Marry Him. Make Him Fall Inlove. Kill Him.

“Marry him. Make him fall in love. Kill him,” Lilico’s voice cut through the heavy silence in the room like a sharp knife. She roughly threw a wad of cash in front of Ivana. Instantly, uncontrollable laughter burst from Ivana’s throat, her shoulders shaking violently and her ribs hurting. Her gaze swayed between Lilico and Davis, her boyfriend, who sat beside Lilico, desperately signaling her with his eyes, pleading for her to accept the money. “Wait! What?” Ivana exclaimed, finally suppressing her laughter. “Do I look like an assassin to you? Or a hired killer?” she asked, sitting upright in her seat. Lilico and Davis exchanged a quick glance. Clearly, this wasn’t what they’d expected her to say. Judging from Ivana’s personality—outspoken, always voicing her thoughts without holding back, and her love for money (a fact well-known to those around her, especially her boyfriend)—they’d anticipated a different reaction. Lilico’s face scrunched in disappointment as she glared at Davis. This was not what he’d promised during their meeting at the club to strike the deal. They began communicating with their eyes. After a long silence, Davis cleared his throat, stood up, and rushed to Ivana. He sat beside her, held her hand, and smoothed it softly while he spoke. “Babe, it’s not what you think,” he uttered softly. She stared at him intensely, waiting for an explanation. “Think about the money involved, babe,” he pleaded, avoiding her real concerns. “Davis, I can’t even hurt a fly, not to mention a human being… come on,” Ivana said, angrily standing up and pacing her small apartment, arms crossed under her breasts. She watched as Davis leaned toward Lilico, whispering until their conversation turned into a heated argument. Ivana almost scoffed when she saw him calming Lilico down, promising she’d agree. ‘What kind of relationship do they share?‘ Ivana’s thoughts reeled. She wondered how Davis had gotten involved with Lilico from the Brooklyn family—a well-known US business dynasty. Lilico was their adopted daughter, showered with love even after patriarch Grey Brooklyn’s death. Her cold, ice-faced elder brother, Tardrain, had left abroad to run his own company, leaving Lilico and his mother in charge of the family business. ‘Why me? Why can’t she do it herself? And why is my boyfriend supporting this?’ Ivana cursed under her breath. ‘I love money, but I won’t spill blood for it.’ Determined to refuse, she turned to them, face stern. “Davis, can I speak to you outside?” Without waiting, she dragged him out and pushed him. “Babe…” Davis muttered, stepping closer. He saw the pain in her eyes but pressed on. “Davis, did you ever love me? Was this ever real?” she yelled, tears burning her eyes. He sighed, shoulders dropping, and pulled her into a tight hug. She melted into his arms, sobbing. This was the man she’d loved for four years—the one who’d supported her after her parent’s fatal accident. But two years ago, he’d changed, since the debt collectors came, Davis was consumed by insecurity about “failing” her. Now he was using her as bait. Sniffing, she pulled back. “There’s no easy path to success, Davis—” “Let’s break up, Ivana,” Davis blurted, making her jaw drop in shock as he tried to withdraw his hands from hers and avoid eye contact. “What?!” Tears streamed down Ivana’s cheeks as she hastily grabbed his hands. “Davis, you can’t do this to me,” her voice cracked, her eyes darting all over his face as the fear of losing him crushed her like a truck. Davis scoffed, rolling his eyes, unmoved by her tears. He knew this was the only way to get her to do what he wanted. He knew Ivana would move mountains for him, because she loved him dearly—more than he did. “I can’t be with a girl whose ambitions don’t align with mine,” he stated, finality in his voice. “What if I get caught? I will rot in jail.” Ivana’s voice broke down, her heart sinking. “Think positively, Ivana. Stop focusing on the negativity!” Davis flared up in her face, raising his voice. His eyes were filled with rage, something she had never seen before. “This is a human life we’re talking about here,” she protested, trying to make him see the stakes involved. However, Davis wasn’t seeing that; he had his eyes on the bright side. “This is a billion dollars we’re talking about here, Ivana,” he retorted, sounding pissed off. “Look, if you aren’t going to do it, I’m walking out of this place and out of your life forever,” he threatened, his expression indicating he wasn’t joking. He turned around and began walking away without sparing her a glance. Ivana slumped to her knees as memories of their time together flooded her mind. From the first day they met at the clubhouse to the intimate nights they shared, it all came rushing back. ‘How can I live without him?’ she thought, sniffling even harder. ‘I love him so much. So much! If this is what he wants, then I will do it,’ she concluded, determined to take the risk. Ivana sprang to her feet and ran toward him. Just as he was about to turn the doorknob, she quickly wrapped her arms around him. Her tears soaked through his shirt, gluing the fabric to his skin. “Please don’t leave me, Davis. I can’t live without you,” she cried desperately, pleading with him as if her world would end if he broke up with her. Davis struggled to free himself from her embrace, but she held on tighter. His lips tugged into a smirk as he saw how obsessed she was. “Ivana, please let me go,” he said. She shook her head in refusal. “No, Davis. I’ll do whatever you want. Please don’t just leave me. You’re all I have left.” He sighed. “Alright, let go of me. Let’s talk,” he muttered softly, slowly unwrapping her arms from around him and turning to face her. Ivana lowered her head as more tears fell from her eyes. She instantly hated herself for wanting to go to such lengths because of a man. But did she have a choice? No! This was the man who had been through thick and thin with her. “Babe, I’m not going to leave you halfway. No matter the consequences, we’ll both see it through together,” he comforted her, and she nodded in response, trusting him with her whole heart. He smiled, “And after that, we’ll get married, just like you’ve always wanted,” he said, patting her head softly, like a dog that had finally obeyed. In a flash, Ivana’s teary face brightened up, with her lips stretching into a wide smile. After all, he was doing this just for their future. ‘Damn it! Stupid me almost ruined it!’ she mentally scolded herself. He pulled her, and they both entered her apartment, where Lilico was patiently waiting for them. Lilico’s gaze never left Ivana as she silently drummed on the wad of cash in front of her, wondering if Ivana would agree to the deal, just like Davis had promised. Lilico was so convinced because Davis’s ambition was evident in his words and actions. “She agreed!” Davis suddenly exclaimed the moment he stepped inside, excitement lingering in his voice. Ivana sat down, folding her hands nervously, and nodded in agreement, even when she was beginning to hate herself for it. But if this was going to save her relationship, then she was ready to do it. “S-so… who am I killing?” Ivana stammered. The word “killing” made her stomach scrunch. Lilico sat upright and cleared her throat. “You’re going to kill Tardrain, my brother,” she said nonchalantly. “What? The ice face?!” Ivana exclaimed, her jaw dropping.