Warning ⚠️: The chapter contains slight torture.

***

A suffocating silence descended upon the members of the Fire & Light Mafia family as they returned from their futile mission to find Jongin. After hours of searching, their frustration and tension were palpable. The Soldiers and Capos, who usually gathered in the Don's office to plan their operations, were now all present, and the atmosphere crackled with uncertainty.

Hector, standing a few steps behind the Don, knew his time of reckoning had come. Chanyeol had ordered Minseok to fetch him, and his heart pounded with fear. "I'm sorry, boss," he mumbled, but before he could react, Chanyeol spun around and delivered a resounding slap that sent Hector sprawling to the ground with a thunderous thud. "You bumbling fool! You had Jongin pinned to the ground and couldn't even secure his hands properly!" Chanyeol's voice thundered with rage. "Despite being armed, you all failed to use your weapons, to restrain him. Who the hell trained you for this, or were you trained at all?"

The Soldiers and Capos, humbled by Chanyeol's outburst, kept their heads low, and silence enveloped them as they observed Omertà. The gravity of their failure weighed heavily upon them. Hector was fortunate to escape with just a slap, given the financial loss they had suffered due to their incompetence.

The Capos continued to bow their heads, aware of their failure to manage the Soldiers effectively. Even the Soldiers who had Jongin in their sights hesitated to fire, fearing they might kill him.

"I didn't arm you to play games!" Chanyeol's voice seethed with frustration. "What were you all doing, standing around like clueless cows? Tell me!" Chanyeol's anger boiled over, and he seized another soldier by the collar, throwing him to the ground. As he exhaled heavily, it seemed like he was expelling venom from his lungs.

Hector regained his composure, his fear and guilt etched on his face. The stinging slap had reddened his cheeks with shame. As a ground-based Capo, he had been responsible for holding Jongin down, yet he had allowed him to slip away. The burning question remained: why hadn't he eliminated Jongin when he had the chance?

"Every single one of you manages to mess up the moment I'm not watching," Chanyeol remarked, his disbelief evident. "How many of you were there against one unarmed man, and yet not a single one, not even your Capos, could get the job done. You stood there like clueless spectators while that fool Kim Jongin disappeared right before your eyes. Now tell me, what purpose do you serve if you can't even handle a simple task?"

Chanyeol's words only deepened their sense of failure. He continued, "Until further notice, none of you will have any quotas. You'll all face severe consequences for your negligence. I want each and every one of you to leave my office now before you force me into a decision we'll all regret later." Following his orders, they exited, leaving only Minseok behind since he was second in command.

As the others left the room, Chanyeol scanned it, grabbed the first object he saw, a lamp, and hurled it against the wall. His face was flushed, his muscles tense, and his fists clenched, giving the impression that he might break something or lash out at someone. He shouted angrily, "Goddammit!" The Soldiers and Capos watched him as they fled the room in dread, closing the door behind them. Chanyeol paced and grumbled, "I swear to God, if I catch Jongin," he kicked a nearby stool, "I'll make him sleep with the fishes. Since he prefers diving into the river rather than facing me, I'll toss him in a cement vat and let it harden before dropping him into the ocean!" Chanyeol ranted, while Minseok kept a close eye to ensure he didn't pursue Hector or Baekhyun.

A few minutes later, Chanyeol slumped into the sofa, defeated. He facepalmed in exhaustion, his elbows resting on each knee for support, taking a deep breath into his hands. Right now, he was at a loss for what to do, his mind on the brink of chaos. Chanyeol's eyes burned with anger as he uncovered his face, a need to release the pent-up frustration that threatened to consume him entirely. "Kim Minseok,"

"Don."

"Why didn't you kill him? You were there too, weren't you?" he asked, his narrowed eyes locked intensely on Minseok, filled with curiosity.

"Don, would you prefer him dead instead of getting your money back or a lead to its location?"

