The Emperor sneered and took a sip of whiskey from the glass one of his men handed him. "Effective? You risked my entire operation on a ghost. If Silas finds out who he really is before we’re ready, everything collapses."

He leaned forward, eyes burning. "Tell me, Viktor — why should I not kill you right now for this incompetence?"

Viktor’s face paled. "Because I’m still useful. I have connections. I have the younger brother — Leon — under control through Santiago. The plan is working. Give me more time."

Liam watched silently, his golden eyes glancing at the two men.

The Emperor laughed coldly. "Time? You’ve had years. And now you bring me a ghost who might be working for someone else." He turned to Liam. "Advisor, what do you think? Should I spare him?"

Liam’s voice was steady. "He’s a liability now. But he still has value if we control him tightly. Use him as bait if needed."

Viktor shot Liam a betrayed look, but the advisor didn’t flinch.

The Emperor tapped his cane on the floor. "Very well. Viktor, you live — for now. But one more mistake and I’ll feed you to the dogs. Santiago stays in play. Tell him to make his interaction with the younger brother fast. We need to break the weak point to secure the end point."

He stood up, leaning on his cane. "And find out who Santiago really is. I want his full history within two weeks. If he’s a threat, eliminate him. If he’s useful... use him well. If possible, you can put him under you."

The Emperor turned to leave with his men, then paused at the door. "One last thing. If either of you betrays me... I will make your deaths last months."

The door closed behind him with a heavy thud. Outside the chamber, the Emperor climbed back into his limousine, a dark smile on his face.

Viktor collapsed forward, breathing hard. Liam helped him up without emotion. "You heard him," Liam said quietly. "Don’t disappoint again."

Viktor wiped blood from his lip. "You turned on me."

"I saved your life," Liam replied coldly. "Next time, I might not."

Viktor grabbed his hands and looked at his face. "I very much know that you love me. Why can’t I do so for you?"

The advisor released his hands and dusted them on his clothes. "Viktor, I don’t care about what you think about my actions. All I want is for you to get my work done before the Emperor. I saved you because you are a very important piece of chess for my chess play."

Viktor threw his head back and laughed, a sharp sound that made his cheeks flare with fresh stings. He winced but didn’t stop. "Wow, everyone treats me as a liability. Maybe I am one."

The advisor’s palm cracked against his cheek, quick and light, leaving a faint sting that snapped him back to attention. "A pawn will always remain a pawn except he moves forward. He can never become a queen. You have since locked yourself in here, having pleasure with my men. It must be sweet, huh?"

Viktor cupped his stinging cheeks with both hands, eyes lifting to meet him, the red still fresh on his skin. "You are jealous, Liam."

The advisor’s eyes widened for half a second, his brows jerking up before he caught himself. "Whatever you want to say, Viktor, you are a delusional bird caged in his illusion. Wake up and see the other side of life, Viktor."

He reached for the door, when Viktor’s fingers clamped around his arm and yanked him back. "What are you doing, Viktor? Let me go at this moment."

Viktor’s grip was surprisingly strong despite his injuries. "You think I don’t know? You think I don’t see the way you look at me when you think I’m not watching? You saved me because you can’t stand the thought of losing me. Admit it, Liam. You care."

Liam’s golden eyes flashed with something dangerous. He yanked his arm free and shoved Viktor back against the wall, pinning him there with surprising force. "Care? You think this is care? I saved you because you are still useful. If you become a liability, I will be the one to put a bullet in your head myself."

Viktor’s breathing was ragged, but his eyes burned with defiance and hot rage. "Then do it. Kill me now if I’m so useless to you."

For a moment, a killing intent between them crackled like electricity. Liam’s hand moved to Viktor’s throat, fingers pressing just enough to feel the pulse racing beneath them. Their faces were inches apart.

"You have no idea how close I am to doing exactly that," Liam whispered, voice low and venomous. "But not yet. Not until I get what I want."

Viktor’s lips curled into a bloody smile. "And what do you want, Liam? Power? Revenge? Or me?"

Liam didn’t answer.

Seeing him distracted, Viktor crushed his mouth against Liam’s in a brutal, angry kiss — all teeth and dominance. Liam groaned into it, hands fisting Viktor’s shirt.

Liam bit down on his lip until the metallic taste of blood hit his tongue. Viktor wrenched back, both of them breathing in ragged, uneven gasps.

Viktor cupped Liam’s chin, his thumb brushing over the split skin of his lips. "Didn’t you enjoy it?"

Liam wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "How dare you, Viktor. You are lucky I am not with a gun. I would have put a bullet through your head."

Viktor chuckled and smirked at Liam, though he looked horrible with that on his face.

"This changes nothing," Liam said coldly. "Get your act together, Viktor. Or the Emperor won’t be the only one who wants you dead."

He turned and walked out, leaving Viktor slumped against the wall, touching his bruised lips with a mix of pain and dark satisfaction.

Outside the chamber, the Emperor sat in his limousine, reviewing the files. His phone rang. He answered without checking the caller ID.

---

Santiago walked into a café. He went to a table close to a window and sat down. He brought out his earpods and plugged them in.

He touched a few things on his phone and called someone. Not too long after, a figure in black walked into the café. The figure went to his back and sat down.

Santiago dropped his earpod and called a waiter. He ordered coffee, which was brought to him in a few minutes. He sipped the coffee for a while.

"Alright, brief me on what is going on."

The black figure behind him didn’t turn back. He continued to eat the cake he had ordered. "The information about the boy was secured. From what I searched, he is in this city, and as for where he is, we don’t know yet."

Santiago took another sip and continued. "It’s been fifteen months since I told you to look for him. Are you guys playing with me?"

The guy shook his head. His voice was trembling a little. "Young master, the lord is looking for you. He said he has agreed to whatever you said. He promised to fulfill your wishes as far as you come home."

"I won’t be coming home until I find the person I came here to look for. As for you, I do know you are hiding his whereabouts, but I will find it." Santiago clenched his hands.

"What of the other person I told you to look into?"

The black figure turned serious. "I have dug into the guy, and his name is Viktor. He was an orphan in Los Angeles, a stray dog to be precise. Until a man picked him up and placed him in the mafia community."

Santiago tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table. "What of his ringleader?"

The black figure sighed and shook his head again. "The ringleader’s identity seems to be covered by a veil. No matter how I dig, I only got a name, and that is ’The Emperor’. He is a very famous guy around here in the underworld, but his identity is unknown."

Santiago stopped tapping his hands. His face turned serious. "Even my father’s hands can’t reach him. Then that man is dangerous."

The black figure nodded repeatedly. "Yes, we tried ways to do so. Young master, it’s better to leave this and come back home with me."

Santiago stood up abruptly, turned to face the startled man. "I won’t be coming home, so don’t bother yourself. As for the person I asked you to look for, I will do that myself."

He turned to walk out of the café, leaving a warning to the figure. "As for father, tell him his son sends his greetings. Redraw those men if you don’t want any other problems."

The black figure, wanting to stand up, was shunned by Santiago’s eyes. "You can go back home. You aren’t comfortable here." He walked out of the café, leaving the black figure’s mouth opened.