Underworld Ultimatum

The Test

For over a month, Roxanne had been tirelessly working to capture the attention of the Black Lotus Syndicate. Day by day, the stress mounted, leading Roxanne to engage in actions that were far from her true nature.

She had entered the world of law enforcement with the aspiration of becoming a member who could stand for justice. However, her mission had pushed her into a darker world. She took on dangerous assignments—drug transactions, high-stakes thefts, even hired assassinations—all while maintaining a low profile. Yet, despite her efforts, she had received no clear invitation, no sign that she was being watched.

But she was.

From the shadows of dimly lit clubs, at the edges of the high-stakes gambling tables, from the unseen corners of the city’s underworld, Ares watched.

He had been tracking her movements since the night at Victoria Crimson. The moment she resurfaced, taking increasingly bold risks, he knew she was searching for something—for him.

But she didn’t know that yet.

Roxanne, growing impatient, decided it was time to force Black Lotus to notice her. She set her sights on disrupting their network—stealing shipments, sabotaging minor deals, and leaving behind a clear, unmistakable mark: her name.

It was reckless. It was loud.

And it worked.

One night, after successfully hijacking a delivery meant for the Syndicate, she found herself surrounded by men in dark suits outside a secluded warehouse. She didn’t resist. Instead, she smirked, lighting a cigarette and exhaling slowly.

“Took you long enough,” she mused.

One of the men stepped forward. Vincent Moreau. A mid-level enforcer of the Black Lotus Syndicate.

He placed a folded piece of paper on the table and slid it toward her.

“No more games, Liliane,” he said, using her alias. “You want in? Prove you’re worth our time.”

She unfolded the paper. A name. A location. A time.

A test.

From a distance, leaning against his black car, Ares smirked as he watched her take the bait.

“She’s bold,” his second-in-command remarked.

“She’s desperate,” Ares corrected. But there was a flicker of amusement in his slate-gray eyes. “Let’s see how far she’s willing to go.”

The target was Armani Di Fatti, an Italian businessman with ties to another criminal organization. The job was straightforward: eliminate him cleanly and efficiently.

Roxanne smirked. Finally.

She arrived at the designated five-star hotel in a sleek, magenta mini dress, a black wig concealing her vibrant red hair. Her makeup was sultry, her demeanor inviting. If Armani was anything like the men she had dealt with before, seduction would be the easiest way to get close. With a coquettish stride and a cigarette in hand, she walked toward the reception area.

"Ma'am, please refrain from smoking in this area. You can smoke on the rooftop or in the smoking area," the receptionist advised.

Roxanne paid no heed to the receptionist's warning and inquired about the whereabouts of her target. The receptionist immediately recognized her as the paid companion hired by Armani. Roxanne followed a hotel staff member who guided her to Armani's room.

Upon entering the room, the mission proceeded as expected. Armani, drunk and careless, barely questioned her presence. His hands roamed greedily before she could maneuver herself into a position of control.

"Do I make you wait so long, baby?" said Roxanne in a seductive tone while playing with her hair. Armani licked his lips and immediately pulled Roxanne into his room violently. Roxanne gasped.

Armani immediately kissed Roxanne's lips fiercely until Roxanne almost lost her balance. Roxanne restrains Armani and tries to push him, but Armani's power under the influence of alcohol is very difficult to control. Roxanne's lips bleed from Armani's ferocity.

Roxanne toppled Armani on the bed with all her might and managed to sit on him. Roxanne tied Armani's hands together and placed them on the man's head. Armani didn't suspect Roxanne in the slightest, on the contrary, his libido was increasing.

"You're so sexy when you're on top, Amore," he said with his signature accent grinning with a lewd look.

She straddled him on the bed, one hand reaching behind her for the concealed knife in her garter. Just as she was about to strike—

Five men stormed into the room, guns drawn.

Roxanne barely had time to react before she was forced to drop her weapon. A setup.

One of the men, masked and broad-shouldered, ordered her to move to the window. Roxanne obeyed—but the second they let their guard down, she launched into action.

A whirlwind of kicks and strikes sent the first two men to the ground. The others scrambled to regain control, but she was too fast. Dodging gunfire, she turned their own weapons against them, incapacitating all but one.

That was when she realized—Armani was gone.

“Damn it,” she hissed, racing toward the exit.

The second she stepped outside, someone grabbed her from behind. A sharp pain shot through her skull.

Then—

Darkness.

Roxanne awoke to the sound of a man groaning in pain.

She lifted her head slowly, blinking against the dim light. A few feet away, Armani was on his knees, beaten and bloody.

A voice, deep and controlled, filled the room.

“That’s not what I wanted, you asshole. Why did you touch her?”

Roxanne’s breath hitched. She knew that voice.

"I beg your mercy, boss. Let me live. It was just because I was so drunk. Forgive me, boss," there were more loud thuds and groans.

She turned toward the source, her vision adjusting. There, standing over Armani’s crumpled form, was Ares.

Or at least, the man she thought she knew as Ares.

His suit was tailored, his presence commanding. Behind him, a massive Black Lotus logo was emblazoned on the wall, the words Black Lotus Group Incorporation’ displayed beneath it. And on the desk before him, a nameplate read:

Lorenzo Aristione Valeri, Executive Director.

Roxanne’s heart pounded.

“Ares…?”

He turned to her, his slate-gray eyes locking onto hers with an unreadable expression. Then, he smirked.

“Surprise.”

Ares—or rather, Lorenzo Aristione Valeri—eased into his leather chair.

“I’m sorry for what happened to you,” he said casually, motioning toward Armani’s battered form. “His actions were… undisciplined.”

Roxanne barely heard him. Her mind was still reeling. Ares was the leader of the Black Lotus Syndicate. The very man she had been hunting.

He studied her silently before chuckling. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

She clenched her fists. “You lied to me.”

“I never lied,” he corrected smoothly. “You simply never asked the right questions.”

She scoffed. “And what do you want from me now? To kill me?”

Ares—or Lorenzo—laughed softly. “Kill you? Hardly.”

He leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “You wanted my attention? Congratulations. You have it.”

But before she could react, he leaned back, his smirk deepening.

“Though I must admit,” he added, his voice laced with something unreadable, “I’m quite curious to see how long it will take you to figure out exactly who I am.”

Roxanne narrowed her eyes, something uneasy curling in her gut.

There was something she was missing. Something big.

But for now, she would play along.

And so would he.