"I don't remember asking you for your opinion, Daniel,"
The room fell into a heavy, suffocating silence. Daniel froze. He could feel the weight of his friend's stare drilling into him — cold, sharp, and unrelenting. There was no turning back now. He had no choice but to speak, no matter how much he wanted to keep quiet.
"The girl who slapped you… There's a problem," he began, his voice shaky, unsure of how to deliver the blow. "There are two of them... and they are related to the Salvador clan from spain"
Ivan's eyes narrowed. The slight smile on his lips vanished, and a dangerous glint replaced the brief calm in his expression. His jaw clenched as the memory of that humiliating night flashed before his eyes.
"Don't mess with me. I was slapped once. There was only one woman."
Daniel hesitated, swallowing the lump in his throat. He could already feel the air thickening around them.
"I know what you said. But listen—both girls look exactly alike. Same face. Same build. And both of them were at that club that night. Security footage is a mess, and the cameras inside were either broken or placed horribly. There's no clear shot of the moment it happened. I can't say for sure which one did it."
Ivan scoffed, dismissing the entire report with a wave of his hand. "What's there to be unsure of? Her friend called her Hannah. That's enough."
Hearing his words, Daniel's composure began to fracture. His voice cracked with frustration as his tone rose despite himself.
"You're not listening! Just because her friend called her Hannah doesn't prove anything! You want to point fingers and go after her without proof? Are you insane? This girl—she's no random club rat. She's tied to the Salvador clan. If you're wrong, Ivan, if you touch the wrong one, we won't just get backlash—we'll get slaughtered. All of us."
He hadn't realized how loud he'd gotten until he stopped, chest heaving, and noticed the shift in Ivan's expression. The lack of emotion. The quiet. The absolute stillness that radiated pure danger. Daniel's pulse stuttered as a chill ran down his spine, his face losing color as the gravity of what he'd just done settled in.
But then it happened.
Ivan let out a sharp "Tch," barely more than a click of the tongue, and in that instant, Daniel felt like the air had turned to ice. Every hair on his body stood on end. It was like the atmosphere itself had turned against him
Ivan sat there, his expression unreadable. Calm. Too calm.
The young man felt as if knives were dangling above his head, ready to fall at any minute, and that was more than enough for him to know that he had messed up.
"I noticed that you're gaining more courage these days, Dee," Ivan said with a twisted kind of amusement, blowing a cloud of smoke into the stale air as if they were simply chatting about trivial things.
But Daniel knew better. Every syllable dripped with veiled threat.
And then came the words that truly made his blood run cold.
"Is that what this is? You found a few spare lives lying around, maybe borrowed some luck from a stray cat?"
Daniel didn't dare speak. His brain screamed at him to apologize, to kneel, to run—anything to stop the blade he could feel hovering above his neck. But he couldn't move.
Ivan tilted his head, his tone light, almost conversational.
"So now you think it's okay to shout at me? To challenge me?" He chuckled, but there was no humor in the sound. "Tell me, Dee... how many lives do you really think you've got left?"
There was no mistaking it anymore — the storm behind Ivan's eyes had broken. But the calm, mocking cadence of his voice only made it worse. It was the kind of quiet that came before violence. Before death.
And Daniel, who had only moments ago felt righteous in his fear, now stood paralyzed by something much colder — regret.
He had spoken when he shouldn't have.
He had yelled at the devil and forgotten that the devil never forgets.
"I apologize, Ivan. You know that's not what I meant," Daniel said, his voice low, almost reverent, as if trying to appease a volatile god.
The tension that loomed between them was a storm just waiting for thunder, and for a few agonizing seconds, neither man said a word. Then, when it was least expected, a sharp, sudden burst of laughter shattered the silence.
Ivan's laughter wasn't joyful. It was cruel, twisted at the edges with something that felt far more dangerous than anger. It was the laughter of a man who found amusement not in jokes, but in chaos.
Ivan's sudden laughter made Daniel involuntarily take a step back, startled by the unexpected outburst.
