Before Hades arrived at the dinner...
Hades' residence, while not as huge as the main Wildfire mansion, was still imposing in its size and eerie simplicity. The sparse decor mirrored its owner—dark, brooding, and impossible to figure out. Though he had just returned to the country—and just gotten married a few hours ago—it was as though nothing in the world could disrupt his icy composure.
In the private room, lined with bookshelves and maps that radiated a strategic brilliance, Hades sat at the head of the table. He wore a black turtleneck and slacks, exuding authority without effort. The faint hum of tension filled the room as his three staff members, along with Gavin—the gunman from the wedding—his closest ally, awaited his words.
"You're certain this is accurate?" Hades asked, his voice low and cutting.
Milo, his 'driver' but the actual mastermind of information, straightened, wiping imaginary dust off his shirt. "Absolutely. Everything I've gathered suggests Aurora Malay is a total pushover. A snob, yes, but a quiet one. Hated by her peers. A textbook obedient daughter."
"Obedient?" Hades echoed, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"She doesn't question her mother. Not once," Milo continued. "She's known for her silence and academic achievements. Basically, she's book smart and... that's about it."
"Book smart," Hades repeated, the words lingering in the air. The implication was clear: intelligence on paper didn't always translate to life.
The room fell silent. Hades' gaze darkened as he replayed recent events in his mind—the night she had boldly walked into his VIP area and what had unfolded at their wedding. That wasn't the behavior of a pushover. And then there was the subtle tension he had noticed between her and her mother. Others might have missed it, but not him.
"So," Hades murmured, "either your information is outdated, or Aurora Malay has a side to her no one's dared to notice."
Milo's face twitched. He didn't like the idea of being wrong—it was a blow to his pride. He looked as if he wanted to sprint out of the room and dig up more information immediately.
Breaking the silence, Clarisse, the 'housekeeper', leaned forward slightly. "Do you already have doubts about marrying her?" she asked cautiously.
The air seemed to grow heavier as Hades reached for the vape on the table, pressing the button as a thin cloud of smoke escaped, curling in the dim light.
"I knew marrying her was a bad idea," Clarisse said, her tone sharper now, testing the boundaries.
The temperature in the room dropped as Hades' piercing gaze locked onto her. His expression didn't change, but the suffocating weight of his presence spoke volumes. Clarisse quickly averted her gaze, realizing she'd poked the bear.
Gavin, the gunman, frowned, tapping his fingers on the table. "If she's this unpredictable, that's going to make using her... complicated."
Milo nodded slowly, still recovering from his bruised ego. "Unless she's willing to go against her mother and work with us. Freely, of course."
"Freely?" Hades repeated, the sarcasm in his tone sharp enough to cut.
The room lapsed into contemplation again. It was highly unlikely Aurora Malay—obedient or not—would turn against her mother and willingly cooperate. If this wedding hadn't been abrupt. They would have had the time to think and properly orchestrate a plan.
And then Milo's eyes lit up as if he had just uncovered the secret to the universe. He sat up, grinning like a mischievous child.
"What if," he said, his voice brimming with excitement, "you make her fall in love with you?"
There was a moment of stunned silence.
Clarisse choked on her water, Gavin froze mid-tap, and the last young man who had been quiet, the 'chef' stared at Milo as if he'd just suggested they rob a bank with a bandit of babies.
"Fall in love with me?" Hades' voice was dangerously calm, but the edge in his tone could have cut steel.
Milo, to his credit, didn't flinch. "Think about it, boss. If she's in love with you, she'll trust you. If she trusts you, she'll spill every secret, every plan her family has. She'll be easier to control. It's a win-win."
The 'Chef' snorted, leaning back in his chair. "You do realize this is the boss you're talking about? Boss doesn't do romance."
"He doesn't have to do romance..." it's impossible anyway, he added under his breath. "He only has to make her fall for him."
The room fell into a stunned silence. All eyes still fixed on Milo, their collective expressions teetering between disbelief and the urge to smack some sense into him.
But Milo, oblivious to the palpable tension, pressed on with the enthusiasm of a motivational speaker. "Love can make people do stupid things! Picture this: We reveal to her that it was the Matriarch and her mother's idea to swap the heir with the reckless last son. And as a saint, you sacrificed yourself to marry her instead, to grant her freedom. She realizes she's been betrayed by her mother, devastated, and when she's at her lowest point, you swoop in. You don't say much, just… 'I'm here for you, Aurora.' Boom! She'll melt. She'll trust you. She'll tell you everything. Maybe even bring you all her family secrets wrapped in a bow!"
He stared into space, clearly imagining the scenario as if it were a blockbuster romance. The others just stared at him in growing horror until Clarisse slapped him upside the head.
"Do you think this is some kind of rom-com?" she snapped.
"It's not a joke!" Milo shot back, rubbing his head indignantly. He turned to Hades, desperate for support. "Boss, listen to me. This is our best shot. If the Matriarch and her cronies pushed this marriage through, there's something they're hiding. Something big. We all know it, and that's why you married her in the first place. And Aurora... could be the key to uncovering it."
"Something you haven't been able to find," Hades said, his voice as sharp as the edge of a blade. The coldness in his tone made Milo sink slightly into his seat like a guilty schoolboy.
"I promise you, I'll dig deeper," Milo said hurriedly, sweat starting to bead on his forehead. "But without Aurora's support, we could be digging in all the wrong places."
The room fell silent again as Hades leaned back, exhaling a long, lazy plume of smoke. His cold gaze drifted over the group as they waited for his decision.
"Make her fall in love with me…" he repeated, his tone filled with disdain. His brows furrowed as he finally answered, "That's… disgusting."
The team collectively deflated like balloons with slow leaks. It was as if Hades had just crushed the last flicker of hope.
"I don't want a woman clinging to me," Hades continued, his voice low and chilling. "I will kill her."
Everyone froze for a moment, unsure if he was being metaphorical or literal. With Hades, you could never be too sure.
"But that's why you don't make her cling to you!" Milo insisted, finding his second wind. "Women love toxic men! Give her the hot and cold treatment—one minute, you're distant and mysterious, the next, you're saving her from some fabricated crisis. She'll fall so hard, she'll—"
"SHUT UP!" Clarisse bellowed, cutting him off. She jabbed a finger in his direction, eyes blazing. "Women don't want toxic men! We want soft, caring gentlemen—the kind who cook us dinner, hold open doors, bring us flowers—"
"WOMEN. LOVE. BAD. BOYS!" Milo slammed his hand on the table, his face red with conviction.
"ARE YOU A WOMAN?!" Clarisse fired back, standing up to tower over him as they launched into a full-blown shouting match.
Gavin, ever the neutral party, leaned back in his chair, looking uninterested as the two argued like toddlers. Rowan, the silent chef, sipped his water calmly, pretending not to exist.
Hades, meanwhile, sat with his chin resting on his hand, his face blank but his mind clearly elsewhere. The chaos around him didn't seem to register until, suddenly, he stood.
The sharp scrape of his chair against the floor silenced the argument instantly. Clarisse and Milo froze mid-yell, their faces comically contorted, as all eyes snapped to Hades.
"Time for family dinner," he said simply, his voice quiet but commanding. Without another word, he turned and strode out of the room, leaving his team behind in stunned silence.
Milo slumped back into his chair, muttering under his breath, "I still think it's a good plan."
"Say that one more time, and I'll throw you into traffic," Clarisse snapped, jabbing a warning finger at him.
Rowan, the chef, smirked, rising from his seat. "I think this is going to be the most fun disaster we've ever worked on."
Gavin, still calm, merely shrugged. "As long as it doesn't involve me, I'm fine."