Leo stood under the shadow of an old building, lighting a cigarette between his blood-stained fingers. The scent of tobacco mixed with the metallic tang of iron, wafting from the man sprawled at his feet. His eyes were empty, devoid of emotion. A single bullet had lodged in the man's head, the traitor who dared to sell information to his enemies.
Leo took a deep breath. The man should've known betrayal in this business only led to one thing: death.
He reached into his suit pocket, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the remaining blood from his hands before flicking away the half-burnt cigarette. His steps were steady as he left the narrow alley, heading toward the car waiting for him at the end of the street. The rain poured relentlessly, muffling the sound of his footsteps.
As soon as he settled into the back seat, a middle-aged man with a hardened face glanced at him through the rearview mirror.
"Is it done?"
Leo didn't answer. He only nodded.
The man, Rafael, gripped the steering wheel and pulled the car smoothly onto the slick, glistening roads under the streetlights.
"Do you want to go straight home?" Rafael asked.
Leo hesitated. For a moment, he considered saying yes until his phone buzzed. A message popped up on the screen, making his eyes narrow.
"Come home. There's something you need to see."
The sender was unexpected, one of his trusted men stationed at his own house.
Leo clenched his fist. A sudden coldness settled in his chest.
"No," he said at last. "Take me home."
The front door swung open with a sharp push.
Leo stepped into his vast, opulent home, its walls adorned with priceless artwork, a grand chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. But all the luxury in the world couldn't shake the bad feeling that had been creeping up on him since he received that message.
His strides were quick and deliberate as he ascended the stairs, heading straight for the master bedroom.
When he pushed the door open, his heartbeat seemed to stop.
There, in the bed that was supposed to be his and his wife's, were two entwined bodies.
Hana, his wife, jolted awake, her face turning ghostly pale at the sight of the figure standing in the doorway. The man beside her scrambled, yanking the sheets up to cover his naked body in sheer panic.
Leo recognized him.
His own best friend.
For the first time in a long while, something inside Leo shattered. Not because he still loved Hana, but because the betrayal was so blatant, so shameless.
"I can explain—" Hana's voice trembled, but Leo lifted a hand, silencing her.
His cold gaze shifted to the man who had once called him a friend. The bastard couldn't even meet his eyes.
Leo didn't yell. He didn't lash out.
Instead, he smiled, a smile that made Hana shrink back in fear.
"You can have her," Leo said quietly. "Because from this moment on, she is nothing to me."
With that, he turned and walked out. But before he left, he whispered to one of his men standing by the door.
"Make sure he never gets to enjoy life peacefully after this."
Then, he was gone.
He didn't need to stay and witness the rest of the night. He already knew his ex-wife and the man who betrayed him would never live the same way again.
***
That morning, the divorce proceedings were swift.
Hana, who had once carried herself with such arrogance, now looked like a broken woman, pleading for forgiveness. But Leo remained silent, refusing to give her even a single response.
In the end, the judge ruled in his favor, granting him full custody of Sofia, their daughter. Hana tried to fight the decision, but Leo's lawyer effortlessly dismantled her weak arguments.
When it was over, Leo stepped out of the courtroom, where Rafael was already waiting.
"Everything went as planned," Rafael said. "She lost everything."
Leo only nodded.
"But that's not what matters most," he murmured.
Rafael turned to him. "Then what is?"
Leo's gaze drifted far beyond the busy streets of the city.
"Sofia."
Because he might have failed as a husband, but he would never fail as a father.
***
The rain had just stopped when Leo arrived at his new home. It wasn't as big as his old house, but it was comfortable and, more importantly, safe for Sofia.
As soon as he stepped into the living room, he saw his daughter sitting on the floor, clutching a doll in her arms. The five-year-old girl lifted her head, her eyes lighting up the moment she saw her father walk in.
"Papa!" Sofia sprang to her feet and ran toward him.
Leo knelt down, catching his little girl in his arms. The warmth of her small body was the only thing that reminded him the world wasn't entirely broken.
"Were you busy, Papa?" Sofia asked innocently.
Leo gave her a small smile. "Not anymore, sweetheart."
Satisfied with his answer, Sofia rested her head on his shoulder, as if this was the safest place in the world.
Leo stared blankly into the distance. Memories of his past with Hana played in his mind, how they used to love each other, how he once believed they would build a family together.
But the truth was, not all women were worthy of devotion.
Hana had made her choice, and now, Leo had made his.
That night, after Sofia had fallen asleep, Leo sat in his small study, staring at his buzzing phone. The name flashing on the screen made him smirk slightly.
He answered the call without saying a word.
"You're really not going to give her another chance?"
Leo recognized the voice—Elio, an old friend from the underworld.
"A chance?" Leo let out a dry chuckle, void of any humor. "She chose her own destruction."
Elio sighed on the other end. "You know what? Your ex-wife is trying to seek protection from someone you know well."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
"Ricardo."
Leo scoffed. Ricardo was one of the underworld's power players, with countless connections. But no matter how strong the man was, he was no match for Leo.
"Let her," Leo said calmly. "You know what happens to those who try to protect a traitor."
There was a brief silence before Elio finally replied, "Alright. But don't forget the underworld always has its own way of seeking revenge."
Leo gave a faint smile before ending the call.
He leaned back in his chair, gazing out the window. The night outside was calm, but Leo knew a storm was coming.
And this time, he was ready.
***