Two years had passed since Hudson's rise to power, and now Twelve Eagles had grown to unimaginable heights. The organization's tendrils reached into every corner of the world, its influence as vast as it was ruthless. Kingsun's legacy—once a name that had reverberated through the halls of the powerful—had faded with his passing, but Hudson had stepped into that void, not merely taking the mantle but becoming an embodiment of it. The name "Hudson" was no longer just a name; it was a symbol of supreme authority.
Today, the once-bustling 29-story mansion stood eerily silent, its halls abandoned to the thudding of footsteps, the faint murmur of the wind. Only the guards remained, their presence a mere formality, an intricate web of security that hid the true purpose of this unprecedented "clean-up." The building was cleared for one reason alone: the vanity of two of Hudson's old friends from Oxford. They had always believed in the need for absolute silence—too much noise, even the very breath of another, was intolerable. Hudson, of course, was more than willing to accommodate them.
A slow smile tugged at Hudson's lips as he glanced across the room. The rich, dark scent of cigar smoke lingered in the air as Hei Ye Yan, the so-called "Money King," leaned back, eyes gleaming with a mix of satisfaction and amusement. His fingers danced idly around the cigar in his hand, the ember flickering in the dim light.
"Your 'S' enterprise seems to be doing quite well," Hudson remarked casually, his eyes half-lidded, his posture languid.
"Heh, thanks to you," Hei Ye Yan replied, his voice a deep rasp, laced with something almost playful. "Your second prince, Baiyi, has been quite efficient. Not only does he supply arms, but he also offers an extra little... running service."
Tadun, who had been lost in the brightly flashing screen of a video game, let out a scoffing laugh, his fingers still moving rapidly over the controller. "Baiyi? He's better suited running a casino than playing at being a soldier. That face of his—who would want to trust him with weapons? It's more terrifying than his munitions," he jeered, his eyes never leaving the screen.
Hudson stretched lazily, his legs long and lean, his voice smooth as he addressed Hei Ye Yan again. "Your dealers are doing well, I presume? If you need more, I can always send a few over."
"Perhaps. If I open a casino in Taiwan, the cleanup work could be... tricky," Hei Ye Yan replied with a thoughtful smile, leaning back, his hands still encircling the cigar.
"Send the Third Prince. He's better suited for such tasks than spending his time setting up companies and roping us in as figureheads," Hudson said dryly, a slight smirk on his face.
Hei Ye Yan chuckled, the deep creases in his chin emphasizing his roguish charm. Hudson could almost feel the subtle flicker of desire and envy from the women who would have surely surrounded him if they were present, but today was not their day. He might have been the youngest of them, but there was something magnetic about the aura he exuded. His smile was pure mischief, something dangerous yet enticing.
Tadun groaned dramatically, wiping his hand over his face. "You guys don't make it easy on me, do you? My tech companies? They're all rolling in cash! I'm just borrowing your names to rake in the dividends." His voice was a mix of frustration and pride, as if the very thought of his success was both an asset and a burden.
Hudson narrowed his eyes, a faint glint of amusement dancing at the edge of his lips. "Tadun, that loan of ten million dollars you owe me? Still hasn't been paid back."
Tadun snorted, raising an eyebrow. "I'm just a construction worker compared to you guys—can't flip the world with a single finger like you two."
Hei Ye Yan leaned forward, his lips curving into a mocking smile. "As for your debts to 'S,' well... I think it's safe to say you owe us at least eighty thousand, if not a hundred thousand."
Tadun gasped, suddenly looking more comical than indignant. "But I paid you both over a million in commissions! That's a fair deal, right?"
The two men exchanged a look, a silent understanding passing between them—brothers in arms, bound by deals and debts, their history more unspoken than spoken. "A deal is a deal," Hudson's voice rang out, flat and final.
Tadun sighed, brushing his hands over his worn jeans. He flicked his hair back, his sharp eyes flashing with an unspoken challenge. "You guys are real pieces of work. And yet... I was the one who came up with all those inventions to keep you two princes alive longer than any of us expected. But sure, forget it, forget me." His voice softened, but the bitterness was still there, like the taste of stale smoke.
With a forced smile, he tossed his words over his shoulder as he prepared to leave, "I'll head back to Taiwan to continue my masterpieces—ones the world can't even begin to fathom."
His footsteps faded as he walked out, leaving only the lingering sound of the video game's chaotic soundtrack behind. Hei Ye Yan stood up, his own departure imminent. "A storm's brewing. I shouldn't linger too long," he muttered, glancing at the window where the first hints of a storm cloud were beginning to gather.
Hudson simply nodded, not looking up from his languid repose. His fingers tapped idly against the armrest of the chair, his thoughts elsewhere.
A storm indeed. It reminded him of her. The little woman he had found in the snow, the one who had smiled shyly, with cheeks flushed and eyes full of innocence—eyes that seemed to capture his every thought, every desire. Her soft, trembling voice echoed in his mind, "I want you to remember me, always."
The memory stirred something within him—a spark of warmth, of hunger, but one that quickly dissipated. Two years had passed, and yet... her memory lingered. In some strange way, the longing had become a kind of hunger in itself. He had missed her, though he would never admit it, not even to himself.
And then his thoughts shifted, moving from the past to the present, the here and now—this endless game of power, of control, of women who came and went like the wind.
Norliya, her name rang in his ears, but only faintly. She stood before him, offering herself in every way, yet he cared little for her devotion. The sound of her shallow, frantic breaths was like a low hum in the background.
"Hudson, may I stay just a little longer?" she asked, her voice laced with a mixture of need and vulnerability.
He did not answer immediately. Instead, he glanced at her, his gaze devoid of emotion. "Do you really think so?" he asked, his words flat, a calculated detachment in every syllable.
She faltered, her confidence draining as he spoke, as though his very presence sucked the life out of her. Yet, she couldn't help but cling to the hope that somehow, someway, he would change. But deep down, she knew the truth—Hudson was a man who took what he wanted and discarded what he no longer needed.
The tears that gathered in her eyes were quickly wiped away, but the sting remained. She was one of many, and in his eyes, they were all just tools, nothing more. Her love, her devotion, was nothing but a cheap transaction—a business deal, and yet, it was one she couldn't escape from, not without paying the ultimate price.
"Are you ready?" His voice, cold and indifferent, snapped her back to reality.
Norliya scrambled to gather her things, her hands shaking, her heart heavy. "Yes, I'm leaving now," she whispered, but it was clear the words held little meaning.
As she hurried out of the room, her thoughts turned bitter. She had held on for so long, hoping, pushing herself to be something more to him. But the truth had always been there—Hudson was a man who would never care.
And yet... she couldn't leave him. She was trapped in her own desires, and the chains she had forged were more unbreakable than any Hudson had ever bound her with.
She closed the door behind her with a soft click, and the mansion swallowed her whole, leaving only the echo of her departure.