Vicky's eyes were filled with terror. He knew that once Victor made a decision, changing it was almost impossible.
"Brother! Please! I... I was just following orders!" Vicky blurted out desperately.
Victor's eyes narrowed. "Whose orders?"
Though Vicky's throat was dry, he managed to say, "I don't know! Just... a messenger contacted me! He said, if I got rid of you, then..."
"Then what?" Victor's voice turned ice-cold.
Vicky lowered his head. "Then I could become the owner of the entire business..."
For a moment, everything went completely silent.
"Fool," Victor said slowly. "You really thought they'd put you in power?"
Vicky's face turned pale. He realized just how big a mistake he had made.
Alia was watching the entire situation silently. She knew the relationship between these two brothers could never go back to normal.
Victor slowly raised his gun. "You're my brother, so I'll give you one chance. Leave this city. Forever. If I see you anywhere after a week… you won't be alive."
Vicky didn't wait. Trembling, he stood up and ran toward the door.
Victor took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Clean it up," he ordered his men.
Alia stood to the side, watching everything unfold. She slowly said, "You know he'll be back, don't you?"
Victor looked at her. "Yes, I know. And when he does... I'll finish him myself."
Victor stared at Alia, a darkness playing in his eyes. After a few seconds of silence, he slowly said,
"The one who set me up for betrayal."
Alia frowned. "Are you sure it was just Vicky?"
Victor gave a slight smile and shook his head. "Vicky was just a puppet. Someone used him. I'm certain there's someone bigger hiding in the shadows."
Alia said in a cold voice, "Then who do you really want to destroy, Victor?"
Victor stepped forward. His voice was low but firm. "Whoever it is… they'll die by my hands."
Alia stayed silent for a moment, then gave a faint smile. "Then I'll wait too. Let's see whose face is behind the mask in the shadows."
Victor looked at her, then slowly said, "And what if that face turns out to be someone… you don't want to believe?"
Alia's smile faded. "Then their fate will be no different from Vicky's."
---
Four days passed...
Neither Victor nor Alia had been idle. In these four days, a lot had changed. Victor had activated his network to investigate every lead, while Alia had started digging into the CIA's database, trying to uncover the names hiding in the shadows.
They were working separately but toward the same goal—
Who was the traitor? And who was the real mastermind behind all this?
Day 1:
Victor interrogated his most trusted men in the mafia empire. He discovered that someone had been leaking sensitive information from deep within his organization.
Meanwhile, Alia, with the help of her CIA contacts, retrieved secret documents—some familiar names appeared.
Day 2:
Victor remembered something his brother Nikola had told him long ago during a warning phone call:
"Victor, this is bigger than you think. Someone doesn't just want to frame you—they want you eliminated."
At the same time, Alia discovered a new lead—
A name: Mironov.
She knew Victor was also looking for that same name.
But who was Mironov?
Day 3:
Victor sent one of his spies to meet a powerful figure in the underworld.
The spy never returned.
It was clear—someone was watching his every move very closely.
Alia, through an old associate, learned that Mironov was just a codename.
The real person behind it was far more dangerous.
Day 4:
At night, Victor and Alia finally met face-to-face.
Victor spoke in a calm tone, "We're chasing someone... but it feels like he's already been watching us for a long time."
Alia sighed. "It's time to stop playing defense."
Victor gave a faint smirk. "Are you ready, Princess?"
Alia narrowed her eyes. "Always."
---
Alia goes to confront the terrifying man… alone.
It's late at night. The city lights flicker dimly in the darkness. Alia went alone—
She knew if Victor came along, the situation would only escalate.
She stood in front of an old, abandoned factory. Her posture was firm.
No fear in her eyes.
As she stepped inside, the heavy metal door slammed shut behind her.
From the darkness, a voice echoed—
"You're brave, Princess. Coming here alone?"
Alia replied in a cold tone, "I came to meet you—Mironov."
A shadow slowly stepped into the light.
Tall, muscular, cold blue eyes, a faint beard—his eyes had a sadistic gleam, as if he was the one controlling this game.
"You thought you'd find me alone? I've known about you and Victor for a long time," Mironov said with a smirk. "The truth is—I've been one step ahead of you from the beginning."
Alia's face hardened. "Who are you really? And why are you targeting us?"
Mironov slowly sat in a chair, fingers interlocked.
"I'm just a businessman, Princess. But when someone gets in the way of my business—I remove them. Your Victor is becoming a problem."
Alia's eyes narrowed. She realized this man wasn't just a criminal—he was a mastermind.
"You want to get rid of me too?" Alia asked in a calm voice.
Mironov smiled. "No. On the contrary—I want you to join me. Leave Victor. I'll give you power you've never even imagined."
Alia felt fire rise inside her. She stepped forward.
"I'm not for sale, Mironov. You offered the deal to the wrong person."
Mironov laughed, but his eyes remained cold.
"Then you'll die with Victor. Because what I've started—won't stop."
Alia slowly moved her hand toward the gun under her coat. But at that very moment—
The barrel of a gun pressed against her head from behind.
Mironov pinned her to the wall and held a knife to her throat.
Alia suddenly felt herself slammed against the cold wall.
Mironov's strong grip restrained her arms, and a sharp blade was inches from her neck.
Leaning close, he whispered,
"Victor isn't coming for you, Princess. He doesn't even know you're here. And even if he does, I'm certain he can't save you."
Alia took a deep breath. Her eyes burned with rage, but no fear.
"You have no idea who you're dealing with, Mironov," she said coldly.
Mironov smirked. His blue eyes gleamed with cruelty.
"Your confidence is... charming, Alia. But in this city, there's only one king. And that's me."
Then he pressed the blade closer—leaving a thin red cut on her throat.
"Victor will weep for you, Princess. But he'll be powerless to stop me," Mironov said.
A smirk crept across Alia's lips.
"Whether Victor saves me or not—I can save myself," she replied.
And just then—
A massive explosion shook the entire building!
The blast caught Mironov off guard for a split second.
That moment was all Alia needed.
Like lightning, she grabbed his arm and yanked herself free.
Then, with a powerful elbow to his chest, she knocked him back.
She touched the cut on her neck—minor. No big deal.
Without wasting a second, she grabbed the nearest weapon.
"You made a mistake, Mironov," her voice hardened.
"I don't just fight for Victor—I know how to protect myself."
Mironov got back up, grinning.
"Let's see how strong you really are, Princess."
Just then, a pair of cold eyes glowed through the smoke—
Victor!
Surrounded by his armed men, he walked forward—his eyes blazing like death itself.
"Alia, are you okay?" His voice was calm, but the storm inside was clear.
Alia locked eyes with him for a second, then nodded.
"I'm fine. But this game isn't over yet."
Victor exhaled slightly and turned to Mironov.
"You forgot something, Mironov... I never let anyone take what's mine."
Mironov was stunned.
His eyes widened in disbelief. Before he could move—
Alia plunged the knife straight into his throat.
"This is for everything, Mironov," she said coldly, just before his body convulsed.
Blood poured out. His eyes faded. Within seconds, he collapsed.
Alia, stained with blood, gave a twisted, unsettling smile—like a psycho.
Then she tasted Mironov's blood—just a little.
Victor didn't say a word.
He simply looked at Alia—
Pride flashing in his eyes.
"You still burn like fire, Princess," he said with a faint smile.
Alia took a breath and replied,
"The game's over, Victor. Now we get out."
Victor turned to his men.
"Clear the area."
There was still smoke around them,
but they knew—this war had ended here.