They puffed smoke at the same time and clouded their faces.

Alex called for a drink and a bartender came with it. He poured for both of them, but Alex wasn't interested. Felix downs his bottle in one clean sweep.

"So what is the plan you have in mind?"

Felix leans in as if guiding his words from escaping.

"That, my friend, is the right question to ask." 

―――

The guard escorted her back to the room and watched as she entered. He stationed himself a yard away from the door and kept watch.

Mira sat down on the bed, not knowing what to feel. She had thought she had got Kade and his nefarious family where she wanted them, but she had been fooling herself all along.

Kade was a master of the game, there's no kidding about that. He wouldn't last this long in the game if he was so easily played and manipulated.

She had been a fool thinking that her little shenanigans would work. She was a fool indeed. She had thought that her feminine gimmicks would be enough to fool a mafia boss.

A little sad smile played on her face, how so stupid she was.

Now that she had been found out, now that Kade declared to her that he was aware of her games, what would she do?

Will she retract into her shell and start feeling sorry for herself like before? Or will she recalibrate her strategy and fight her way out of there?

Option one is for losers. She is going to fight and she is going to fight hard. She has lost the element of surprise—Not like she had it before. She will need to come all out, make adjustments to the plan, and execute it like a master tactician.

She removed her shoes and let her feet breathe.

Now, over to the plan. What could she possibly do that could break her out of here?

Idea!

She needs to study their routine and find weaknesses in it.

No matter how sharp a security routine is, it can never be perfect. There is bound to be some error, some mistake waiting to be made. When they make that mistake she must be ready. She was well-equipped to capitalize.

For the next three weeks, she will study their routine. She will study who says what, who brings what, and who is in charge of what. She will blend in and stop whining. Instead, she will take data, she will write it down...no scrap that, that is dangerous, if they happen to see it, she is back to square one.

She could bet that they were watching her right now. This room will be full of cameras, if she starts scribbling, they are bound to investigate.

Instead of writing it down, she will memorize this information, she will recite it morning and evening until it becomes a mantra.

Then she will look to crack the security codes of the doors. She will watch so intensely until she can figure out who they are. Then she will wait for her chance. She will wait for when there is a downtown in the security details and if the chance presents itself, she will make a break for it.

She shook her head. These all sounded good in her head, but she knew it wouldn't be as easy as she imagined.

That's how she was sure of the earlier plan but Kade dismantled it in a heartbeat. She hasn't yet come to terms with who she is dealing with. They are the Valentis, remember! They are the top mafia family in town. It will require more than such a rickety plan like she had come up with to win.

She needs something extra. Something more than ordinary. Something they won't see coming, something out of the box.

The question now is what?

Unconsciously, Mira rose and began to pace. She remembered the cameras she imagined were in the room and sat back down. Pacing will give her out that she was conjuring a plan. It is better to put all the cards towards her chest now, she will not give a sniff away any longer.

She needs that something extra and when she finds it, it will be her crown jewel.

She will get to work the same day. No time to waste. Today is day one of taking data and surveillance.

Since she was permitted to go anywhere in the manor, it was to her advantage.

She went down the stairs, since her room was upstairs, and started taking notes.

"Please, can I use the library?" She asked a guard at the door. He was burly and could break her at one try. But he had a sweet face, almost romantic. All she needed, she thought, was to flash him a beautiful smile.

"I don't think you have the permission to go in there."

"Oh, really. I don't know. But Kade said I could go anywhere within the confines of the house."

"Oh, really." He mimicked her "But I don't think that is a good idea, you..."

"There are books there. Books, not guns or any weapons. I am harmless, I can't particularly kill anyone with a book."

"Huh, that is possible. I know someone who could do that. His first name is John."

"My first name is not John."

"I was told to..."

"Please. I am bored as fuck and I just want to read a book. You don't have to say anything, just step aside and let me go. Please." She said and flashed that sweet smile at him.

It took some time but it worked. The man stepped aside and let her go. He walked her into the library and closed the door from outside. She figured that they would have cameras in here too. There will be cameras everywhere, she can't even rule out her bathroom. She must be under 24-hour surveillance, that is why they let her roam freely in the house.

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She didn't choose the library because it was quiet though. And not because she liked reading. She chose it because it was one of the few places where she could see the entire house. The library had a window in the top most part, it was accessible by winding stairs. From that one window she could survey all other places, save the penthouse.

This is the spot where she would gather intel on the guards and check out their routines.

And she chose a three-week duration. Security routines for someone like Kade shouldn't be static. Else some might be bound to read the patterns. And with the number of enemies Kade has, making more enemies as time passes, that is a luxury he cannot afford.

So she would wait for her time. Now, it's time to study.

She stayed in the library until evening, until it was time for dinner.

In that time, she managed to gather the following information.

Guards at the main gates change by 6 pm. The new guards that came to replace them today came from outside. She doesn't know if that is always the case but she will have to check tomorrow. At that time, those guards off duty came to the house to rest.

The security pin on the lock on the gate is also changed. She knows this because she overheard one guard talking about how the new pin was simpler than the one they needed to memorize.

It seems with each change of pin, they communicate it to the brothers and all others. Because whenever one of them came, he had to confirm the new pin with his one pin with the guards.

Patrick came by the house by 7:30 and did this.

She was glad, it wasn't Alessandro though. If he was him, he would be shouting down on her by now. Kade might not tell him about their encounter, because she thinks even Kade was weary of his antics sometimes. But one thing was sure though, whether he told him or not, he took every opportunity to shout.

He, like Isabella, doesn't like her presence. She doesn't like them either. If only they could convince their kin to let her go, she would be out of their hair.

When she returned to her room, Jasper was happy to see her. She misses her, this was not the time for purrs or belly rubs. She needs to get them both out of here.

"How are you, buddy? Did you miss me?"

The cat jumped into her hands and she stroked her. But even Jasper noticed there was something wrong. Because she wasn't warm and tender like she normally is.

Her face was solid and strong and her eyes were calculating like a fifth-generation computer.

"Can I get a cup of coffee?" she asked as Sonia came, under Kade's requests, to see if she was doing well.

Sonia shot her the worst look that can be conjured by a human being. Mira could feel a cold spiral down her spine. This woman wasn't bluffing when she said she would hurt her if she grew the guts to hurt Kade in any form. She is proving to be even more problematic than Isabella.

"How would you like your coffee?" She said, disdain coloring her voice like paint.

"Black and strong, please."

"And why would you want strong and black coffee?"

Mira shrugged. What kind of dumb question is that? Why would anyone want strong coffee if it is not the kind of coffee they enjoy? If there are any other reasons, now she can't figure them out.

"That is my kind of coffee."

Sonia stared at her as if trying to see the truth in her eyes. What was she thinking in her small angry head? What crazy reasons why she wanted coffee was she trying to come up with?

"I hope this is only about the coffee."