I stood in the interrogation room, its walls splattered with the blood of the culprit. This man was unbelievably stubborn - we had tried every possible method, but he still refused to utter a word.

"Signorina! Abbiamo trovato qualcosa nella sua borsa."

("Miss! We found something in his bag." )

Matteo my left hand man says entering the interrogation room.

"Che cos'è?"

("What is it?")

"Sembra una foto di famiglia."

("Seems like a family photo.")

A smirk spread across my face, and I could sense the same sinister grin mirrored on the faces of the other two.

"Beh, se pensi che rimarrò intrappolato in questo tuo stupido trucco, dimenticalo."

("Well you thinks that I will be caught in your this stupid trick forget about that.")

"Non sono... non... così ingenuo."

("I am not... not.. that naive.")

"Matteo gli ha fatto vedere bene la foto che abbiamo ottenuto.."

("Matteo let him have a good look of the photo that we have gotten..")

"Certo... signorina"

("Sure.. Miss")

Then, Matteo turned the frame's face towards the culprit, and I swear the reaction on his face was priceless. His brows furrowed, and fear was written all over his face, his eyes wide with terror.

"Dove... dove... hai preso... preso...?"

("Where... Where...did you get...get ...it?")

I strode towards him, grasped his chin, and locked eyes with him as I spoke. The fear etched on his face deepened, his eyes widening in terror.

"Non è importante dove l'ho presa. L'importante è che se posso avere una foto allora posso aver conosciuto molte più cose che possono essere dannose per te..."

("It's not important where did I got it. The thing that is important is that, that if I can have a photo then I can have known many more things that can be harmful for you...")

I turned back to my original position, folded my arms across my chest, and continued to smirk as I spoke.

"Adesso sarebbe più divertente.."

("Now it would be more fun..")

"No, no, no, non fare niente alla mia famiglia, per favore..!!"

("No ,no, no, don't do anything to my family please..!!")

"Credo che avresti dovuto pensarci prima di dirmi di no..."

("I think you should have think about it before saying no to me ...")

No, no, per favore, non fare niente alla mia famiglia, per favore, farò quello che dici..."

("No, no please don't do anything to my family please I will do what you say...")

Tears started forming in his eyes and slowly slowly running down....

I gestured toward Jarek, and he instinctively understood my intention. He walked over to the table where the torture instruments were laid out and said...

"Quindi dovrebbe essere utile usarlo su tua moglie... hmm..."

(So which should be good to use on your wife...hmm...)

Ahh..... Questo sarebbe meglio usare...

(Ahh... this one would be best to use...)

He pointed towards a big knife. And then he placed it on the other side of the table..

Horror written all over the face of our culprit what was his name... ahh.. hann... Lico.

"Allora, lico, cosa pensi che questo coltello sarà abbastanza buono per tuo figlio adolescente?"

("So lico what do you think will this knife be good enough for your teenager son? ")
Jarek asked taking another knife in his hand.

"per favore, non fare niente alla mia famiglia... per favore...'

(" please don't do anything to my family...please...')

"Lo faremo se non apri bocca adesso."

("We will if you don't open you mouth right now.")

Matteo remarks.

"Io... io... parlerò... te ne parlerò..."

("I will... I will...speak...I will tell you about them...") Lico said with a trembling voice..

"Ma non fare niente alla mia famiglia, per favore"

(" But don't do anything to my family please ") Lico said.

"Non preoccuparti se apri bocca e ci dici la verità poi nessuno metterà nemmeno un dito addosso alla tua famiglia. Lo prometto".
I said assuring him.

(" Don't worry if you will open your mouth and tell us the truth then No one will even lay a finger on your family. I promise")

"Allora dicci adesso chi ti ha detto di rubare quel diamante rosso?"Jarek asked.

("So now tell us now who told you to steal that red diamond?")

"Adwait Randhawa" Lico said.

"Who is he? "I questioned looking at Jarek as soon as we exited the interogation room.

"Did you not know him?" He counterattacked me.

"His name sounds familiar but I can't remember." I told pressuring my train of memories.

"Not a big deal , he is the CEO of Randhawa industries." He exclaimed.

"Oh I see. But didn't Randhawa's are neutral . As far as I remember they didn't work for any side." I concluded.

"Hmm.. but perhaps they started taking sides now ." Jarek retorted clenching his fists.

"You know I am not hundred percent sure about what he said.." I claimed.

