2.

Leo woke up earlier than usual. Not because of an alarm or business matters, but because of the sound of soft laughter from the next room. He rubbed his face, took a deep breath, and got out of bed.

When he opened the door, the first thing he saw was Sofia sitting on the floor with a teddy bear on her lap. Her long brown hair was slightly messy, but the smile on her face was bright.

"Papa's awake!" Sofia exclaimed happily, running towards him.

Leo crouched down, catching the small body in his arms. He felt warmth something he rarely experienced.

"Why are you up so early, hmm?" he asked gently.

Sofia grinned. "I want to have breakfast with Papa!"

Leo chuckled. "Alright, let's make breakfast together."

They went downstairs to the kitchen, and for the first time in a long while, Leo tried cooking something simple pancakes and scrambled eggs. Sofia sat at the table, watching with excitement as her father mixed the batter.

As they started eating, Sofia chewed slowly before looking up at Leo with her innocent eyes.

"Papa," she called. "Where's Mama?"

Leo paused. That question had finally come.

Sofia was still too young to understand a lie, but also too little to face the harsh truth.

"Mama doesn't live with us anymore, sweetheart," Leo answered carefully. "But Papa is here for you."

Sofia nodded slightly. "Mama doesn't like me, does she?"

Leo felt something tighten in his chest. He set his fork down and gently stroked his daughter's head.

"Mama loves you, Sofia," he said, though he wasn't sure if the words were true. "Never think that no one loves you."

Sofia stared at him for a moment, then gave a small smile before continuing to eat.

Leo watched his daughter in silence, making a promise to himself that no matter how dark the world was, Sofia would never feel the same pain he had endured.

***

That afternoon, at Leo's underworld headquarters.

Rafael stood beside the desk, arms crossed as he delivered his report.

"Ricardo is making moves. Looks like he wants revenge for Hana," he said.

Leo wasn't surprised. He had expected this.

"What is he doing?"

"So far, just gathering information about you and Sofia. I wouldn't be surprised if he tries a more subtle approach using the law, for example."

Leo smirked coldly. "Does he think I'm not prepared?"

Rafael shrugged. "I just want to make sure you know this isn't over."

Leo gazed out the window, his thoughts spinning.

Ricardo wasn't a small threat, but he also wasn't someone Leo couldn't handle.

But one thing angered him more than Ricardo's threats—the fact that Hana was still trying to mess with his life, even after everything.

Leo received a call he never expected. His phone vibrated, displaying a number he hadn't seen in a long time.

Hana.

He hesitated for a moment before answering.

"Leo." Her voice was weak, almost trembling. "I know you hate me, but please, I need to talk to you."

Leo remained silent, waiting.

"I… I made a mistake," she continued. "I don't know why I did it. I was stupid, Leo. I want to fix everything."

Leo let out a dry chuckle. "Fix? Hana, we're done. You made your choice."

"But Sofia… I want to see Sofia."

Leo clenched his jaw. So that was it.

"You want to see Sofia? After you destroyed this family?" His voice was low, sharp.

Hana sobbed. "She's my daughter too, Leo."

"No," Leo cut her off. "You lost that right the moment you chose to betray your own family."

There was a long silence on the other end of the line.

Then, Hana's voice changed. It was sharper. Colder.

"Alright," she said. "Then don't blame me if I fight to get her back."

The call ended.

Leo stared at his phone, his jaw tightening.

Hana had just declared war. And he wasn't going to sit still.

After the call, his mind was consumed by something he had long tried to ignore, his anger.

Not just towards Hana. But towards all women like her.

Traitors. Liars. Women who sold their dignity for their own gain.

Leo exhaled deeply, gripping the nearly empty whiskey glass in his hand.

"How many women like Hana are still out there?" he thought. "How many men have suffered the same humiliation?"

He looked at the mirror across the room, seeing his own reflection.

The man who once loved sincerely was gone.

All that remained was someone who understood one thing: in this world, no one was truly loyal.

And if the world was filled with women like Hana, then he was going to do something about it.

***

The next day, Rafael approached him with new news.

"Ricardo sent someone to watch us," he said.

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

Rafael pulled out a photo from a folder. A tall, red-haired woman wearing a tight black dress.

"Her name is Evelyn. One of Ricardo's mistresses. Smart, sly, and good at digging up information."

Leo took the photo, staring at it for a long time.

Here it is. His first target.

A thin smile curved his lips.

"I want to see how long she can last if I play with her."

Rafael looked at him suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

Leo leaned back in his chair, swinging Evelyn's photo between his fingers.

"I just want to teach someone a lesson about loyalty," he said casually.

Rafael sighed. "You're becoming dangerous, Leo."

Leo chuckled softly. "We're all dangerous, Rafael. I'm just starting to play my own game."

That night, Evelyn walked alone into a fancy bar.

She didn't know Leo had been watching her since she walked in.

She looked confident, with a seductive smile clearly used to attract rich men. Leo leaned back in his chair, observing. "Just like Hana," he thought coldly. This woman cared for no one but herself.

Leo finally stood up and walked toward her. "Can I buy you a drink?" he asked in a low voice.

Evelyn turned, her eyes appraising Leo from head to toe.

Her smile widened. "Of course."

Leo knew how this game worked. Evelyn didn't know him personally, she only knew his name in the underworld.

And tonight, he was going to make her get to know him better.

But not in the way she expected.

Three days later.

Evelyn sat in her apartment, her hands trembling as she read something on her phone screen.

All her personal data bank accounts, illegal transactions with Ricardo, even proof of her affair with another man had been leaked on the internet. Not only that. Leo had also set something more cunning in motion. He made Evelyn accused of stealing money from Ricardo. Now, her life was in danger.

Evelyn tried to call someone, but no one answered. Her apartment door was knocked. Her heart raced. Slowly, she walked toward the door, her hands shaking as she unlocked it.

And there, standing, was Leo with a cold smile on his face.

"You look panicked, Evelyn," he said casually.

Evelyn swallowed hard. "What are you doing?"

Leo stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"I'm just showing you what happens when someone plays on both sides."

Evelyn shook her head, her face pale. "I never betrayed you, Leo— didn't even know you..."

"It's not just me," Leo interrupted. "I'm just tired of seeing women like you and Hana roam free, destroying men's lives without consequences."

Evelyn took a step back. "I... I can explain..."

Leo leaned forward, his voice low.

"Explain to who? Ricardo? You think he'll believe you after seeing all the evidence I've sent?"

Evelyn's face turned fearful.

Leo smiled coldly.

"Now you know what it feels like to be betrayed."

Then he turned and left, leaving Evelyn in ruins.

One down. And many more to follow.

At home, Leo watched Sofia sleeping in her bed. He gently stroked his daughter's head. He would never let Sofia become like them.

If he had to become a monster to make sure that didn't happen, then he would do it without hesitation.

Leo smiled faintly, then left the room. In the darkness, he took out his phone and called Rafael.

"Who's next?"

***