Chanyeol frowned at Minseok's response. "I asked you a question, Minseok. I don't want another question in return. You were there, you had a gun!" Suddenly, Minseok moved from where he was standing to the nearby wine bar, and Chanyeol's eyes followed him. He retrieved a bottle of whiskey and a shot glass, returning to where Chanyeol sat. He poured a generous amount into the glass, tasting it before handing it to Chanyeol. "Here," Minseok offered the glass, and Chanyeol, after glaring at both Minseok and the liquor for a moment, accepted it and downed the entire contents in one go, immediately requesting more.

"I need you to calm down, Don," Minseok said, pouring another shot of liquor.

"How is that possible, Minseok?" Chanyeol snorted before taking a sip from the freshly poured glass. "I was so close. So close, and BAM! He's gone." He let out a heavy sigh. "My head is fucked up right now."

"There must be a way out, trust me," Minseok's encouraging words tried to bring a smile to Chanyeol's face, but he responded with a disapproving click of his tongue. "We're talking about 50 million dollars here, Minseok. Let's face reality, because you've never encountered the wrath of an Italian Don. You and I both know that the Cosa Nostra doesn't care if our business succeeded or failed. We owe them 30% of every one of our earnings, or we'll all meet a grim end!"

"Well, I understand your frustration," Minseok shrugged, finding the nearest couch to sit on. "Don... it's unprofessional for our soldiers to let their guard down just because of an intruder. I apologize on their behalf, including myself. But believe me, if we work together, we can recover our losses until we locate Kim Jongin. You could use your own money to pay off the Cosa Nostra. Give them the 15 million dollars, and then we can recoup it by increasing our levy on traders and other junior construction companies."

"It's not that simple, Minseok. So stop talking like it can be fixed with the snap of a finger," Chanyeol emphasized, rolling his eyes at his Sottocapo. "Minseok, last time I checked, you're quite wealthy, and you could easily pay 15 million dollars to La Costa Nostra."

"Of course, I could. But you're the Boss."

"Oh?" Chanyeol smirked, finishing his drink in one go and placing the glass on the side table so forcefully that it made Minseok flinch. "You all know how to mess with me, but it won't work. I need a smoke to clear my head." He slouched into the couch, running his fingers through his hair as fatigue began to settle in.

"We could also hijack cargo and sell it underground without leaving any trace back to us," Minseok continued his explanation, while Chanyeol listened attentively. He's a criminal through and through. "We can also resort to extortion, as we usually do. This way, we can raise the 15 million dollars and repay the Italian Don. Easy peasy lemon squeezy."

"No! No!! No!!! I don't support hijacking," Chanyeol disagreed firmly, shaking his head.

"We have no choice, Don. We can carry out two operations without leaving any traces, and we'll recover this money," Minseok tried to reason with Chanyeol, but Chanyeol glanced at him and then looked away, sighing. "Then what about the remaining 35 million?" Chanyeol inquired, needing to know their plan.

"We'll do our utmost to find Jongin. We'll search every nook and cranny of this country. He's wounded and can't have gone too far, that much I can guarantee," Minseok said, recalling the bullets he had fired into Jongin's shoulder and knees before he fell into the water. If Jongin was calculated, he'd be seeking refuge to heal before leaving the country.

Chanyeol let out a bitter laugh. Searching every corner of the country? What if he'd already left? None of this would have happened if that boy hadn't appeared. "Where is that boy?" Chanyeol asked suddenly, referring to Baekhyun. "He's the cause of all this. Where is he?" He stood up and went to his drawer, retrieving his gun, getting ready to leave, but Minseok blocked his path. Chanyeol glared at his Sottocapo, examining him from head to toe. "What are you doing? Move!" He spoke with venom, but Minseok wouldn't yield.

"You can't go like this, Don!" Minseok insisted, causing Chanyeol to give him an odd look. "And why is that, huh?" Chanyeol's brows slightly furrowed. He stepped forward, pushing Minseok back until his lower back touched the couch behind him. "Tell me, why can't I see him and just blow his brains out? Minseok... do you realize who I am to you?"

