Baekhyun had not seen Chanyeol all day, and two long days had passed since their last heated encounter. He couldn't shake the fear that Chanyeol might seek revenge for their argument. His heart raced every time his door creaked open, dreading that Chanyeol might walk in and confront him.

Chanyeol, on the other hand, was preoccupied with their clash from two days ago. He sat in his office, deep in thought, questioning his role as a Mafia leader. "Why did I let him talk to me like that?" he mumbled to himself, unable to find an answer.

A soft knock on his door disrupted his thoughts, and Chanyeol welcomed his personal assistant, Miss Victoria. "Come in," he said. She entered, her professional smile in place, and placed the files on his desk.

"Here are the files you asked for, sir," she said politely. Chanyeol glanced at the files, then back at her.

"Thank you, Miss Victoria. I'll review these tomorrow," he replied, his mind still troubled. She noticed his unease and couldn't help but ask, "Is everything okay, sir?"

Chanyeol sighed and looked at her, appreciating her concern. "I'm fine for now," he replied, but Miss Victoria's keen instincts were not to be underestimated. She persisted, "Are you sure, sir?"

The conversation hung in the air, unspoken tensions simmering beneath the surface.

"I'm okay, Miss Victoria. Why do you ask?" Chanyeol responded, trying to maintain a composed demeanor.

Miss Victoria hesitated for a moment, then gently said, "I don't mean to be rude or overstep my boundaries, but I've worked for you for the last three years, and I've never seen you like this in a very long time, so I thought something was off."

Chanyeol raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her observation. "How do you mean?"

She continued, "For the last two days, I've been leaving before you. Yesterday, I had a coffee date with my friends across the road, and we were there until ten, and you still didn't leave the office, so I was worried. Is there any way I can help you, sir?"

A soft smile crept onto Chanyeol's face as he appreciated her concern. "I just have a lot on my mind right now. It's nothing to be worried about, Miss Victoria."

"Okay, if you say so, I would like to take my leave."

"Sure," Chanyeol nodded in approval. As she turned to leave, he suddenly asked, "Am I an asshole?" The unexpected question left his assistant wide-eyed and shocked.

"S-sir, what?" she stammered in surprise.

"Do you think I'm an asshole, Miss Victoria? Yes or no?"

"Of course not. Why would you think of yourself as an ass- sorry," she quickly corrected herself, realizing her slip of the tongue.

Chanyeol raised an eyebrow and playfully teased, "Miss Victoria, have you been calling me an asshole behind my back?"

Her face paled even more. "No! Why would I do that?" she responded with a nervous pout, nibbling on her bottom lip.

Chanyeol chuckled, breaking the tension. "I was just messing with you, Miss Victoria. And why are you suddenly blushing?"

She paused, caught off guard. "Well, you know, people sometimes say things in private when they're frustrated with their bosses...I mean, don't they?"

"Anyway," he sighed, reclining into his swivel chair. "Someone seems to think I'm an asshole, and I just wanted another opinion, that's all."

"Oh, I'm sorry I misunderstood you, and you're definitely not one, sir."

"It's fine. You can go now. I'll leave shortly when I'm done." Chanyeol dismissed her, and she hurried off, leaving him with a smile on his face.

On their way home from work, Chanyeol and Minseok decided to pay a visit to Baekhyun's mother. Despite Minseok's objections, Chanyeol was determined to go. He had a photo of Baekhyun holding a fruit basket with his mother, along with the store's address taken from Baekhyun's phone. With Baekhyun now declared missing, Chanyeol intended to use the address to locate her.

When they arrived at the location of Baekhyun's mother's shop, they parked a few meters away. Minseok made an attempt to dissuade Chanyeol while they were still in the car. "Yeol, this is absurd. Are you really planning to enter the shop of the woman whose son you have in captivity? Unbelievable!" Minseok shook his head in disbelief.

"I couldn't care less about what you think, Minseok. I'm going." Chanyeol grabbed his phone and unlocked the car.

Knowing Chanyeol's determination, Minseok tried one last time. "Don, what if someone recognizes you? You shouldn't go."

Chanyeol smiled and replied, "Watch me." He surveyed the area before stepping out of the car and casually strolling past the store, as if he were just passing by.

Minseok remained inside the car, watching his friend make a fool of himself, all because of a boy. Despite Chanyeol's denials, he couldn't help but be drawn to Baekhyun. Minseok had noticed something was off when Chanyeol refused to let Baekhyun participate in the induction processes and when he forbade any harm to come to Baekhyun during their operations. It was clear that something had changed in Chanyeol, and Minseok was curious to see where it would lead.

Chanyeol reached the store, finding it empty with fruits displayed but no one around. He called out, "Hello?" uncertain if he was at the right shop. He glanced at Minseok, who wore an 'I told you so' expression while shrugging. Chanyeol responded by rolling his eyes and proceeded to enter the store.

