"Now talk"
The man swallowed hard, his throat bobbing as he tried to force the words out. His whole body trembled, the pain in his hands a constant reminder of the price of silence.
Finally, he cracked, the words spilling from his lips in a frantic rush. "It was… Ch... Chen Tian" he cried, his voice cracking with emotion. "He sent me, He… he wanted me to infiltrate your organization… to get close to you… and report back to him"
His confession hung like a dark cloud, the name "Chen Tian" echoing through the room.
Liling's gaze flickered to Li Hao, she wanted to see his reaction. Despite not having the full picture of what was happening within his syndicate, she understood that betrayal in this circle was unforgivable and often resulted in death.
The man continued to speak, his words tumbling out between sobs. "Please… I didn't have a choice. He... He threatened my family, my children… I had to do what it or he would kill them. I swear, I didn't want to do it… I was just trying to protect my family"
Li Hao remained composed, his face a mask of calm fury. He straightened up as he contemplated the man's confession. His eyes were dark and calculating as he weighed out his next moves.
"How long have you been working for him?", his voice was low and dangerous. It was as if the man's next answer would seal his faith.
The man sniffled, his sobs subsiding into shuddering breaths. "A few months… I-I've only been able to gather minor details so far, nothing significant… Please, you have to believe me. I didn't want to betray you… I was just… I was just trying to survive."
Li Hao's expression hardened and he remained silent for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the man's bowed head.
She stared at Li Hao, his expression was cold and unreadable. She couldn't tell what he was going to do next, especially now after seeing a part of him she would have never imagined existed.
Finally, he stood up while addressing the man dressed in all black. "Clean him up", then he turned to leave.
******************************
They were both now back in the main hallway of the base, Liling walking behind him processing all she had witnessed. Did she really want to return to this life?
They reached a set of double doors ornately carved that boasted immense wealth and power.
He pushed the doors open to reveal a large dimly lit office. The walls were lined with rich dark wood panelling, and the floors were covered in thick, luxurious red carpet. A massive mahogany desk dominated the room, its surface piled with papers, documents, and a glass of amber liquor.
"Welcome to my humble office", he said half bowing and returning to his usual playful personality like nothing had happened.
He gestured for her to sit in the chair at the front of his desk while he stood leaning against his desk, legs casually crossed and facing her.
"What is this?", Liling started first going straight to the point.
He chuckled, "What do you mean?"
"I mean all of this", she said gesturing to the entirety of the base, "You never bothered to tell me"
"Is that what will determine if you'll join?"
"Might be"
He laughed amused by the context of her words compared to the serious expression on her face. "Nox Letale, it means Fatal Night"
She stayed silent for a moment before continuing with her questions. "Who's Chen Tian?"
"The boss of the Black Vipers"
She raised a brow signalling her confusion.
"Rival syndicate*" came his short reply, it was obvious that he didn't like harbouring thoughts of any kind towards the man in question.
"What are you going to do to that man?"
His lips turned up in a smirk. "I'll return him"
She closed her eyes and sighed deciding to stop with the questions. So he picked up where she left off.
"So what's your decision?"
She remained silent. She didn't have a definite answer for him. If she said yes, it would mean embracing the darkness she had fought so long to keep away. She wondered how he managed to do it, how he managed to accept the ruthlessness and violence that came with running a crime syndicate and still have such an easy-going personality.
She could remember the brutal struggles she faced in coming to terms with the fact she had to murder people to survive. It had wrecked her for years, and even now, she made sure to separate the part of her that was numb towards murder, and the part of her she allowed people to see.
"I need more time"
He nodded in response. While it wasn't her saying yes, it wasn't definite no either. He soothed himself with that knowledge.
With all that said, they made their way home after saying their goodbyes to the twins.
*******************************
~Three days later; Ridge View Mall
"And we drove here because?"
"My sister said it was mandatory she style you" He replied stopping himself from rolling his eyes in exasperation.
Liling and Li Hao were strolling through the crowd in the mall. He had driven them to a larger mall where his sister's boutique was located.
His grandfather's birthday banquet was at the end of the week, and It wasn't just any ordinary event. It was a gathering of the most powerful and influential people in the country, an occasion where alliances would be formed and rivalries would be quietly stoked under the guise of celebration. This time, the stakes were even higher, not only would she be meeting his grandparents for the first time, but they would officially be making their marriage known to the public.
They walked into a large boutique called 'Laperla' where they were greeted by a team of impeccably dressed staff and led to an elegant couch upholstered in a creamy white colour in the centre of the seating area.
The shop was empty save for the staff, and the space was tastefully decorated with gold accents and sleek, modern furniture, giving it an air of sophistication and comfort.
Liling glanced around the boutique, taking in the atmosphere. The white walls were lined with racks of high-end clothing, each piece carefully curated and displayed like works of art.
Not long passed before a very excited Li Xiu came to meet them. She embraced Liling warmly and humoured her brother with an "Oh, you're still here", a deadpan expression in her face.
He sighed, it was clear this would be a stressful rest of his evening.
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*Syndicate in this book can also be referred to as a Mafia Organization. I may use them interchangeably, but they mean the same thing.