"I apologize for overstepping, Don," Minseok bowed in apology. "But I need you to collect yourself. You can't go."

"Why are you stopping me from seeing him?"

"Because you're furious, and you won't see him until you're calm!" Minseok whispered with urgency.

Chanyeol blinked, "Wait—are you giving me orders?" He was taken aback by Minseok's demeanor.

"No, Don. I'm sorry, I'm not, and I never will," Minseok sighed in remorse. "I'm just saying that your anger could lead to him being killed. And if that happens, we won't be able to find Jongin again." They locked eyes, trying to reach an understanding. Minseok wasn't pleased with the situation, but keeping Baekhyun alive was crucial if they were to locate Jongin.

Sehun interrupted their argument by knocking twice on the Boss's office door before entering. As he approached, he bowed and presented a damaged iPhone to Minseok, who promptly accepted the device. "I found this on him. I can't be certain, but it appears he was recording us with that phone."

Quickly, Chanyeol snatched the phone from Minseok and examined it. He attempted to unlock it but discovered it was password-protected. "He locked it?"

Sehun nodded. "I can't confirm if there are videos or pictures of us in there. I don't know if he already sent anything to the police before I caught up with him."

"That bastard! I'll kill him," Chanyeol seethed, clenching his hand into a tight fist. Then, he suddenly locked eyes with Minseok, giving him a challenging look and bellowed, "WHAT!?"

"Nothing," Minseok shrugged, slipping his hands into his coat pocket.

"Both of you can leave now. I need to be alone," Chanyeol dismissed them, taking off his coat and tossing it on the couch.

~
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1:30 am

Baekhyun regained consciousness in a dimly lit room that clearly wasn't his bedroom. The bathroom's light provided some visibility, allowing him to grasp bits of what had occurred earlier. He remembered filming the scene with the intention of sharing the footage with the police. The memories flooded back – Jongin about to be killed, being discovered by the Mafia leader, and the frantic chase by a biker. His recollection ended there.

But where was he now? Who were these people? Why were they holding him captive? He surveyed the room, noting its size and appearance, yet remained silent, his mouth sealed with duct tape. Bound by cable straps securing his hands and legs, he was utterly immobilized.

Tears welled up in Baekhyun's eyes as a sense of helplessness washed over him. If these were the same individuals he had encountered the day before, his life was hanging by a thread. Baekhyun reproached himself for being too inquisitive, blaming his insatiable curiosity for this dire situation. He berated himself for not heeding Jongin's advice to stay low and avoid trouble. Perhaps, if he hadn't been so eager to uncover the truth, he wouldn't be here now, tied up like an inanimate object.

After several futile attempts to free himself, Baekhyun heard footsteps approaching the room. The footsteps grew louder until they halted right outside the door. His heart raced, his entire being trembling. He was certain that his end was near. Whoever this person was, they were coming to finish him, and all Baekhyun could do was silently panic.

The door swung open, and Chanyeol entered the room, flicking on the bright overhead light. Baekhyun squinted against the sudden brightness, struggling to focus on the man standing before him. As his vision adjusted, he recognized the same man from the previous day. Describing him, Baekhyun estimated his height to be around 185 centimeters, well-built, adorned with various tattoos on his arms, and featuring slightly protruding ears – oddly endearing. He was undeniably handsome, with the deepest, most enigmatic eyes Baekhyun had ever seen.

Baekhyun's entire being quivered under the unwavering intensity of Chanyeol's dark gaze. With every step Chanyeol took, Baekhyun struggled to retreat, an instinctual reaction to the approaching threat. Chanyeol, unrelenting, marched to the vanity and retrieved a chair, wasting no time in positioning it a few feet from where Baekhyun lay bound.

For a disconcerting span, Chanyeol simply sat there, his expression veiled in inscrutability. His penetrating scrutiny left Baekhyun feeling acutely exposed under the weight of those enigmatic eyes. The impending dread mounted as Chanyeol, with deliberate purpose, approached while brandishing a pocket knife.