The store remained eerily empty as Chanyeol continued to search for anyone. "Who's here?" he called out, increasingly frustrated. Eventually, he contemplated leaving, deeming their efforts to locate Baekhyun's mother futile. As he turned to go, something caught his attention—a trickle of blood seeping from under a door. Chanyeol slowly reached into his jacket's inside pocket and withdrew his revolver, just in case there was someone else inside. He approached the door cautiously and inquired, "Is anyone there?" He carefully opened the door and was met with the distressing sight of a woman lying in a pool of blood.

"Shit!"

A short while later, Minseok noticed Chanyeol rushing out of the store with the unconscious woman, carrying her like a bride. Alarmed, Minseok quickly exited the car to help. "What happened?" he asked, panic evident in his voice.

Chanyeol could only manage, "Open the door!" Minseok hastily obliged, and together they loaded the injured woman into the car before speeding away, leaving the unattended store behind. Time was of the essence.

As they departed, Chanyeol dialed his cousin Jongdae, a physician and surgeon at the Asan Medical Center in Seoul, to inform him of the situation. Thankfully, Jongdae had opted to wait for his cousin before heading home. Upon arrival at the hospital, paramedics swiftly transferred the unconscious woman onto a stretcher, ensuring she received prompt medical care.

While they waited in the hospital's waiting room, Chanyeol couldn't shake the troubled look on his face. Even though he had Baekhyun, her child with him and could imagine the distress Baekhyun's mother felt not knowing her son's whereabouts, he couldn't help but wonder about the events that had led her to this condition. Why was she in such a state when he first found her? Had she fallen? He pondered the potential consequences if he hadn't decided to visit the store today. Many thoughts swirled through his mind, and he let out a weary sigh.

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Baekhyun lay in his bed in silence, his ears finely tuned to any signs of the Don's return. The clock had inched towards midnight, and with each passing second, Baekhyun's anxiety grew for reasons he couldn't quite explain.

A few minutes later, he sprang out of bed, drawn by the sound of approaching cars. Baekhyun's room remained shrouded in darkness, ensuring his discreet observation of the incoming vehicles. When Chanyeol and Minseok emerged from the car, Baekhyun instantly recognized Minseok. However, the moment his eyes fell on Chanyeol, his heart started to race inexplicably. Fearing he might be caught peeking, Baekhyun hastily yanked the curtains closed after spotting Chanyeol briefly glancing up at his window.

"Oh, my god! He didn't see me, right? No, he didn't," Baekhyun nervously muttered, his heart still pounding. Chanyeol had already entered the mansion by the time Baekhyun dared to peek out again. Pretending he was asleep, Baekhyun quickly dove under the blanket on his bed.

That evening, when Chanyeol returned home from the hospital, he felt a twinge of disappointment upon seeing Baekhyun's dark room. Despite not having seen Baekhyun for days, he had held a vague hope of catching a glimpse of his face. As he entered the mansion, he slumped on the living room couch with a heavy sigh.

"Sir, welcome." Chanyeol acknowledged Kyungsoo's greeting but was a bit preoccupied, his eyes scanning the room in search of someone else. 'That boy can just go to sleep without being concerned about his absence for days, huh? Unbelievable!' Chanyeol sighed, attempting to loosen his necktie. "Ugh," he muttered in frustration as he struggled with the accessory. Finally letting it go, he heaved a sigh. When he noticed Kyungsoo approaching him, he asked, "I know it's late, but is there anything I can make for you?"

"Kyungsoo, I could use a glass of water first. I'm quite thirsty and worn out." Kyungsoo gave a quick nod and hurried to the refrigerator to retrieve a glass and a water bottle, then returned to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol expressed his gratitude to Kyungsoo before taking a sip. "Could you please warm up something light for me?" he asked as he handed the glass back. "I feel like I might pass out if I don't get some food in me."

Kyungsoo managed to keep a composed demeanor to address the Don. "Sir, would chicken salad or macaroni and sauce be suitable?"

"Yeah, that's fine. A cup of green tea and the first choice both work. When you're done, please bring it to my room."

"Of course, Sir." Kyungsoo gave a bow before returning to the kitchen.

Chanyeol left the living room and ascended the stairs toward his bedroom. As he entered the foyer, Baekhyun's room lay to the left. Acting on instinct rather than intention, Chanyeol veered left towards Baekhyun's bedroom. He stood outside the door, contemplating whether to enter. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled with a sigh, then raised his hand to knock. However, he hesitated, leaving his hand hanging in the air. Chanyeol rested his forehead against the door, feeling utterly drained.

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The following Saturday, Baekhyun's anxiety began to surge as he approached the lounge area. His face flushed, and his heart raced with anticipation. After Chanyeol stood by his door the previous night, Baekhyun had secretly hoped that Chanyeol would enter, but he left without a word, leaving Baekhyun somewhat disheartened. He wanted to talk and perhaps offer an apology.

