chapter 56

His shoulders tensed as he exhaled through his nose. He didn't need to turn around to see Caesar's smug expression—he could feel it radiating off him.

"Nope," Eun-jae deadpanned, immediately shrugging the coat off. "I'll pass."

He turned fully this time, shoving the massive fur back into Caesar's arms. "I look like a kid."

Caesar didn't say anything at first. He just tilted his head slightly, amusement still dancing in his sharp blue eyes. Then—slowly, deliberately—his smirk deepened.

"You do look like a kid," he mused, his voice dripping with amusement.

Eun-jae narrowed his eyes. "Shut up."

Caesar let out a low chuckle, effortlessly swinging the fur back over his own shoulders like it had always belonged there. He adjusted it with the kind of practiced ease that made Eun-jae's eye twitch in irritation.

Then, as if he hadn't just made an absolute spectacle out of the moment, Caesar turned toward the door, already moving.

"Let's go, kid," he said smoothly.

Eun-jae's eye twitched harder.

His fingers curled into fists for a brief moment before he exhaled, releasing the tension as he straightened his suit.

He was not going to let Caesar get under his skin.

Not today.

Not when they had a job to do.

With one last glance in the mirror—this time, making sure nothing in his expression betrayed his irritation—Eun-jae followed.

Their mission was about to begin.

And if Caesar kept pulling stunts like this—

Eun-jae swore he was going to kill him after.

The car hummed low as Caesar drove, his foot heavy on the gas. Eun-jae sat stiffly in the passenger seat, gripping the edge of his seatbelt like it was his lifeline. Caesar wasn't even holding the steering wheel; instead, he was cracking his knuckles, one hand after the other, his focus seemingly elsewhere.

Eun-jae's eyes darted between the speeding road ahead and Caesar 's completely nonchalant face. His heart skipped several beats as the car swerved slightly to the left before Caesar corrected it—barely.

"Um... are you... gonna, you know, drive? Or are we testing fate today?" Eun-jae asked, his voice high-pitched with panic as he tried to mask the quiver in his tone. Caesar didn't even look at him.

Caesar smirked. "Relax, I've got it under control."

"'Under control'?!" Eun-jae squeaked, his knuckles white as he clutched the door handle. "Buddy, you're cracking your knuckles like a mafia boss about to make someone 'disappear,' and yet you're still going 80 miles per hour. Is this your idea of multitasking?"

Caesar chuckled, finally placing one hand lazily on the wheel. "Trust me, Eun-jae. I'm an excellent driver."

Eun-jae's thoughts were running at full speed, much like the car. "Yeah, and I'm sure that's what every reckless driver says before they make the nightly news. 'Local idiot crashes spectacularly. Passenger survives just to tell everyone how stupid his partner was.'"

He cleared his throat, attempting to sound calm but failing miserably. "Listen, Caesar , I'm a big fan of staying alive. Big fan. So if you could, you know, use both hands on the wheel and maybe slow down a little, I'd greatly appreciate not becoming a smear on the asphalt."

Caesar turned to him briefly, his smirk widening. "You're so dramatic. You really think I'd let you die?"

Eun-jae stared at him, incredulous. "Honestly? With the way you're driving right now, I'm starting to wonder if this is some elaborate assassination attempt! If you wanted me dead, just say so! I'm open to constructive criticism!"

Caesar chuckled

As the car finally steadied, Eun-jae released the door handle and crossed his arms, still glaring at Caesar . "Next time, I'm driving. You're banned from touching a steering wheel ever again."

Caesar shot him a sly grin. "But then I wouldn't get to see you squirm like this."

Eun-jae clenched his jaw, his patience officially gone. "Squirm?! I'll make you squirm when I throw you out of this car. Keep pushing me and see what happens."

Caesar only laughed, and Eun-jae groaned loudly, looking out the window. "Why am I even here? This man's going to be the death of me—either from stress or a fiery car crash."

The heavy iron gates groaned as they slowly swung open, their rusted hinges screeching against the weight of metal and time. The sound sent a shiver down Eun-jae's spine, a foreboding creak that signaled they had officially stepped into enemy territory.