"Relax," Ivan said, still grinning. "There's no need to apologize. I'm just messing with you."
For a heartbeat, Daniel thought the tension had eased—until Ivan tilted his head again, a smirk dancing across his lips.
"I know you mean well, Daniel. You always do. Your concern for me is touching…" His voice dropped to a near whisper, deceptively calm. "But tell me—did I ask for your concern?"
Daniel immediately shook his head. "No."
"Exactly. Now stop wasting time and finish your report. I'm in the mood for stories," Ivan said, waving his cigarette lazily through the air like a conductor's baton. His tone was casual, but every word carried the weight of command, and this time, Daniel didn't dare hesitate.
"The girl," he began, steadying his voice, "the one you said was called Hannah—her full name is Hannah Shanel Y. Salvador. She's twenty-one years old, the eldest daughter of the Salvador clan."
Even Ivan's smirk faltered slightly at the mention of that name.
"They're Europe's wealthiest family—a business empire that started in Spain but now has its claws sunk into nearly every powerful institution on this side of the world. Nine years ago, for reasons unknown, the four Salvador siblings moved to Canada."
"She has two older brothers and a twin sister. Both parents were killed in a car crash when she was twelve. Since then, their long-time butler—some say a former intelligence officer—raised them in seclusion."
"She recently signed with one of the top modeling agencies in the country, but aside from classes at a prestigious university, she rarely steps outside her estate. The place is locked down tight. All the staff are loyal and silent. Still, I managed to map out part of her daily routine from what little her classmates were willing to say."
Daniel paused, allowing the weight of the information to settle between them. It wasn't much, but it was more than most could dig up. Anything deeper was buried beneath layers of protection that no one except those in their circle can access.
Ivan stared ahead, the embers of his cigarette glowing faintly as he processed the information.
"The Salvador family…" he exhaled slowly, smoke curling like a serpent through the air.
"I've heard whispers about them in the circle. Influence like that… It's powerful enough to threaten the syndicate. So, what you're saying is—I can't kill her. Is that it?"
Daniel nodded.
"Not without consequences. Severe ones. If you lay a finger on her, we'll have the entire Salvador machine crashing down on us. Best case, we lose key territories. Worst case, we lose everything."
Another beat of silence passed. Daniel could almost see the gears turning in Ivan's mind—always calculating, always scheming.
Finally, Ivan leaned forward, his eyes glinting with something dark and feral.
"So let me get this straight," he said slowly. "You're telling me that killing her… would put us in danger."
Daniel hesitated for only a second, then nodded again. "Yes. Extreme danger."
Ivan's expression shifted. That grin returned, but this time it was wicked, untamed.
"Well then," he whispered, as a spark of madness lit up his gaze, "that's perfect."
He rose from his seat, his shadow stretching across the floor like the specter of war.
"Because you see, Daniel… I don't just live for danger—I thrive in it."
***🦋***
Author's Note
Aww, poor Daniel... he's completely stressed out dealing with Ivan, while our charming yet psychotic lead is just being a brat (T_T). Can you feel the tension between them? It's getting so thick, you could cut it with a knife!
So, what do you think's going to happen next? Are you on the edge of your seat yet? The exciting part is coming up fast, and you won't want to miss it. Believe me, things are about to take a thrilling turn!
Curious? I know you are. Don't wait—turn the page and keep reading! The best part is just around the corner, and I promise it's going to be a ride you won't forget. Happy reading, cuties!
★★★★★
(Special Monologue, Chibi Version)
Daniel: So, Ivan, I know you are angry but... you can't kill this girl (๑•̀ㅁ•́๑)✧
Ivan: Why?? ( •̯́ ^ •̯̀)
Daniel: Because her family is so powerful that they could even annihilate our group (ó﹏ò｡)
Ivan: Really? (⊙ _ ⊙)
Daniel: Yes! *rapidly nods his head* ( ᗒᗣᗕ )
Ivan: Hmm... It's okay! You know I love danger! (૭ ｡•̀ ᵕ •́｡ )૭
Daniel: (⌐■_■)