Chapter 4
1100 Words
(Selene’s POV)
The skyline of Hong Kong stretches beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, a sea of neon and darkness reflected on the penthouse's pristine marble floors. The city is alive, but within, I sit in complete silence, covered in a silk robe and holding a glass of crimson wine between my fingers.
The only sound in the huge living room is the quiet ticking of an old clock, until the crisp click of polished shoes on marble breaks the silence. Jiang Wei, my most trusted enforcer, enters. He bows his head slightly, his sharp features betraying a hint of tension.
"He’s here” I don't ask who. I already know. A slow smirk curves my lips as I swirl the wine in my glass.
"Adrian Ansaldo" Jiang nods.
"His jet landed an hour ago. He’s moving quietly, but we have eyes on him. He’s staying at the Imperial Suite at the Peninsula” I hum, amused.
"Of course, he’d pick the most obvious place. Classic Ansaldo walking into a war zone as if he owns it”.
"Do you want us to make a move?" Jiang watches me carefully.
I place my wine glass down and get to my feet, the fabric of my robe slipping over one shoulder as I walk towards the window. Every street, trade, and whispered secret belongs to me. And now Ansaldo has entered my universe.
I have known about him for a long time… He is ruthless. His precision. His absence of fear. He is like a storm moving in from the west. Dangerous and unpredictable.
But what about me? I represented the calm before the storm.
A slow, wicked smile stretches over my lips.
"No, Jiang," I turned, eyes gleaming like sharpened steel.
"Let’s welcome him… in our style" Jiang smirks, knowing just what that means. A trap disguised as a present. A game of shadows and blood.
“Consider it done” Without another word, he turned and left the penthouse, vanishing into the morning shadows.
Ansaldo had entered my area. It was time to determine if the King of the West could withstand the Queen of the East.
Just as I reached for my phone, it rang first. A rare occurrence. I glanced at the name flashing across the screen…Zara Cheng.
I smirked before answering.
“Zara” A playful scoff came from the other end.
“Don’t ‘Zara’ me like you weren’t planning on ignoring my calls again” I chuckled.
Zara Cheng, the only person in the world who spoke to me fearlessly. My father’s strongest ally's daughter is wild, sharp-tongued, and dangerously intelligent.
"You caught me at a good time" I admitted, walking over to pour myself a drink.
"Or a bad one?" Zara mused.
"I heard our dear foreign mafia king finally touched down. And judging by your tone, I’m guessing you’ve already started playing with him" I took a slow sip of my drink.
“Of course. He wants power here, Zara. I’m simply making sure he works for it” Zara hummed.
"I don’t know if you’re testing him or just enjoying this too much” I smirked.
“Can’t it be both?” A laugh came through the phone.
"God, I love you. This is why we’re best friends. But be careful, Selene. Ansaldo isn’t just another arrogant Western boss, he’s calculated. And charming in the worst way" I arched a brow.
“Are you warning me or rooting for him?” Zara chuckled.
"Let’s just say, if you two ever stopped testing each other and actually worked together, the world would be on its knees" I twirled the glass between my fingers, my smirk deepening.
"That’s the fun part, isn’t it?" Zara let out a soft sigh, her usual playful tone shifting into something softer.
“Just… be careful, Selene” I frowned slightly, sensing the change in my best friend’s voice.
“You sound worried” Zara hesitated for a moment before exhaling.
“I am. You know I never doubt your power, but Ansaldo… He’s different. He’s not like the men you’ve dealt with before. He’s not reckless or desperate, he’s built an empire with his mind, not just his brutality. And people like him… they’re dangerous in ways you can’t always predict”.
I took in Zara’s words, swirling the liquid in my glass as I gazed out over the city. I knew Zara wasn’t wrong.
"I’ve handled worse" I said finally, my voice calm but firm. Zara scoffed.
"Have you? Because this isn’t just some power-hungry fool trying to challenge you. This is a man who plays the long game, Selene”.
"You think I’m weak?" I asked, my tone colder than I intended.
"No," Zara said immediately.
"I think you’re human. So, don’t let this game go on for long".
I closed my eyes for a brief second. Human. The word felt strange to me. I had schooled myself to avoid weakness, emotions, and anything that could be used against me.
Despite that...For the first time in a long time, Ansaldo moved me beyond cold calculation. A excitement. A challenge. An equal.
I forced myself to relax, placing the glass down with a quiet clink.
"I’ll be fine, Zara. I always am" Zara sighed.
"You worry too much” I smirked slightly.
"And you don’t worry enough".
“You are there to worry about me. Then why should I?” I tried to lighten the mood. Following that, I bid her farewell and ended the call.
I was still pondering Zara's words when Jiang walked into my penthouse. He stands before me, his stance firm, his expression unreadable except for the slight glint of amusement in his eyes.
"It went exactly as you expected, Miss Zhao" I smirked. It's hardly been three hours and my welcoming gift has already reached Adrian Ansaldo. That is how fast my men work, and I adore that.
I set the glass down, tapping my manicured nails against the table.
"He wants to see me" Jiang nods.
"No doubt about it. His next move will be to request a meeting" I lean back, a vicious smirk curving my lips.
"Then let’s send him an invitation” Jiang straightens.
"How do you want it delivered?" I tilted my head, eyes sharp as a blade.
"Nothing will be a piece of cake for him now. If he wants to meet me…he’ll have to earn it” Jiang nods, already understanding.
I wasn’t just welcoming Ansaldo into my world…I was leading him into a game he wouldn’t forget.
This is my empire.
- Writer