We both halted as Jarek opened the door to my cabin, and we stepped inside. I took my seat in my chair, while Jarek sat opposite me, placing both hands on my desk. His expression darkened as he began to speak, his words hanging in the air.

"Why do you think so?" He quired.

"I don't know but I don't think Lico is speaking the whole truth ." I expressed my concern.

"But didn't..." I cut him in between and spoke.

"Yeah,but I think it was way too easy. He was probably waiting for us to take the bait... Like it was way too easy for us too.."

"I don't know why but I feel like he is not telling us the whole truth."

I said and went into my own deep thought. My mind went to playback about everything that happened during these 72 hours.

72 hours ago.....

Jarek handed me the file labeled

"Mission Red Heart"

We had been trying to get our hands on it for a long time, as it contained a special formula for a new machine gun that hadn't yet hit the market. Now that we had finally obtained it, we knew we had to be extra cautious to avoid drawing attention from potential thieves.

That's why we had codenamed it "Mission Red Heart" in the first place - to keep it under wraps and avoid raising any suspicions.

"The founder is ready to deal with us tomorrow at 4 pm," Jarek said, running his hands through his brown hair.

I could see tension written all over his face.

"We're not going to meet my sister-in-law anytime soon, so no need to panic." I said with a smirk.

He looked at me, perplexed, and uttered a skeptical

"Huh?"

"We're not going to meet your future wife just yet" I repeated, struggling to contain my laugh.

He gazed at me with a horrified expression. "Are you serious? Do you think it's time to joke around? There are many people eyeing this deal, and instead of being serious, you're making light of it?"

"Oh, yeah! I forgot you don't even have a girlfriend."I teased, my smile growing wider.

Jarek's irritation grew, and he snapped, "Fuck off!"

"I think you should do it because it's my cabin." I smirked.

He got up, threw a cushion at me, and I caught it.

"Oh, my dear brother, you need to practice harder!" We both burst out laughing, our stomachs hurting from the intensity.

Finally, I managed to compose myself.

"Let's get back to work." Jarek agreed.

"Yeah!" and we returned to our respective tasks, still chuckling.

The hours vanished in air and the dusk knocked on the sky.

I left the office, a sleek and modern multistory building that served as the headquarters of our company. The exterior was a gleaming expanse of glass and steel, with a futuristic design that seemed to shimmer in the fading light of day. My CEO office was situated on the top floor, offering a panoramic view of the city skyline. The private elevator, adorned with polished wood paneling and subtle ambient lighting, whisked me away from my cabin to the ground floor parking area, where my BMW i8 awaited. The building's interior was equally impressive, with a spacious lobby, marble floors, and a soaring atrium that flooded the space with natural light.

I headed straight to my penthouse apartment, knowing that tomorrow was a crucial day and I couldn't afford to take any risks. Our team's success depended on acquiring that mechanism, and I was willing to do whatever it took to make it happen.

I soon arrived at the entrance of the building, scanned my card, and headed to the parking area. The drive from my office to the penthouse is less than 30 minutes, which is another reason I chose to live here - it's not only convenient but also comfortable.

As I stepped into the elevator and headed towards my floor, I felt a sense of comfort and belonging. When I entered my penthouse, I was overcome with a feeling of being home, in my own private haven, my safe space. While living with my uncle, I was surrounded by luxury and beauty, but it never truly felt like my own. In contrast, my penthouse, though smaller in scale, holds a special charm and a sense of ownership that I cherish deeply.

My penthouse is a luxurious oasis, sprawling across the top floor of the building. Floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors lead out to the expansive balcony, where breathtaking views of the city skyline await. The interior design is sleek and modern, with high ceilings, polished marble floors, and crisp white walls adorned with contemporary art pieces. The spacious living room features a sleek sectional sofa, a state-of-the-art entertainment system, and a grand piano. The gourmet kitchen is equipped with high-end appliances, ample counter space, and a large center island perfect for food preparation and entertaining. The master bedroom is a serene retreat, complete with a plush king-size bed, a spa-like en-suite bathroom, and a walk-in closet with ample storage. The additional four rooms offer flexibility for a home office, guest quarters, or personal hobbies. Throughout the penthouse, thoughtful touches and luxurious finishes create a truly exceptional living experience.

I headed to the kitchen and whipped up a quick dinner of fried rice, then promptly went to bed, aware that tomorrow was a crucial day and I couldn't afford to waste any time. As soon as my head hit the pillow, sleep enveloped me, carrying me off to dreamland.