As Chanyeol neared, fear coiled within Baekhyun, sinking deep into the core of his being. Tremors wracked his form, tears flowed freely, and his apprehension peaked. Suddenly, Chanyeol's iron grip seized his leg, and in a swift motion, the restraining cable strap was severed, granting Baekhyun the relief of being able to move more freely, his mouth, however, still gagged.

Returning to the chair, Chanyeol remained impassive, unruffled by the world's concerns. He beckoned Baekhyun closer with a simple gesture, two fingers pointing imperiously. "Come here," His voice resonated with ominous authority, sending shivers down Baekhyun's spine. A concerted effort saw Baekhyun struggling to sit up, his bound hands a hindrance, his legs unsteady. Though shaky, he managed to stand, having been liberated from his leg restraint. Chanyeol, however, demanded he move using his knees.

In this subservient posture, Baekhyun complied, approaching Chanyeol and kneeling before him. His heart raced furiously within the confines of his chest, his vulnerable position evoking a sense of submission to an indomitable master. Shame washed over him, and Baekhyun obediently bowed his head, unable to decipher the enigma of Chanyeol's dark brown eyes. In the silence that hung heavily, a submissive atmosphere enveloped them.

Chanyeol's voice broke the silence, murmuring words that penetrated Baekhyun's tumultuous thoughts, "Good thing you are alive and awake." With a deliberate reach into his pocket, Chanyeol produced Baekhyun's shattered phone. As if his prior actions were inconsequential, Chanyeol proceeded to peel the duct tape from Baekhyun's mouth without warning, causing an involuntary wince of pain.

Following this abrupt release, Chanyeol leaned in, the phone poised before Baekhyun. He brooked no delay, his tone brimming with demand, "Password?"

Baekhyun hesitated for a brief moment, his heart pounding as he gazed at his phone, contemplating the gravity of the situation. The fear that the stranger might discover his recordings gnawed at him. He considered giving a false password or claiming temporary amnesia but wondered if the man would believe such an excuse. In a low voice, he mumbled a sequence of random numbers, "001122," while anxiously gnawing on his bottom lip. As Chanyeol keyed in the digits and the access was denied, he swiftly delivered a stinging slap across Baekhyun's face. While not overly forceful, it still left a painful sting that shook Baekhyun.

The force of the slap toppled Baekhyun to the side, leaving him trembling, but Chanyeol remained unperturbed. He coolly explained, "Now, that effectively resets your brain's factory settings in case you've suddenly developed amnesia. If you give me another wrong password, you're dead. Get back on your knees right now!" With a snap of his fingers, Chanyeol ordered Baekhyun to kneel, clearly indicating he was not finished with him. He held out the phone once more, demanding the correct password without hesitation. "Password?" Chanyeol reiterated, his gaze locked onto Baekhyun. "I won't repeat it."

Cringing from the pain and fear, Baekhyun whispered the correct password, "561992." His lips were slightly damaged and bleeding from the earlier slap, and he squinted through teary eyes. He dared not cry before this stranger. His face hidden, he couldn't help but nibble on his lips to quell the anguish, although it caused him considerable pain. He trembled, worried about what this unknown person might do next. He had no desire for further physical harm.

Chanyeol dutifully input the numbers, "5, 6, 1, 9, 9, 2," and the phone unlocked. His inquisition continued as he pressed, "Perfect! 561992 is what?" Without glancing at Baekhyun, he sought an explanation, his tone grave.

Baekhyun, comprehending the seriousness of the situation, responded, "It's my birthday." The drug lord briefly cast a quizzical glance at Baekhyun before returning his focus to the phone in his hand. A new question arose, "What's your name?"

Baekhyun was taken aback by the inquiry. Why did this stranger need to know his name after the password? It was as though he had suddenly forgotten how to speak. Chanyeol, growing impatient, stared at Baekhyun with a snarl, his question more emphatic, "What. Is. Your. Name?"

"Baekhyun. B-Byun Baekhyun, sir," he stammered, swallowing hard.

