The office was quiet.
Not empty, but controlled.
Floor-to-ceiling glass framed the city below, the skyline stretching endlessly under the afternoon light. Inside, everything was precise. Minimal. Intentional.
Just like him.
Alexander Azriel sat behind his desk, sleeves rolled just enough to reveal his wrist, a file open in front of him. Numbers, reports, contracts everything laid out in cold order.
He flipped a page slowly, his expression unreadable, his eyes scanning every detail with quiet focus.
A knock came at the door.
He didn't look up.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Alya stepped in composed, efficient, her presence as sharp as the schedule she carried.
"Sir."
"Good morning, Alya."
She gave a slight nod.
"The governor has requested to see you today. He said it's urgent."
A brief pause.
Alexander's eyes didn't leave the document.
"He misses my presence this quickly?" he said lightly, a trace of sarcasm in his tone.
Then
"Evening."
He finally looked up.
"Tell him this evening."
Alya nodded, already making the adjustment.
"I'll reschedule it for 6 PM."
"Thank you, Alya."
She hesitated slightly.
"Miss Isabel asked me to inform you to return her calls."
Alexander's lips curved faintly.
"Did she now?"
A pause.
"You can leave, Alya."
The door closed softly behind her.
Silence returned.
Alexander continued working like nothing had interrupted him.
Hours later—
The boardroom was already filled before he arrived.
Voices low.
Tension controlled.
Men and women in tailored suits powerful in their own right.
Just not here.
The door opened.
Silence followed instantly.
Alexander walked in without hurry.
He didn't greet anyone.
Didn't acknowledge the room.
He simply took his seat at the head of the table.
"Shall we begin?" he said, a lazy smile resting on his lips.
A man near the screen cleared his throat quickly.
"Yes—yes, sir."
The presentation resumed.
Charts.
Growth margins.
Expansion strategies.
"Our projections for the next quarter show a 12% increase, but with the current external pressures, there might be a slight delay in—"
Alexander raised a hand slightly.
The man stopped mid-sentence.
"Define slight."
A pause.
"…Three to five percent drop in projected timelines."
Alexander leaned back, his gaze steady.
"And you're comfortable presenting that?"
The man stiffened.
"No, sir—what I meant was—"
"You meant," Alexander cut in smoothly, a faint smile playing on his lips,
"That you're preparing me for failure."
A slight tilt of his head.
"I've always suspected you wanted my downfall, Roy."
A ripple of tension passed through the room.
Roy forced a nervous smile.
"No, sir, I was only explaining that—"
Alexander's gaze dropped briefly to Roy's hands.
"You have very lovely hands, Roy."
Confusion flickered across Roy's face.
"…Thank you, sir. I use a very good lotion."
A few people shifted uncomfortably.
They understood.
Roy didn't.
Another voice jumped in quickly.
"We can adjust distribution channels and increase—"
"Then why haven't you?" Alexander asked.
Silence.
No one answered.
Because there was no answer good enough.
Alexander's gaze moved slowly across the room.
Measured.
Unforgiving.
"Let me make this simple," he said, his voice calm but edged with something sharper.
"I don't pay for explanations."
A pause.
"I pay for results."
The air in the room tightened.
"Fix it," he added. "Before it becomes a problem."
Heads nodded.
Quickly.
"I'm sorry, sir," Roy said, voice tight. "We'll have a revised report by the end of the week."
Alexander stood.
"I like how you think, Roy."
Then he walked out.
The message was clear.
Fix it.
Or be replaced.
He was halfway down the corridor when a voice called out—
"Mr. Azriel."
Alexander turned.
A slow, effortless smile appeared on his face.
"Isabel."
She approached him with confidence, her heels clicking softly against the floor. She was striking—tall, flawless skin, sharp features softened by carefully styled waves of dark hair. Her presence demanded attention, and she knew it.
"I've been trying to reach you," she said, her tone light, almost playful. "But you never pick my calls."
Alexander studied her briefly.
Then smiled.
"Have you ever considered a career in surveillance?"
A slight pause.
"You'd be excellent at it. Much better than modeling."
Her smile faltered for just a second.
They had met at a high-profile event months ago. She had approached him first—bold, confident, intrigued.
Most men entertained her.
Alexander didn't.
Unfortunately—
That hadn't stopped her.
"Funny," she said, recovering quickly. "You weren't complaining the first time we spoke."
Alexander's smile didn't change.
"I wasn't listening carefully enough."
A clean hit.
Precise.
She stepped closer.
"You're difficult."
"I'm busy."
"Same thing."
"Not quite."
For a moment, she held his gaze, trying to regain control of the conversation.
But Alexander had already lost interest.
Right on time
Alya stepped in.
"Sir."
Alexander didn't even look back at Isabel.
"Excuse me, Isabel."
A faint pause.
"Try not to miss me too much."
And just like that
He walked away.
Inside the office again—
Alya followed behind him.
"The governor confirmed for 6 PM."
Alexander nodded once.
"Good."
She placed a file on his desk.
"Preliminary details. Security concerns. He's been receiving threats."
Alexander flipped it open briefly.
Unimpressed.
Later — The Meeting
The governor's office was heavily secured.
Guards, Checkpoints, Eyes everywhere.Stillt felt unnecessary.
Alexander stepped inside like he owned the place.
Alya followed closely behind.
The governor stood to greet him immediately.
"Mr. Azriel. Thank you for coming."
Alexander took his seat, crossing one leg over the other, completely at ease.
"You should hire me as your babysitter," he said casually. "You seem to enjoy having me around."
The governor forced a strained smile, tension clear beneath it.
"I've been receiving threats. Persistent ones."
Alexander leaned back slightly.
"And you believe I should be concerned?"
"They're not ordinary," the governor said quickly. "They've mentioned routes… movements… internal details."
Now that—
That was interesting.
"You're the governor," Alexander said calmly. "Your security shouldn't be for show."
"They're incompetent," the governor admitted, frustration slipping through.
A brief silence followed.
Alexander's lips curved faintly.
"From Vyre."
The governor didn't deny it.
He didn't need to.
Everyone knew.
Despite everything—
Vyre remained the most reliable force when things got complicated.
Alexander rested his elbow lightly against the armrest.
"I'm a man of the people," he said smoothly, though the words carried something darker beneath them.
"Don't worry…"
A faint smile followed.
"Sleep easy."
Relief flickered across the governor's face.
"Thank you, Mr. Azriel."
"But—"
Alexander paused.
"If your problem becomes mine…"
His smile didn't change.
"It won't remain a problem for long."
The meaning was clear.
The governor swallowed.
"Understood."
It was the third time that month that he had called him for favours.
The meeting ended shortly after.
Outside, the evening air was cooler.
Alexander stepped out, inhaling slowly before pulling out a cigarette.
He lit it, taking a slow drag.
Alya stood beside him.
"Go to Vyre," he said calmly.
She nodded once.
No questions.
She already understood.
She left.
Alexander remained where he was, exhaling smoke into the air.
Then he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
It was picked up almost immediately.
"Dig deeper," he said calmly.
A pause.
"Find me Viper."
He ended the call without waiting for a response.
His eyes darkened slightly.
It was time to haunt deeper into the person that had killed his father , he wasn't going to allow the impression of incompetence.
All underworld organisation knew who Don was, if devil was a man, that was Don.
Viper ruled Cobra.
Second in rank. Viper was unknown because she hardly appear in person nor make her identity known. The only thing most know about her was that she is a female
"Coward" Alex muttered to himself
Alexander took one last drag before dropping the cigarette and crushing it beneath his shoe.