Following Kyungsoo's advice, he took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves. He needed to keep himself from embarrassing collapse when meeting Chanyeol for the first time since their argument during a critical gathering.

Gently, Baekhyun knocked on the heavy black glass door, although he couldn't see inside the lounge. A low voice invited him in, and with a pounding heart, Baekhyun turned the doorknob and entered.

Inside the lounge, Sotto Capo Minseok and Don Park were deep in conversation when Baekhyun arrived. He had evidently interrupted their discussion, although he had been asked to enter. Baekhyun quickly offered an apology, saying, "I should come back later. I'm sorry; I didn't realize you were in a meeting." Minseok's dismissive response, accompanied by a smug smirk, indicated that he had been expecting this moment.

Baekhyun took a couple of steps closer, hesitating as Minseok signaled for him to come nearer. He grappled with his guilt, unsure of how this meeting would unfold. When Baekhyun locked eyes with Chanyeol, he felt as though he was running out of oxygen. Chanyeol's stern expression left chills down his spine, making him wonder why Chanyeol always appeared so serious. Wasn't this the same man who had given him a back hug just the other day? The same man who had helped him with first aid for his wound? What had changed?

"My dear Baekhyun, I can see you wish to speak with Don. What brings you here?" Minseok granted him permission to state his purpose. Baekhyun took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. "Capo Hawk denied me access to drills yesterday and the day before," he began.

"Go on, my dear Baekhyun," Minseok encouraged.

"He said it's because of Don's order. I'm no longer allowed to participate in drills. As a result, I missed drills, and I didn't receive a pass card for two days. Without a pass card and access to drills, I just wanted to know what will happen to me."

Chanyeol remained still, maintaining his gaze on Baekhyun, while Minseok unexpectedly fell silent. They exchanged glances, with Minseok giving Chanyeol a look that seemed to say, "Are you kidding me?" for not refuting Baekhyun's claims. Minseok decided to prod Chanyeol further, asking, "What happens to those without a pass? If I recall correctly, Don, the punishment is death. Am I wrong, Don?" Chanyeol, however, merely rolled his eyes and lit a cigarette from a nearby pack.

Ignoring his Sotto, Chanyeol addressed Baekhyun, "Are you still experiencing knee pain?"

Baekhyun shook his head in response. He was painfully aware of Minseok's intentions. "Very little, Sir."

Chanyeol inquired further, "Do you wish to resume drills as they were, or do you want them adjusted? I stopped your drills because of your injury."

Baekhyun shook his head, responding, "No, Sir." His knees still hurt, and he was thankful for the painkillers, unsure how he would have managed drills or running in his condition without them.

"Why are you here, then?" Chanyeol inquired, exhaling a plume of smoke into the air as he took another drag from his cigarette. He tapped the used ash into the nearby ashtray and locked eyes with Baekhyun. "Baekhyun, I don't like repeating myself. What do you want?"

"I just wanted to understand why I stopped participating in drills. Now, I know," Baekhyun replied.

Chanyeol sneered, squinting as he examined Baekhyun. "Now that you know why I stopped your drills, is there anything else you need to know at this point?" Baekhyun nodded as if he had more to say. "What's that?" Chanyeol prodded, furrowing his brows.

"It has to do with what happened two days ago," Baekhyun continued, with Minseok observing them in puzzlement. Baekhyun moistened his lips and continued, aware that Sotto Capo Minseok was taken aback but feeling the need to speak before Chanyeol took severe action against him.

Upon hearing this, Chanyeol's brows furrowed even deeper. As Baekhyun went on, he apologized for his rudeness, saying, "I insulted you. I'm sorry." Minseok whistled and widened his eyes in shock after hearing what Baekhyun had said. So, according to Baekhyun, Chanyeol had been insulted? Interesting! Baekhyun bowed and added, "I want to apologize for speaking to you in a disrespectful manner."

For a moment, Chanyeol said nothing, gazing at Baekhyun with an unknown purpose before stating, "Apology not accepted."

Following Chanyeol's refusal, Minseok slowly rose from his seat and cleared his throat. "I think I should excuse myself at this point. I need to return to my chambers. Call me whenever you require my assistance, Don." After conveying his intention, Minseok turned towards the door where Baekhyun had been standing. "Good luck," he muttered as he departed. As he opened the door, he wore an enigmatic grin. It was rather surprising to discover that the Don did not seem to have sentenced Baekhyun to execution, despite witnessing the younger man's insults. Sehun would certainly want to hear about this.

Minseok left, leaving an uncomfortable silence in his wake. Baekhyun hadn't moved an inch from where he stood. It was fortunate for him that he was close to the exit door, in case Chanyeol decided to take action against him.