"How old are you?"

"...28," Baekhyun mumbled, nervously biting his lower lip. Chanyeol's gaze lingered on him briefly before returning to his phone.

"So, Baekhyun..." Chanyeol continued, clearing his throat while studying something on Baekhyun's phone. "You recorded me and my crew, huh? Are you some kind of secret agent?" He gave Baekhyun a stern look.

"No, sir." Baekhyun shook his head frantically. "I'm just a regular guy."

"A regular guy, huh? I see..." Chanyeol acknowledged with a nod, swiping through the recent media on Baekhyun's phone. "So, what were you doing there at that time, and why were you recording this?" Chanyeol played a video, showing it to Baekhyun, revealing footage of them at the shipyard. "What was your plan with this, Baekhyun?"

In a different context, Baekhyun might have found the way his name rolled off the Mafia leader's tongue intriguing, but he was far from such thoughts in his current dire situation. Slowly, Baekhyun's eyes welled up with tears as the realization of being caught washed over him. Within seconds, the tears began to fall. "I'm sorry, sir. I was only scared for Jongin."

"You were planning to send this to the police, weren't you?" Chanyeol's question made Baekhyun raise his tearful face, remorseful. They locked eyes for a brief moment before Baekhyun looked away. "Yes," the tears kept flowing. "I'm sorry."

"Why, Baekhyun?"

"I was scared because I thought you were going to kill Jongin."

"Kill who?" Chanyeol gave Baekhyun a cynical look. "Who told you I kill people?"

"No one, sir," Baekhyun denied. Not after what he had witnessed; no one could convince him that the man sitting in front of him wasn't a killer. "I just assumed you were going to hurt Jongin."

"Ah-ha, so you assumed, and then you came to rescue Jongin. You must care about him a lot. Tell me, what was he to you? Your boyfriend?"

"No, he's my flatmate."

"Do you happen to know where he might be hiding right now? Look, perhaps you didn't realize..." Chanyeol gently lifted Baekhyun's chin, encouraging him to meet his gaze. "I'm not a villain at all. Let's say I'm like an angel who comes to people's aid and lends a helping hand. If you reveal Jongin's hiding place, I promise you, I won't harm you."

An angel? Baekhyun nearly snorted. What kind of angel abducts people? What kind of angel engages in criminal activities and takes lives? "I don't know," Baekhyun responded with a trembling breath, even if he did know where Jongin was hiding, he wouldn't divulge it.

Chanyeol's expression soured within seconds, and his eyes darkened immediately. Baekhyun blinked rapidly, trying to maintain eye contact with the man who was suspiciously studying him. He felt as if he'd forgotten how to breathe, as the Mafia leader's dark eyes slowly dropped from his eye level to his lips, lingering there for a few seconds before returning to his gaze. He wasn't sure what was going on inside the man's head, but being held in this position made Baekhyun feel exposed, vulnerable, and small.

"Did your flatmate tell you he was involved in moving 'sniffing powder' for me?" Chanyeol asked, his fingers still gently holding Baekhyun's chin. Baekhyun's face paled. "Sniffing powder?" Baekhyun blinked, feigning confusion. Did he just say 'powder'? If it was just powder, why resort to violence and kidnapping over something as ordinary as talcum powder?

"Cocaine," Chanyeol stated.

"C-c-cocaine?" Baekhyun stammered, his eyes widening in disbelief. Jongin was dealing with cocaine, and he didn't know? The shock on Baekhyun's face was evident. A sadistic smirk played at the corner of Chanyeol's lips as he observed Baekhyun's bewildered expression. He released his hold. "Seems like you didn't have any idea who your supposed flatmate really was and what he was willing to do for money."

Baekhyun felt betrayed just at the thought. So Jongin was involved in this kind of business with dangerous individuals like these, and he was kept in the dark? Did Jongin keep him in ignorance all along? What kind of friend would do that? And the fact that he had foreseen this happening yet allowed himself to get mixed up with these criminals was unsettling.