His fingers twitched slightly against his thigh as his eyes flicked to Caesar, who sat beside him in the car, looking completely unfazed.

Then, without warning—

"Huh???"

Eun-jae barely had time to process before he saw the smirk curl on Caesar's lips.

That infuriating, unreadable smirk.

Like he knew something Eun-jae didn't.

Like he had already decided how this would play out before they even arrived.

The car rolled forward, tires crunching against gravel, and as soon as they passed through the gates, Eun-jae felt the suffocating weight of tension settle over them like a noose tightening around their throats.

A dozen guards were already there, standing in rigid formation, their weapons raised and pointed directly at them.

Rifles.

Fully automatic.

Safety off.

Eun-jae's stomach twisted, but his expression remained neutral. This was expected—he'd walked into hostile situations before. The difference was, back then, he had full control of the outcome. Right now? He was stepping into someone else's arena, where a single wrong move could mean getting riddled with bullets before he even had a chance to breathe.

"Get out of the car. Now."

One of the guards barked the order, his finger dangerously close to the trigger.

Eun-jae didn't hesitate. Slowly, carefully, he pushed open the car door and stepped out, raising his hands just enough to show that he wasn't a threat. From his pocket, he pulled out a neatly folded white handkerchief and held it up.

"We come in peace," he wanted to say.

But he already knew how this worked.

This wasn't about peace.

This was about power.

The guards surged forward, quick and efficient. Their hands were rough as they patted him down, searching for weapons. It wasn't just a security check—it was a display of dominance, a reminder that they were in control here.

Eun-jae's jaw tightened as he felt them pull the concealed knife from his waistband. Then the second one from his ankle.

"Really?" he thought bitterly. Not even five seconds in, and they've already disarmed me.

He was shoved forward slightly, his torso pressed against the cool metal of the car as they continued their search. The sharp chill of the night air bit at the exposed skin of his neck, but that was the least of his concerns.

Then, his gaze flicked toward the other side of the car.

Caesar.

Unlike Eun-jae, Caesar hadn't even flinched when he stepped out. He moved with the same effortless grace, completely unrushed, as if he were arriving at some high-class gala instead of an armed checkpoint in the middle of nowhere.

One of the guards, a younger one, stepped toward Caesar, reaching out to search him—

And then—

Caesar looked at him.

That was all it took.

Just a single glance.

A slow, deliberate turn of his head, golden eyes locking onto the guard with the cold, calculated amusement of a predator watching a smaller animal struggle in its presence.

The guard froze.

His outstretched hand trembled slightly before he instinctively pulled it back.

Eun-jae barely held back the urge to roll his eyes.

"Seriously? That's all it takes?"

It was absurd. And yet, it wasn't surprising.

This was Caesar.

A man who didn't just walk into a room—he owned it the moment he stepped inside. It was in the way he carried himself, in the way he exuded a quiet, unshakable confidence that made people hesitate.

And right now, it was working to their advantage.

Before anyone could question it further—

"What's with all the commotion?"

A voice cut through the tension.

Smooth. Amused.

And then—Alexei.

Eun-jae turned his head just as the man came into view, his sharp features illuminated under the dim lights of the compound. He had one eyebrow raised in mild interest, a cigarette dangling lazily from his fingers. His tailored suit, though slightly rumpled, still held an air of importance, even if it was just a shadow of what it once was.

As soon as his eyes landed on Caesar, something flickered in his expression.

Recognition.

Amusement.

Perhaps even something close to irritation.

"Ah. So this is where you've been hiding."

Eun-jae watched the way Alexei studied Caesar, his expression unreadable.

After Alexei was kicked out of politics for fraud, this is how he makes a living now?

There was something almost pitiful about it—how someone who once wielded so much power was now reduced to conducting business in the shadows. But what unsettled Eun-jae wasn't just Alexei's fall from grace.

It was why.

Why would anyone choose him over Voron?

Why put their trust in a distant relative instead of someone with true control?

