The vibe in the office was tense, almost like you could cut it with a knife. She could tell he wasn’t really mad about her calling him "love" in front of the guard; she had done it plenty of times before. Sure, he’d gotten annoyed in the past, but this time felt way more serious. She knew he was scared of MK.

She had heard stories about MK, rumors that made him sound pretty terrifying, but she had never seen him herself. Only AD had met him, and he kept that meeting pretty much under wraps. MK didn’t know her face; all he knew was her name, which left her feeling a bit exposed.

AD had a solid read on what MK was like. He had a reputation for wanting every woman he fancied in his bed, and while AD could be just as bold, he didn’t want her anywhere near MK. He’d heard how rough and disrespectful MK could be, and that made him uneasy.

AD had his own agenda when it came to women, but his approach was definitely not the norm. He only had a couple of girls in his circle and never slept with anyone other than his wife and this girl. This exclusivity around him just added to the uneasy feeling she had about the whole situation.

AD was a bundle of nerves, sweating, pacing back and forth, and pretty furious. He could tell MK wasn’t there for a friendly chat, but he had no clue why. He thought, "I sent the guys to find her, but they haven’t come back. What’s up with MK showing up now?" The memory of their last meeting came rushing back, and he recalled the warning MK had given him, every detail still fresh.

Next to him, the girl was still teary-eyed, looking at him expectantly. In a moment of clarity, it hit him hard that he had taken all his frustration about MK out on her.

Suddenly, he noticed MK striding into the basement with a bunch of armed guards. The mood shifted immediately; everyone went quiet, their faces draining of color at the sight of him. AD felt his stomach drop. MK usually didn’t come with this many guards. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and thought about getting the woman out of sight so MK wouldn’t see her, but there was no other way out.

The woman, still sniffling, looked at him and said, "You’re not freaking out just because of me, calling you ’love’. You’re really just freaking out because MK’s going to ask about her."

AD froze, realizing she was spot on. His panic had everything to do with the fact that they hadn’t found the girl they were looking for, and he didn’t expect MK to show up so soon and unannounced.

She continued, "You’re not upset because of me; you’re upset because we’ve failed to find her. MK’s not going to cut us slack if we can’t turn something up."

AD shot her an annoyed look. "This isn’t the time to discuss this. You need to get out of here."

She responded, "And go where? There’s no escaping from MK."

MK wandered into the dim basement, taking in everything around him. The air felt heavy, and the smell of raw materials was unmistakable. He strolled through the area, lightly touching different items, checking out the drugs, the frantic workers, and the security setup. He looked calm, maybe too calm, as if he had something else on his mind besides just looking around.

After a few minutes, MK walked into the office, flashing a smile that felt more chilling than any scream. AD quickly straightened up, wearing a completely blank expression to hide any panic he was feeling. MK took a look around before focusing on AD, raising an eyebrow when he noticed a woman standing next to him. A cheeky grin spread across his face as he made his way over to AD’s chair. As soon as AD saw MK approaching, he shifted aside to give him room to sit down, the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a knife. The woman watched the whole exchange, clearly intrigued by the unfolding scene.

Once comfortably perched in the chair, MK pointed at the woman, gesturing for her to come over. She hesitated, shooting a nervous glance at the AD for reassurance. He gave her a quick nod, and though she was taken aback that he wanted her to join someone else, she couldn’t back out now. She bit the bullet and walked over to MK.

As she got closer, MK’s grin widened, and he opened his arms as if inviting her in for a warm hug. But just as she got near, he yanked her into his lap, twisting her arms playfully. She was startled, her heart racing, and she glanced at the AD, hoping for a little support, but he was looking away, clearly uninterested in what was happening.

The room fell quiet for a moment until MK broke the silence, holding her hands and gently playing with her fingers. "So, you’re his right-hand girl? Hmm?"

She nodded but didn’t say much, the shyness clear on her face. MK’s smile got even wider at her reaction, and he turned to the AD with a playful tone. "You didn’t tell me she was this gorgeous," he remarked, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. "And a little shy, too." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

There was a charged vibe in the air, hinting at more than just casual conversation.

MK leaned in with a casual confidence, saying, "Why don’t you come to my penthouse tonight?" He tilted her chin up, a smirk on his face. "We’ll have a little fun. You’ll enjoy my company."

Her heart raced as she processed what he was actually saying. Did he really want her to sleep with him? She glanced over at AD, who was standing a short distance away, looking tense but determined. He nodded slightly, trying to reassure her, but it didn’t help much.