At this point, Chanyeol discreetly observed Baekhyun. He continued to stare at him without speaking, which left Baekhyun puzzled. To Baekhyun, it was indeed peculiar, but Chanyeol was contemplating whether or not to inform Baekhyun about his mother's medical condition. He had recently financed her brain surgery and planned to visit the hospital later to check on her. Had he not searched for her the other day, she might have perished, but there was no telling what might have happened. Park Chanyeol's life was so complicated that even if Baekhyun had been by her side, he doubted they could have raised $30,000 for the surgery in such a short time. Moreover, she lacked health insurance. "Why are you still standing there, Baekhyun?" he finally asked after a few minutes of silence.

"..." Baekhyun had nothing more to say. What more could he do when his apology had been rejected? The pain of it was already hard to bear.

"What did you think, Baekhyun? Did you believe you could insult me without facing consequences?"

"I regret my actions, sir. I promise not to repeat that. I beg you; I don't want to die, and I'll do anything for you. All I ask is that you let me return to my mother's home safely."

"Interesting," Chanyeol relaxed in his swivel chair, his eyes still fixed on Baekhyun. "Did you say you're willing to do anything? Are you absolutely sure?" He leaned forward to extinguish his cigarette, pressing the ashes into the ashtray, then settled back into his chair. "I only want the truth, nothing else, right?"

"How much of the 50 million dollars was meant for you to keep?" Chanyeol inquired.

Baekhyun's eyes welled up upon hearing that question. He knew it would be difficult for anyone to believe him, but he stood by his words. "Nothing. I had nothing to do with it," Baekhyun replied. However, Chanyeol regarded him skeptically. "Are you sure?"

At that point, Baekhyun said, "I swear on my life," to which Chanyeol snorted. "I don't trust you, but I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt. I'll be honest; I don't trust anyone, not even myself. But if I find out you deceived me, you'll regret it," Chanyeol warned Baekhyun. He had witnessed people make life-threatening confessions before and still be found guilty.

"I don't know about Jongin's dealings with your family," Baekhyun explained. "He was acting strangely, and I thought he needed help, so I followed him. I ignored his advice to stay back."

In response to Baekhyun's words, Chanyeol grinned. Rising from his chair, he remarked, "Well, it's a good thing you didn't listen. So, you're willing to go to great lengths to save your cute little ass, huh?" To Chanyeol's question, Baekhyun nodded again.

Hearing this only made Chanyeol's smile widen. "I recognized you as trouble the moment I laid eyes on you, you know." He recalled their first encounter, how Baekhyun's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he saw the Mafia leader standing in front of his camera. Suddenly, Chanyeol started to move away from his seat, trailing his finger on the table. Unbeknownst to Baekhyun, Chanyeol had long abandoned his plan to kill him; instead, he wanted something more.

With their eyes locked, Chanyeol moved toward Baekhyun in a predatory manner, causing the younger man to retreat and become flustered, ultimately pinning him to the glass door, exactly what Chanyeol desired. "Are you sure you can do anything I demand of you, Baekhyun?" Chanyeol inquired, leaning on the door over Baekhyun's head. He tilted his head to the side and asked, "Anything?"

"Yes, Sir," Baekhyun replied, swallowing a large but unseen lump.

"Good, you will do many things for me. Multiple tasks, not just one. You will follow my orders no matter what... Can you handle that?"

At first, Baekhyun remained silent, trying to process everything Chanyeol had said while looking at the man. Would he truly bend to his rules, whatever form they might take? Baekhyun had a brief moment of confusion, considering the Don's words. What if he were instructed to jump in front of a moving truck or into a swamp full of crocodiles? Baekhyun quickly moved his face out of Chanyeol's reach as the Mafia leader attempted to touch his chin. Chanyeol beamed, taking pleasure in his resolve.

"What is it that you want from me?" Baekhyun finally mustered the courage to ask.

"I'm glad you've realized that I want something," Chanyeol grinned as his eyes briefly dropped to Baekhyun's lips. "Something that only you can give me. However, we'll discuss that later," he continued, gazing back at him. "By 10:00 pm tomorrow, I want to witness your Omertà oath-taking. How does that sound? Interesting, isn't it?"

"W-what?" Baekhyun didn't expect this sudden initiation. "But-"

"Tomorrow, Baekhyun. No 'buts'! You said you'd do anything, remember?" Chanyeol reiterated what he had just said. "That's the first step to regaining your freedom—do as I say," he emphasized, showing no interest in the shock on Baekhyun's face. "We'll talk after the oath-taking." Chanyeol gently nudged Baekhyun on the shoulder to move him aside and left the lounge.

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Authors note 📝
Did you enjoy this Chapter? 🤭

Q: Will Chanyeol ever let Baekhyun go free?

It's getting steamy🔥🔥