I drove towards the company. Even though it was late, I didn't care; I still had important things to take care of. The cold evening air flowed through the car, and I closed my eyes for a moment to savor it. It felt so good. Opening my eyes again, I stopped at a red light. Suddenly, someone called me on my phone, and I retrieved it from the side pocket. It was an unknown number. I grinned at my phone, already imagining who it could be. I turned the phone in my hand, amused, and then answered. It was Sofia; I could tell by the trembling way she breathed, and I couldn't help but grin even more.

 I said, amused and confused, "Are you happy about my gift?"

 It sounded like she was rummaging through her apartment as she shouted into the phone, "THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A GIFT?" 

I was surprised; she should have been happy that I had cut off his fingers. If only she knew what I found in his apartment, she'd be kissing my feet, but well, I don't need to tell her that now.The light turned green, and I ran my hand through my hair. "Why are you reacting so exaggeratedly?" 

She screamed so loudly and desperately that I had to move the phone away from my ear, "ARE YOU COMPLETELY INSANE NOW?" Then she hung up. 

I stared at the blank screen, puzzled. It wasn't that bad, was it? Women are so confusing.

 Elena then called, and I answered. 

She asked directly, "Mom wants to know where you are." 

I replied calmly, "I'm heading to the company, why?"

 She was eating something because I could hear her chewing, and then she said, "Mom asked just because she was worried."

 I parked the car in the private garage, got out, and locked the car. I walked to the elevator and asked on the phone, "Elena, I have a question." 

She sounded surprised, "You have a question for me? Dante now I am quite shocked but well, shoot!" 

I scratched my head, confused, "Do you women not like it when someone gives you severed fingers from an ex who wanted to hit you?" 

There was a brief silence on the other end, and then she muttered, "Wtf..." 

I asked, puzzled, "Huh, what's wrong with that?" 

She sighed in desperation, "You can't just give a woman severed fingers from a guy whose heart you want, Dante!"

 I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the "PRV" floor, which stood for private. 

I continued, "But these fingers were meant to harm the person."

 She screamed in despair, "Still, you don't do that in that way!" 

Well, I didn't know any other way. 

I sighed and said, "Alright, we'll talk later." 

She sighed before hanging up. I stepped out of the elevator, and as always, I loved this area. It was my huge personal office, almost as big as three large rooms combined. It was, after all, a huge skyscraper. My round office table was behind me, with a large window where I had the entire view of the city.

I went to my workspace and hung my suit on the chair. Next to my desk, where a coffee machine was, I grabbed a strong espresso and sat down, noticing important papers on the table. I cracked my neck and fingers, then started my computer and sifted through the documents. I couldn't help but grin at the thought of James, nailed to the chair, screaming and crying. He begged for mercy, but I ignored it. It was his right hand that he had raised against her. I had shown him some mercy by not cutting off his entire hand, just his fingers. After that, he passed out, and I dumped him in front of a police station. He must have been found by now and treated. 

In this world, the weak suffer unnecessarily, and I am one of them. That's why I will make anyone suffer who plans the same. 

There are heroes and villains. I loosened the collar around my neck, unbuttoned one button, and took a sip of the espresso, which was so bitter and disgusting, but I liked it. In my opinion, it's the villains who are misunderstood. Heroes have suffered and learned from it, not wanting the rest of the world to go through the same, but villains have suffered and want to show it to the world. Sofia, you belong to the heroes, and I belong to the villains. Our worlds are actually far apart, but I don't see that as a problem.

I will make you mine, Sofia, and we'll see which views you end up sharing in the end.

I resumed working on the paperwork, various finances that I needed to control. From regular companies I managed to shell companies where I laundered money. I worked for about 3 hours and then finished, checking the time. It was already 3:38. I stretched and decided to go to an old friend's boxing club. I stood up, grabbed my jacket again, and went to the elevator, got in, went down to the car again, and got in. Sleep was overrated in my opinion, and to be honest, I couldn't even sleep.

I drove through the empty city, which looked like a ghost town. I entered a deserted alleyway. His boxing club was located in a place inaccessible to ordinary people, only those chosen, who underwent training and were allowed into the cartel, could enter. I opened the door and saw him sitting stoned on a chair, his long hair hanging down. 

He looked dazedly in my direction and waved with one hand, "Hello, my old friend."

I grinned at him and walked over. The men's clothing scattered everywhere on the floor, reeking. The floor was a mixture of blood, dirt, shit, and piss. He was the only one who could behave like this in my presence; anyone else, I would have already killed. 

He also offered me a cigarette, and I took it and sniffed, "Hashish?"

 He nodded. His pupils were wide open, his eyeballs red. I lit it up and sat on the nearest chair. 

Leaning my head back, I took a drag and asked, "How's the recruitment going, Nicolas?"

He waved his hand, "There are many good men this year. After all, I am their trainer!"

 I laughed, "A stoned teacher,"and took another drag. 

He looked at me annoyed, "I have to escape the real world somehow!"

I shook my head laughing,"Did things not work out with the new one again?"

He leaned forward, burying his face in his hands, "That damn Latina used me and then tossed me aside like garbage!"

 I took another drag and let my hand fall on the armrest, "Speaking of your new one, what can a man do to make a woman like him?"

 He looked at me skeptically, "Why are you asking?"

I shrugged, "Just curious."

He raised his eyebrows and looked at me very skeptically, "You're lying. I've known you too long, Dante. Who has captured your heart?"

 I grinned and leaned forward too, "Is it that obvious?"

He extinguished the cigarette by throwing it to the ground and stomping on it. 

Suddenly, he became serious, propping one leg over the other, touching his chin thoughtfully, making a ridiculous face, "So who is she?"

 I looked at my cigarette and felt myself loosen up, "I saw her in the café a few months ago, but we only really got into a conversation five days ago when she almost passed out, and the next day her ex tried to hurt her in the café, so afterwards, I cut off his fingers and sent them to her."

He suddenly burst out laughing, and I looked at him with raised eyebrows, "What's so funny?" 

Out of breath and still laughing, he wiped a tear from his eye, "You didn't win her over; you scared her off instead," and continued laughing. 

I scratched my head, "Do you think so?" 

Nicolas became serious again and raised a finger in the air, "Women like the tough guy, but not the overly bloody one! That means you have to win her over differently by showing her your other side."

 I looked at him confused, "What other side? I don't have one." 

He then said loudly and hysterically, with exaggerated gestures as if he were in a musical, "Then develop one!"

 I leaned back again and said skeptically, "I'm not sure if I should take advice from someone whose heart gets broken every week and finds a new one."

 He put his hand over his heart and made theatrically wounded movements, "That hurt me."

 I laughed. 

Nicolas was the kind of person who acted smart but was actually dumb. 

I put my hand to my forehead, massaging it, and looked at him, "Actually, our true enemies are women." 

He nodded in agreement, "Damn right."

I said calmly, "In the worst case, I could always kidnap her."

 He choked, "Excuse me?"

 He then stood up and paced around the room, "You are actually right ! Once, when I was dating a woman, she wanted me to kidnap her. Can you believe that?!" 

I looked at him astonished, and we both burst into laughter.