It didn't make sense.

Unless, of course, there was more to this than he realized.

"Stay focused," Eun-jae reminded himself.

"What brings you here?" Alexei finally asked, his lips curving into an easy, practiced smile.

Caesar mirrored it almost perfectly, his own smirk forming as he tilted his head slightly.

"Here we go."

"I have something for you," Caesar said smoothly. "A fine product I think will be to your liking."

Alexei exhaled a slow puff of smoke, watching him. "Is that so?"

Caesar's smirk deepened. "I'd rather not discuss it out here. Why don't we take this inside?"

There was a beat of silence.

Alexei's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze searching Caesar's face for any sign of deception.

Then, with a thoughtful hum, he flicked the cigarette to the ground, crushing it beneath his heel.

"A fine product, you say?"

His tone was laced with skepticism, but also intrigue.

"How sure are you?"

Caesar didn't even hesitate.

"I'm very sure you'll like it."

Another beat.

Then, finally—

Alexei let out a low chuckle. "Hmmm. Alright, then."

He turned on his heel, motioning toward the entrance. "Come in."

As they followed him inside, Eun-jae exhaled silently, his mind already racing.

There was no turning back now.

And if Caesar was bluffing?

They were about to find out real fast.

The hallway stretched out before them, an expanse of wealth and power woven into every inch of its existence. Gold-trimmed walls, deep crimson carpets that muffled their footsteps, chandeliers hanging above like frozen constellations—everything about this place was meant to impress, to intimidate.

But intimidation only worked on the weak.

And Eun-jae?

He had learned a long time ago that men like Alexei thrived on dominance. They built their kingdoms on fear and submission, on the careful manipulation of body language, on the subtle yet crushing weight of unspoken threats.

And right now?

He was walking straight into the heart of one.

The scent of cigars, aged wood, and expensive cologne clung to the air, mixing with something else—something far more suffocating. A sense of control. A sense of ownership. This wasn't just a hall. It was a territory.

Alexei's voice, smooth and practiced, cut through the air.

"It's been long… how have you been?"

A simple question, but one that carried weight.

Caesar, as always, didn't miss a beat.

"I've been great. What about you?" His response was easy, controlled, as if he wasn't walking through a lion's den.

Alexei's lips twitched, amused—or maybe unimpressed.

"Oh, same."

Liar.

Eun-jae knew men like Alexei didn't say "same" unless they had something to hide. And Alexei? He had plenty.

Then, Alexei's gaze slid to him.

Calculating. Assessing. Searching.

"So, who is your partner? I've never seen him before."

That wasn't curiosity.

That was a test.

And tests like these were designed for one purpose—to expose weakness.

Caesar didn't hesitate.

"He is from the Korean intelligence agency—"

Eun-jae smoothly stepped forward before he could finish.

Never let someone introduce you. It gives them control over your presence.

He tilted his chin slightly, keeping his expression open, unreadable.

"I'm Bitgaram. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

His voice was warm, polite. The perfect balance between respect and confidence.

He extended his hand.

Alexei's smirk widened, his fingers closing around Eun-jae's hand.

Firm. Steady. Predictable.

But then—

A slow stroke.

Alexei's thumb dragged across Eun-jae's palm, deliberate, slow—not an accident.

A taunt.

A warning.

A power play.

The touch was light, almost imperceptible, but it sent a clear message.

I see you. I know you. Let's see how you react.

And Eun-jae?

He had exactly one second to decide how to respond.

If he pulled away too quickly, it would be an admission of discomfort. A crack in his armor. A weakness Alexei could exploit.

If he lingered, it would invite another kind of danger—a game he had no intention of playing.

So, he did neither.

He let his smile fade, the warmth draining from his expression like a candle snuffed out. Not dramatically. Not obviously. Just… gone.

And then, with the same controlled ease, he pulled his hand away.

Not too fast.

Not too slow.

Just enough to say, I noticed. I'm not impressed.

Silence stretched between them for a fraction of a second—just long enough for the shift in energy to be felt.