Chapter 5
1059 Words
(Ansaldo’s POV)
I have just arrived at the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong. The Imperial Suite is bathed in hazy golden light, and the aroma of costly whisky lingers in the air. I am standing near the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a cigarette between my fingers as I look down at the city.
Hong Kong. A metropolis that exudes power, mystery, and blood.
Behind me, my men walk like shadows, guarding every entry and inspecting every corner. My army surrounds the entire hotel. Nobody gets in. Nobody gets out. Not without my say.
Matteo stands near the door, arms crossed.
"Security is tight. No movement so far. It’s quiet" I exhale a stream of smoke, my gaze still locked on the skyline.
"Too quiet” I have been in this world long enough to know, silence is never peace. Silence is the beginning of war.
Still, I let myself rest. An hour. That’s all.
After a few minutes, the lights flicker briefly before reverting to normal. The air conditioner hums, but the temperature gradually rises, too slowly to be detected immediately.
Then comes the first disruption.
"Boss!" Matteo's voice snaps through the room as a sudden alarm blares from their encrypted communication lines. I looked at him.
"Talk” A voice crackles through the radio.
"Perimeter breach…" Then, static.
My jaw clenches. Impossible. No one should be able to break through my security. Then, the second disruption. A loud explosion erupts, not inside the hotel, but just outside, at one of our secondary defense points. A distraction.
Matteo curses, checking his gun.
"They’re testing us” My eyes darken.
"No. They’re playing with us" And then, the final move.
The entire room has been plunged into darkness. For three seconds, there is silence. Then, a single red light turns on, the emergency backup power illuminating the room in a dim crimson hue. That's when I noticed it.
There is a small black card on the table that was not there previously. I pick it up and flip it between my fingertips. A golden insignia shines in the faint light.
The trademark of Selene Zhao.
"Clever” A slow, dangerous smirk tugs at my lips. ‘So, this is how she welcomes her guests?’
Game on, princess.
It's almost morning now, after all of the turbulence of the night. I am standing by the window, the sleek black card twirling effortlessly between my fingers. My lips curve into a smirk.
Selene Zhao…Asia’s untouchable queen, ruthless, calculated.
The way she moved against me tonight was delicate, yet deliberate. She did not act out of fear or desperation. No, she was playing with me. Tested my reaction and set the game's speed. And I enjoyed it.
I exhaled carefully before tossing the card onto the table, landing squarely in the centre. A challenge. An invitation. A warning. I have made men grovel, coalitions plead, and enemies prostate. But this? This was different.
The door opens just as I pick up my whisky glass, and Matteo walks in. His expression is stern, but there is a spark of something else, amusement.
"You’re not going to believe this, boss" Matteo says, walking toward the table. I arched my brow.
"Try me” Matteo places a small black envelope in front of me. No marks. No insignia. Only a silent promise cloaked in darkness.
My smirk grows as I pick it up and slide a finger under the seal. Inside, there is a single note, scrawled in delicate strokes.
‘If you want to see me, find me.
No security, no army…just you.
Let's see if the King of the West is as fearless as they say’
—Selene Zhao.
I stare at the words, then let out a low, sinister laugh. Fearless. Bold. Being fearless and assertive in my region was one thing. But what about hers? That was something else altogether.
I leaned back in my chair, spinning the letter between my fingers before placing it next to the black card.
"Salute to this woman," I muttered, amused.
"She knows how to play” Matteo folds his arms.
"So? What’s the move?" I pick up my glass, taking a slow sip of whiskey before answering.
"I accept!"
After an hour, I I walked out of the Peninsula Hotel alone. My army of men is nowhere in sight. No security. Just me, a black coat wrapped over my shoulders, and the weight of Selene Zhao's challenge on my thoughts.
I walk through the streets like a shadow, blending in with the city's pulse. My instincts sharpened, and my senses became more keen. Then I noticed it. A little white lantern hangs outside a tucked-away alleyway, its base bearing a familiar golden insignia. Selene's mark.
I giggled beneath my breath. ‘Clever’.
I entered the alley without hesitation. The scent of rain remains in the air, and for a brief while, everything is quiet until a motorbike revs to life in the distance, breaking the silence.
A man clothed in black sits on the bike, his helmet's visor reflecting the dim alley lights. Without saying anything, he tosses a folded piece of parchment to me. I catch it midair and effortlessly unfold it.
‘Not bad. Now keep up.
Pier 17. No detours.
You have ten minutes’
I felt a rush of excitement. She is observing. I look up, but the rider has already vanished, the roar of the motor fading into the darkness. I checked my watch. ‘Ten minutes’. A sneer tugs at my lips as I return to the main street. It's time to move.
Pier 17 looms ahead, the aroma of salt and water strong in the air. The region is quiet, too calm for a spot known for illegal transactions and late-night dealings.
I move forward, my boots tapping on the damp wooden boards. I expected resistance and a trick, but instead I discovered another note fastened on a wooden post.
‘Almost there. Keep going.
One final stop, The Crimson Lotus’.
My smirk widens. Selene Zhao wasn’t just testing my ability to follow orders. She was making me dance. And damn it, I was enjoying it.
The Crimson Lotus is an exclusive, underground teahouse hidden behind a facade of traditional elegance. I push open the intricately carved wooden doors, stepping into the dimly lit interior.
And there she is…Selene Zhao.
- Writer
