Jessica and Jordan.
Jordan frowned more as he read the message. "You're just going to believe them? How do you know this isn't a trap?"
Jessica's eyes grew wide. "Wait… I was the target?!" Her voice was low, but her shock was clear. "If I'd been alone…"
Her words trailed off, and her hand gripped the table edge tightly. Ethan tried to comfort her, his voice calm. "Jessica, you're not alone. You're safe. That's what matters."
He turned his attention back to Mark. "But Jordan's right. How can you be so sure? Is it because of the numbers at the end of the message? What do they mean?"
Mark leaned back slightly, his expression unreadable. "Those numbers, 160703, are the date of one of my missions. A mission I shared with two men… Mike and Taison. They were in the last car we passed during the chase."
Ethan's eyes narrowed as he processed the information. "Mike and Taison… Are they your old comrades?"
Mark nodded, his voice steady. "We lost touch years ago. But seeing them in that car and then receiving this message with those numbers, it's not a coincidence. It's their way of letting me know they were there and that, for now, we're not in immediate danger."
Jessica still looked pale, her mind racing as she tried to piece everything together. "But why? Why would they send you a warning if they were chasing us?"
Mark exhaled, leaning slightly forward, his voice measured but serious. "Based on how this unfolded and the fact that Jessica was the target, I'm almost certain Mike and Taison are working for the LaRue family."
Jessica blinked, her shock deepening. "The LaRue family? As in… one of the Great Families you mentioned earlier?"
Mark nodded. "Yes. Specifically, they were likely sent by Lucien LaRue, one of the five main heirs of the family."
Jordan frowned, confusion etched across his face. "Wait, hold on. Why would some heir to a powerful family like the LaRues go to all this trouble just to kidnap Jessica? That doesn't make any sense."
Mark paused for a moment, his expression turning slightly awkward as he considered how best to explain.
Finally, he sighed, resigned to the truth. "Lucien… let's just say he's not known for his restraint. He's… the horny kind of young master."
For a moment, everyone was silent. Then, Ethan, Jessica, and Jordan showed looks of disgust and confusion.
Jordan was the first to speak. He threw his hands up and said, "So, let me get this straight. This guy decided to attack us, chase us down the highway, and shoot at us… just because he likes Jessica?"
Mark shrugged, his tone matter-of-fact. "That's how people work when they have power. They don't think about consequences. They just act on their impulses, knowing they can cover it up later."
Jessica looked incredulous. "That's insane. I mean, who does something like that?"
Mark's lips thinned into a line. "People like Lucien LaRue."
Ethan asked a pointed question. "Mark, do you think Mike and Taison sent you that message because they disagree with Lucien's methods? Or did they send it because they recognized you and wanted to prevent a conflict?"
Mark thought about this for a moment, looking away as he considered the possibilities. "It could be a mix of things. Lucien might have realized this plan was foolish, or Mike and Taison might have stepped in because they didn't agree with his orders. But…"
He paused, his tone softening. "It could also be because of the history we share."
Jessica leaned forward slightly, her curiosity piqued. "History? What kind of history?"
Mark's jaw tightened, and for a moment, he looked like he might not respond. Then his expression softened slightly, revealing some vulnerability. "We served together in the army. We've been through a lot. Some bonds don't break easily, no matter how much time passes."
The room fell silent, the weight of Mark's words settling over them. Ethan, ever observant, nodded slightly. "That makes sense. If they sent you that message, it wasn't just about stopping the mission. It was their way of protecting you and us."
"Maybe. Or maybe they have their own plans. Either way, we are safe for now. That's what matters most," Mark concluded.
Jordan sat back in his chair and breathed out sharply. "This feels like something from a bad soap opera. A horny young master, secret army buddies, and a Great Family pulling strings. Let's bet on what's next? I call ninjas."
Jessica rolled her eyes, but a slight smile appeared on her lips. "Jordan, not helping."
Ethan looked at Mark. "We must not underestimate anyone as we move ahead. Not the LaRues, and not whoever else might be watching."
Mark nodded, his expression resolute. "Agreed. We stay alert. Always."