Captivated By Ruthless Mafia Boss

Watching You, Little Bird

Nikol Pov

​“Think twice if you’re planning to use that little thing, Elena.”

​My flat tone broke the silence of the cold room. From behind my closed eyes on the bed, I could hear the soft clink of a metal hairpin hitting the floor. I knew the girl was watching my every move from the sofa. The steady breathing I’d been maintaining all this time was just a thin veil; a Don of the Volkov clan never truly sleeps soundly near a captive who harbors a grudge.

​“You… you were pretending to sleep?” she whispered, her voice trembling violently.

​I opened my eyes, tilting my head slightly to look at her. “Do you think I’m that stupid, little bird?”

​Elena’s breath caught in resignation. Her trembling fingers slowly loosened their grip on the metal hairpin, realizing her plan had been completely seen through. What a charming and at the same time, pitiful effort.

​“Touch that padlock one more time, and I won’t hesitate to tie both your hands above your head all night long,” I threatened coldly

.

​“You’re a devil!” Elena snapped, her eyes brimming with tears as she held back her anger.

​

​Without prolonging the argument that night, I left her sitting there in frustration until she finally fell asleep from exhaustion. As dawn broke, I took my eyes off her and stepped out of the confinement room toward my private office.

I leaned back in the leather chair behind the sturdy mahogany desk, my fingers—adorned with a signet ring bearing the Volkov crest—tapping its surface gently. For two full days, I had set aside several urgent business matters for the sake of one thing: orchestrating the confinement of Elena, the younger sister of my arch-enemy, Tristan Vance. A faint smile touched my lips as I recalled how that stubborn girl had continued to rebel in my mansion. As the Don of the Volkov clan, I was accustomed to getting whatever I wanted—and Elena Vance was no exception.

​Knock! Knock!

​“Mr. Nikol, it’s Viktor,” a firm voice from outside the door broke the silence of the dimly lit office.

​“Come in,” I replied flatly, without taking my eyes off the documents on the desk.

​Viktor strode in with a confident gait. The stern-faced man, who usually executed the clan’s enemies, bowed respectfully to me. I leaned back in my chair, twirling my favorite tactical folding knife on the desk with a relaxed yet precise motion.

“What news do you bring this time, Viktor?” I asked coldly.

Viktor handed me a thick brown folder.“Here you go, sir. All the in-depth information on Elena Vance. She’s a fifth-semester student at one of the most prestigious art universities, as well as a naturally gifted dancer. However, there’s one big secret that the Vance family has kept tightly under wraps—even Elena herself doesn’t know about it. Elena is actually the family’s adopted child.”

​I took the document, reading every line with my sharp, eagle-like eyes. A major secret, one that’s incredibly intriguing to play with.

​“Good work, Viktor,” I praised him tersely.

​Viktor is both the most experienced enforcer and intelligence operative in my organization. His loyalty to me has been paid for with blood, and the results never disappoint.

​“And sir… I’ve just received word that Tristan Vance has begun mobilizing his security detail on a massive scale,” Viktor continued. “He’s realized his sister is missing, and you’re the first person he suspects.”

My lopsided smirk widened at the report. Excellent if Tristan was beginning to realize it. I wasn't afraid in the slightest to launch an open war between our factions.

​The sense of betrayal and vengeance burning in my chest remained fully stoked. I would never forget how the woman I deeply loved, Valerie, my former fiancée, was seduced and taken from me by Tristan. What hurt even more was that Tristan and Valerie were now living happily, expecting their first child, as though the betrayal and the destruction of my underground business lines they caused had never happened.

“Good, Viktor. Set up a surveillance team around the Vance territory border. Monitor Tristan’s movements and report every detail to me,” I ordered coldly.

​“Yes, sir. And one more thing… the Vance family is hiding another dark secret behind Elena’s adoption,” Viktor added in a serious tone before explaining the details of that secret.

​Behind my stony expression, there was a flash of surprise that I hid. It turned out that Tristan wasn’t the only one who was devious; the head of the Vance family was just as rotten. That old man was exploiting Elena’s status for the political and financial gain of his organization.

After Viktor excused himself, there was another knock on my office door. This time, my chief secretary, Morgan, stepped in holding an iPad.

“Excuse me, Boss. As scheduled, you’re invited to attend a formal dinner tonight at the Vance family residence as a major shareholder,” Morgan reported.

​I chuckled cynically as I slipped the tactical knife into the lining of my expensive suit. Without me even having to go out of my way to visit Tristan’s lair, the family had actually invited me directly. I was curious to see how the Vance family would react to throwing a lavish party in the midst of their daughter’s disappearance—their most valuable pawn, the key to the clan’s wealth.

“Have the car ready with a discreet escort, Morgan. I’ll go back to my room first to check on my little bird, then get ready to leave,” I said.