Peaceful night

As the night deepened and the festivities wound down, the villa slowly emptied. Guests began to leave, their laughter and chatter fading into the night. The once lively party was now a memory, leaving behind only the faint echoes of music and the dim glow of the villa's lights.

Ken, still playing the part of the attentive friend, remained by Anna's side. She was clearly tired, her eyelids drooping as she struggled to stay awake.

"Anna! My mom called me—she said if I don't get home now, I'll be grounded for a month! I'm so sorry!" Jenna suddenly exclaimed, her voice filled with urgency. Without waiting for a response, she sprinted toward her Porsche, leaving Anna behind.

"Jenna, wait—" Anna started to call after her, but it was too late. Jenna was already speeding away, the roar of the engine fading into the distance.

Anna sighed, feeling a twinge of unease. With Jenna gone, the night suddenly felt colder, more isolating. But Ken—Shin—was quick to offer reassurance.

"Anna, you look exhausted. How about we find a hotel nearby? Don't worry—I won't do anything. Why would I?" he said with a disarming smile, his tone light and innocent.

Anna hesitated for a moment, then nodded, trusting Ken's familiar presence. Her home was far—too far to travel at this hour. The idea of a nearby hotel, just to rest, seemed like the best option. Besides, she couldn't deny the comfort in Ken's company, even if she didn't fully understand why she felt that way.

Minutes later, they arrived at a modest hotel, its neon sign flickering in the dark. Ken approached the front desk, where a young female staff member greeted them with a professional smile.

"It's 250 dollars for two rooms for the night," she informed him.

Ken flashed a charming smile, leaning slightly over the counter. "I only have 200 on me. Can you give me a discount, gorgeous?"

The staff member's expression remained neutral, but inside, her heart skipped a beat. She was flustered by Ken's charisma, her thoughts betraying her calm exterior. 'God, he's so hot,' she thought, but maintained her professionalism as she handed over the room keys with a slight discount.

With the rooms secured, Ken and Anna made their way upstairs. Anna barely made it to her room before collapsing onto the bed, her fatigue overwhelming her. Ken, however, remained alert, his mind racing with thoughts far removed from sleep.

He stepped into his own room, but he didn't close the door. Instead, he stood by the window, staring out into the night. It wasn't long before he sensed it—the presence that had been trailing them since the villa.

Eerion and his gang had followed them, lurking in the shadows just outside the hotel. Eerion, still seething from their earlier encounter, had decided to confront Ken directly. He had underestimated Ken once, and he wasn't about to make the same mistake again—or so he thought.

Ken smiled to himself, his eyes narrowing. He had anticipated this move. Eerion was predictable, driven by emotion rather than logic—a fatal flaw in someone trying to play this game.

He waited until he heard the faint sound of footsteps in the hallway, then moved swiftly and silently. When Eerion entered the room, flanked by his gang, he found Ken waiting for him, calm and composed.

"Eerion," Ken greeted him with a nod, as if they were old friends meeting under different circumstances.

Eerion wasted no time. "You think you're clever, don't you? Manipulating Anna, making me look like a fool."

Ken's smile didn't waver. "It's not about being clever. It's about being in control."

Eerion's temper flared, and he lunged at Ken. But Ken was ready. He moved with precision, evading the attack and countering with a swift, brutal strike that left Eerion reeling. The gang members hesitated, uncertain, as they watched their leader falter.

Before they could react, Ken was upon them, his movements a blur of efficiency and ruthlessness. Within moments, Eerion's gang lay incapacitated, groaning in pain on the floor. Eerion himself struggled to stand, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Ken approached him, his expression cold, devoid of the charm he had used earlier. "You were never going to win this, Eerion. You were just another obstacle, easily removed."

Eerion glared at him, defiant to the end. "You… bastard."

Ken's response was swift and merciless. He delivered a final, lethal blow, watching as the life drained from Eerion's eyes. There was no remorse, no hesitation—only the cold calculation of someone who viewed others as nothing more than pieces on a chessboard.

With Eerion dead at his feet, Ken wiped his hands clean and glanced at the window. He knew what he had to do next.

He hoisted Eerion's lifeless body and dragged it to the window, pushing it open with one hand. The night air was cool, the city lights flickering in the distance. Without a second thought, Ken threw the body out the window, letting it crash onto the pavement below with a sickening thud.

Turning back to the room, Ken surveyed the scene with a critical eye. Everything was as it should be—Eerion's gang would be too afraid to speak, and Anna would remain blissfully unaware of the danger she had been in.

Ken smiled to himself as he began to plot his next move. This was only the beginning. There were bigger plans in motion, and he would ensure that every piece on the board was exactly where it needed to be.

As the night wore on, Ken returned to his room, his mind already moving ahead to the next phase of his plan. Eerion's death was a minor setback for his enemies, but it was also a message—a warning that in this game, only the most ruthless would survive.

And Ken—Shin—had no intention of losing.

---

The game between Kell and Shin was growing closer to its inevitable confrontation, each move bringing them one step closer to the clash that would decide everything. But for now, in the shadows, Shin was in control, and nothing—not even a rival like Eerion—could stand in his way.

The night was far from over, and as Ken closed his eyes, he knew that tomorrow would bring new challenges, new opportunities. And he would be ready for them, just as he had been tonight.

The pieces were in place. The game continued.