The city gleamed beneath the sun, a sea of mirrored windows and distant sirens. From the forty-eighth floor of Creon Group, everything looked small — the people, the cars, even the chaos. Levi sat behind a black marble desk, his posture calm, hands clasped, while the glass walls reflected the burn of daylight against his eyes.
Charles stood a few feet away, tablet in hand, his face tight. "They've confirmed it, sir. Fifty men. Dead. No survivors."
Levi's gaze didn't move. "Cause?"
"Bullet wounds, clean shots. Whoever hit them knew our formation. They moved through the base like it was theirs." Charles paused, throat dry. "And… the message came through again."
He slid a folded paper across the desk. Levi didn't reach for it.
"Read it," he said.
Charles unfolded the letter. "Your kingdom bleeds, Yuki Uzumaki. The next blood will be your heirloom."
The words hung in the air — simple, deliberate, venomous.
Levi leaned back, eyes narrowing slightly. "They're not bluffing."
Charles hesitated. "Sir, we traced the signal back to an old server in Kyoto. But before we could pin it down, it rerouted to a node in Los Angeles."
Levi finally looked up — his expression carved from stone. "So they're playing global now."
Charles nodded. "Yes, sir. The Shikamarus are moving faster than expected."
For a moment, silence filled the office — just the soft hum of the AC and the faint tick of Levi's wristwatch. His reflection stared back at him in the glass — cold eyes, colder resolve.
"Double the encryption on our vault," he said. "And move the map."
Charles blinked. "The map, sir? You mean—"
"Yes," Levi cut in. "Project Eden stays buried until I say otherwise."
Charles gave a short nod. "Understood."
Levi's tone didn't shift, but something flickered in his gaze — a shadow of thought, something heavier than war. He rose from his chair, turning to the window, watching the city breathe beneath him.
"Tell the board I'll miss the 5 P.M. meeting," he said quietly. "And Charles—"
"Yes, sir?"
"Find out who leaked the route to our base. I don't care how deep you have to dig. If someone's playing mole inside Creon, I want their head before sunset."
Charles bowed slightly and exited, leaving Levi alone with the sound of his own heartbeat echoing through the glass walls.
Down below, the city kept moving — unaware that its peace was built on the bones of men.
And far away, in a mansion guarded by shadows, a maid with a burned cheek lay resting — unaware that her fate had just become tied to his.
____
The mansion was quiet that night, wrapped in the kind of silence that only heavy hearts could make. The golden lights in the hallway burned low, casting long shadows across the marble floor.
Scarlet sat by the edge of her small guest bed, the phone pressed to her ear. Lovett's voice crackled on the other end — sharp, fierce, and full of anger.
"What do you mean you got burned, Scarlet? What kind of place is that?"
Scarlet's lips tightened. "Lovett, I told you — it wasn't their fault. I wasn't paying attention. I spilled the tea first."
"You always say that," Lovett snapped. "You always defend people who don't deserve it."
Scarlet exhaled softly, her voice low. "It's not that… I just don't want trouble. I'll heal. It's nothing."
There was silence on the other end, then Lovett's voice dropped — softer, but edged.
"You're better than this, Scar. Don't let anyone break that fire in you."
Scarlet smiled faintly, even though her chest ached. "I won't."
After she hung up, she stood and pulled her small bag from under the bed. Her left cheek still stung under the bandage, and every step reminded her of the heat that had kissed her skin earlier.
In the hallway, Nana spotted her immediately.
"Where do you think you're going, child? It's late," Nana said, her brows drawn tight.
"I just need to breathe, Nana. I'll come back tomorrow before Mr. Gill arrives."
Nana frowned, hands on her waist. "You think I'll let you walk out looking like that? What if Master Levi sees you?"
Scarlet froze, her hand tightening on the strap of her bag. "That's exactly why I'm leaving."
She took a step past Nana, her tone calm but firm. "I don't want to cause more trouble. Please."
For a moment, Nana said nothing — just watched the girl with those tired, motherly eyes. Finally, she sighed and stepped aside. "At least be careful. The night doesn't forgive the weak."
"I'm not weak," Scarlet said quietly, and walked toward the door.
The night air hit her face the moment she stepped outside — cold, alive, whispering through the trees. The clock struck ten.
She didn't make it past the gate.
A deep voice broke through the silence behind her.
"Going somewhere?"
Scarlet turned. Levi stood there — coat still on, shirt undone at the collar, the faint smell of smoke and rain around him. His eyes found her instantly — cold, unreadable.
"I told Nana I'll be back tomorrow," she said, her voice small but steady.
His gaze dropped to the bandage on her cheek, then back to her eyes. "You think running solves everything?"
Scarlet's heart thudded. "I'm not running."
"Really?" His tone was quiet, but there was something heavy in it — something that made the air feel smaller. He stepped closer, his shadow spilling over hers. "You think you can just walk out after what happened?"
"I don't owe you anything," she whispered.
Levi's jaw twitched, but he didn't reply immediately. His eyes stayed on her, studying, calculating — as though every movement she made had meaning.
"Go, then," he said at last. His voice was low, cold. "But remember this — people who walk out of this house at night don't always find their way back."
Scarlet froze. Her pulse quickened, but she didn't let it show.
"I'll take my chances."
She stepped past him, her shoulder brushing his coat — just enough to make his breath hitch for a second.
Levi turned slightly, watching her go through the gates under the glow of the mansion lights. His hands clenched behind him.
He didn't call her back. He just stood there, the night wind pulling at his hair, watching until her shadow disappeared into the dark.
And for the first time, he realized — he wasn't sure if he wanted her to come back