Chanyeol gave him a dark, scrutinizing look before returning to his phone. "Have you shared this with anyone? Tell me the truth."

"I haven't," Baekhyun replied, understanding that his words were hard for Chanyeol to trust. He couldn't trust him now either, not after all that had occurred. After all, he was dealing with a Mafia drug lord, and it was astonishing to him that he was having a somewhat civil conversation with him, given the circumstances. He watched Chanyeol as he rose from the chair, pacing around the room, running his fingers through his hair, sighing, and appearing troubled.

"You know..." Chanyeol paused in his pacing and frowned at Baekhyun. "Seeing you makes me so furious. Maybe I should have just killed you right then. Yes, I should have blown your brains out, you know why? Because you allowed that guy to escape with my money! MILLIONS OF DOLLARS! JUST BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!" He exploded, shouting at the top of his lungs, violently shoving the chair aside, which startled Baekhyun.

"Who knows..." Chanyeol bitterly chuckled. "Maybe if you hadn't disrupted the operation, I could have recovered my money from that scumbag you call a flatmate. I've been tracking that guy for days, and it was the perfect opportunity! But no, you had to play the hero, bravo!" Chanyeol sarcastically clapped his hands together. Then, he became serious and squatted in front of Baekhyun. "You just had to show up and ruin my entire plan. You'll pay for every cent you made me lose tonight."

"I'm sorry, p-please-"

"SHUT UP! BEFORE I LOSE IT!" Chanyeol yelled, gripping Baekhyun's collar and throwing him onto the bed. Baekhyun whimpered in pain as he landed on his stomach, scared and breathing heavily, as if trying not to suffocate. Chanyeol ignored Baekhyun's subdued sobs and began rolling up his shirt sleeves.

"How can I even be certain this wasn't all planned by both of you, huh? A plot to run away together, elope, and get married somewhere?"

"No!" Baekhyun sobbed louder, his fear for his life evident. "Please, I swear, I have no knowledge of any of this. Please don't kill me."

"SHUT UP!" Chanyeol growled, straddling Baekhyun from behind, gripping his hair in a tight fist, and pressing him into the mattress. "Please-"

"Stop talking," Chanyeol warned. His hot breath sent shivers down Baekhyun's spine as he jerked against his restraints, unintentionally brushing against Chanyeol's crotch. "Stop moving," he hissed.

Chanyeol grinned darkly as he saw the vulnerability of the younger man. "If only you knew the peril you've landed yourself in, and how simple it is to end your life from this position. I could just press your face into this mattress, and you'd be gone in less than two minutes," Chanyeol muttered, roughly toying with Baekhyun's hair, clenching it in his fist every now and then, while Baekhyun did his best not to make any noise that might provoke him.

"You better pray I find your so-called flatmate." Chanyeol whispered right behind Baekhyun's ear. "But if I don't, you'll face the consequences of your actions tonight. I will personally kill you. I'll burn you to ashes, blend your thick skull and bones, and scatter your remains into the wind. But until that moment," he released Baekhyun's hair and retrieved his pocket knife from his pants pocket, "You'll stay locked in this room until I decide what to do with you."

With that said, Baekhyun felt Chanyeol sever the last restraint holding him, which was his hands, before shoving him away. Baekhyun heard the door beep from outside, indicating that it was password-protected, and all he could do was cry himself to sleep.
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Author note 📒

Hello, lovelies, welcome back. Thanks so much for your support, I appreciate y'all and I do hope you will enjoy this chapter. My sincere apologies for the errors as you read.🙏
Stream peaches🍑 ❤️

Q: Why didn't Hector kill Jongin when he had the chance to?
Q: Do you think Baekhyun touched Chanyeol on purpose, even though it seems like it is not?
Q: What's gonna happen to Baekhyun next? 🤔
We will find out in the next chapter.

Happy New Month to you all😊❤️ Christmas is around the corner. And I do hope to give you more updates this season. Let me know if you enjoyed this chapter in the comment section.
I love you all❤️.