•Raymond's House•
"Ava!!!!!!!!!!!!" The name roared from Raymond’s mouth like thunder.
Raymond was her uncle—her father’s brother—and she had been living with him since her parents died.
Ava rushed out of the kitchen, her words tumbling out.
"I was making the pasta like you asked! I’ll be done in five minutes! Please don’t hit me!"
Raymond laughed—a cold, dangerous sound—and sipped from his glass of alcohol. He loved liquor more than anything else.
"You know you deserve a beating, Ava. So smart of you," he sneered.
"No, please! The food will be ready in five minutes! My wounds are still fresh—"
Her words were cut short as Raymond lashed a belt across her back.
"Arghhhhhhhh!" she cried, rolling on the floor in pain.
"How dare you waste my time? Your parents in hell must be proud of me for always disciplining you, right?" he taunted. When she didn’t answer, he struck her again.
"Yesssss!" she wailed, her voice echoing through the house.
"I’m not interested in the food anymore. Make sure you finish all your part-time jobs and leave the money on the dining table as usual. I’m off to gamble." He smirked wickedly and left.
Ava pressed her hands to her back, tears streaming down her face.
"I need to find the killer of my parents… and just end it all. My life can’t get any worse."
Then she smelled something burning.
"The pasta!" she whispered, staggering toward the kitchen, her back screaming with every step.
---
•D’D MOB•
D’D stood for Dangerous and Deadly—one of the largest and most feared mobs in the underworld. They were the richest, most skilled, and most lethal organization around.
The mob had three hundred members, each ranked by skill and lineage:
Rank A: Reserved for the Donna’s children only.
Rank B: The strongest fighters.
Rank C: Skilled, but not as strong as Rank B.
Rank D: Newbies.
Ranks C and D could combine their strength to reach B, but no Rank B member had ever reached Rank A. To earn Rank A, a fighter had to defeat 200 opponents at once. Most Rank B members collapsed after around 100, unable to finish.
Today, another Rank B fighter was attempting the challenge. The entire mob gathered, curious to see whether he would succeed.
The Donna watched silently, commanding respect. She wore a flowing red gown, a black hat, and shiny red lipstick. She loved red. She loved blood.
"Start," she commanded.
Two hundred skilled fighters attacked. Among them, Kael, the “black sheep,” stood out. He was the strongest Rank B fighter and determined to win.
Punches, kicks, and grapples flew across the field. The rule was clear: no killing.
By the time Kael had defeated 102 opponents, his body was exhausted—but the crowd’s chants reignited his spirit.
"Kael! You can do it!"
"Rooting for you!"
"You got this!"
Clara’s voice rang the loudest. She was Rank B too—and she had a huge crush on him.
Finally, the 200th opponent collapsed, and Kael staggered but stood victorious. The mob erupted in cheers.
"Congratulations. You are officially Rank A," the Donna announced. Kael bowed. Conrad shook his hand, but Selena glared at him—if looks could kill, he would already be dead.
The Donna left the arena, her red gown flowing majestically behind her, as the crowd slowly dispersed.
---
•Thane’s Villa•
Thane’s villa was the largest in the mob—spacious, clean, and perfectly white, like snow. He was a clean freak, but he hated the color white.
Bored, he recalled today is the D-day and he grinned. He picked black trousers, a black shirt, and black shoes, and left silently.
The drive to Raymond’s house took an hour and forty minutes. His steps were silent as he opened the door effortlessly.
"Who the hell are you?" Raymond shouted.
"You can’t even greet a guest properly? Shame," Thane replied coldly—and shot Raymond straight in the heart. He fell dead instantly.
Ava ran out at the sound of the gunshot, only to find her uncle in a pool of blood.
"Uncle!" she cried, collapsing to the floor.
Thane squatted beside her, calm and terrifying.
"Your sweet uncle used you as collateral for a loan in our mob two years ago. He promised that if he didn’t pay back, we would take you… and I am here to collect what's mine today," Thane said coldly.
"No! You can’t take me! Please! I’m begging you! Don’t take me!" Ava sobbed.
"You are mine, little Ava," he said slowly, a psychopathic smile crossing his face.
Her heart froze. He knew her name. She was finished. There was no escape.
He is a devil.
