"Would you like another glass of wine, Master Laurent?"
My eyes snap to the woman in a red hanfu with gold embroidery, holding a silver jar of wine and dipping her head slightly.
Sandalwood, rose, and musk mingle in the air, perfectly matching the atmosphere around me.
Seven dancers move in circles, their long sleeves fluttering gracefully, delicate fingers catching the golden hue of the lanterns. Soft, rhythmic notes of the GuZheng, a 21-stringed zither, intertwine with the Dizi and Pipa.
Kyara aloeswood burns gracefully, lazily spreading its fragrance, meant to relax the mind—but mine is far from relaxed.
"Just pour into his glass, Liah. This bastard has shoved it all in his mouth already; that's why he can't speak," comes the low, smug voice of the man sitting next to me, eating mouthfuls of cold noodles like it's his last meal.
My eyes narrow at his smugness which is the only of of the two things about him didn't change over the course of twenty- five years of friendship.
Liah, one of Li Zhao's sharpest and most dangerous assassins, glances between me and the six-foot-four man with shiny blonde hair.....too shiny thanks to the expensive haircare behind those golden locks.
His sharp jawline is softened by intentional stubble, giving him an edgier look; without it, he would look too boyish to be heir to the most dangerous mafia family in the underworld.
His deep-set amber eyes lift from his noodle bowl and frown at me. "What are you looking at?"
"You're eating like a pig," I say, my tone edged with annoyance at how loudly he's slurping.
Nikolai Orlov clearly has no sense of class, despite being the eldest son of the Orlov family, which monopolizes arms and drug smuggling across the United States, Russia, and Central Europe.
The biggest irony?
While his family produces and sells drugs and runs gambling houses, none of its children who aren't sitting at the main table are allowed to drink, smoke, or gamble.
And here he is, in a haven of the finest London wine, devouring cold noodles like a five-year-old toddler.
"Nah. Cold noodles only taste better when you take big bites and slurp the soup," he dismisses my discomfort with another loud slurp.
I grit my teeth as Liah shifts uncomfortably beside me.
"You two are scaring my little angels, okay!" Li Zhao exclaims, throwing a white cloth between us like a truce.
Nikolai side-eyes him, leaning back lazily. "Your little angel could cut down twenty special forces operatives with a pen. Who are you worried about?"
Liah pours me another glass of wine, bows slightly, and retreats, her black orbs darting from Li Zhao to Nikolai to me uneasily.
"Women are always deadly, Nik. Just make sure even a black widow like my little angel feels safe. No fighting." Li Zhao's calm, sweet tone masks the threat beneath it.
I roll my eyes and sip my wine, sweet and fruity, exactly how I like it.
Nikolai scoffs, crossing his legs lazily, hands moving without purpose, attention pinned entirely on me.
"I've noticed for the last three hours… you look like you're planning to murder someone," he smirks mischievously, unaware of how correct he is.
I am planning to murder.....Mark Weber, in thirty-seven ways, without leaving a trace.
My silence confirms it. Li Zhao's smile fades; Nikolai raises an eyebrow, leaning forward with curiosity. "So, you are planning to do it, huh?"
I take another lazy sip of wine. Blood and mind cold, emotionless, I recall how she....my princess....was scared because of Mark Weber.
Her face had gone pale, her hands trembled like flickering candle flames, lips parted to speak but she couldn't… because she was afraid.
Something animalistic stirred in me at the sight of her lowering her head, trembling.
How she gripped her own hands to stop them from shaking, how she clenched her jaw, bracing herself for Mark's inevitable outburst.
That instinct inside me wanted to burn everything and everyone who caused her fear—including me.
My world narrowed down to her, forgetting the threat I gave Mark wasn't something Aaron Erikson should give.
Yet the irrational part of me—insane around Nova Celestia—didn't care if I had to actually destroy Mark Weber.
"Who is it?" Li Zhao asks cautiously, almost like he's avoiding poking an angry lion.
"Mark Weber," I say, voice clipped, gut twisting at the memory of Nova's pale, flickering eyes.
"Wait," Nikolai frowns, legs no longer crossed lazily. "But why? That guy doesn't have anything to do with you. Weren't you trying to recruit him under you?"
I lower my gaze. Tiny ripples form on the crimson surface of the wine, reflecting my own bloodthirsty blue eyes, unfamiliar even to me. "If I wanted to kill Mark Weber for real, he wouldn't be alive."
Both men share a knowing glance. They understand not to probe further.
For now, only I know what Nova Celestia is becoming in my life, in my story.
For now, only I know that if any human can make me feel possessive, protective, territorial, obsessive… it's her.
My Nova.
My Princess
My downfall.
The fire I'd willingly burn in until nothing remains but ashes.
Li Zhao claps his hands, trying to dissipate the tension. I take a deep breath, attempting to calm my mind.
"I heard from Alister… Sebastian is causing problems, is that right?" Li Zhao asks, returning to business.
Nikolai's eyes darken with fury and annoyance.
"He's poking around our Berlin and Munich operations. Germany is one of our biggest markets. Shipments are delayed because Sebastian's spies among my people are leaking information to Russian and German officials."
My jaw clicks at the mention of Sebastian.
He's started this again, using false accusations from my uncle, attacking me from the shadows.
He knows about my large investments in Nikolai's gambling and arms operations, run separately from his family's.
Li Zhao shrugs in understanding. "Do we know through whom he's doing this? You know hacking into our system and shits."
Nikolai nods. "Beatrix Wolff, youngest daughter of the Wolff family. She's helping him hack our systems."
My eyes narrow. "You mean… Beatrix Wolff? Karls Wolff's daughter?"
Nikolai's amber eyes sparkle with malice, madness creeping in as he sees a worthy target.
"That little witch hides in shadows, operating Sebastian's hacking network. If only I knew what she looked like… I'd tear her to pieces. Because of her, my men have to hide from special forces and I lost five of my loyal subordinates. "
Li Zhao glances at me. We both know Nikolai is a lunatic, not that anyone sane could survive ruling the underworld.
"But why is Beatrix helping Sebastian? As far as I know, Wolff and Von Klest families aren't on good terms," Li Zhao questions.
I smirk coldly. "Karl Wolff owns too much to make me his enemy."
Nikolai's eyes light with devilish anticipation. "You mean… I have the freedom to bring Beatrix Wolff into the light?"
I nod. A loud laugh bursts from Nikolai, head thrown back, amber eyes mad with excitement. Li Zhao shifts uneasily.
"Beatrix Wolff.....the strategist and hacker of Sebastian Von Klest," Nikolai murmurs darkly. "You'll pay for the deaths of my men."
"You won't kill or torture her, Nik," I warn. He frowns, opening his mouth to argue against me.
But I don't give him any chance to. My voice drops low and guttural, " You won't lay your finger on Beatrix Wolff, Nik."
His eyes widen for a brief, clenching his fist hard, he mutter some curses in German before nodding, begrudgingly.
"Words," I command firmly.
He groans, fingers running through his golden locks, hunched with irritation. "Fine. No physical harm, but I won't stop myself from mentally torturing her."
Li Zhao murmurs, "Mental torture is worse than what my rugged men and little angels do."
I don't argue. Nikolai is a sadist who enjoys breaking his opponents emotionally before physically.
He smirks, elbows on knees, fingers interlaced, voice void of empathy.....pure feral malice.
"Her fault. She should've stayed in shadows instead of meddling with my business."
Yeah... This is what Nikolai Orlov is... A fucking sadist with zero human decency other a few.