6.

In a dimly lit room on the upper floor of his nightclub, Ricardo sat with a calm expression, though his eyes carried a dangerous glint. He listened to his subordinate's report without interruption, allowing them to deliver the bad news he had anticipated from the start.

"Evelyn is ruined, sir. All her clients are gone, her funds are frozen, and she can't even afford her own lawyer," said Santiago, his most trusted man.

Ricardo gave a faint smile and picked up his cigar. "And who do you think did this?"

Santiago swallowed hard, hesitating before answering, "Leo."

The room suddenly felt colder. Ricardo exhaled a slow stream of smoke, savoring the tension before letting out a quiet chuckle. "Of course," he murmured. "I've been waiting for him."

Leo was never the type to sit still when someone disrupted his life. But what Ricardo hadn't expected was the speed and precision of his strike. This wasn't just a reckless attack this was a warning.

Ricardo wasn't a fool. He knew that retaliating in the same way would ignite an open war, and he wasn't ready for that. Besides, Leo had too many allies in the criminal underworld, and going after him directly would only lead to Ricardo's own downfall.

So, he chose another path.

"I want people to start talking," Ricardo said. "Spread rumors that Leo has gone soft, that he's too busy being a father to handle his business."

Santiago nodded. It was a cunning strategy letting the underworld believe that Leo was no longer as strong as before. If people started doubting him, enemies would emerge on their own without Ricardo ever having to lift a finger.

"But that won't be enough," Ricardo continued. He slid an envelope across the table. Santiago picked it up, opened it, and found a single photograph inside.

A little girl. Sofia.

"Find her," Ricardo ordered. "But don't do anything… for now."

Santiago looked at his boss with slight confusion. "So, we're just watching her?"

Ricardo smirked. "For now, yes. Let Leo know that I can reach anything he loves. That will hurt him more than any attack."

Leo had just stepped into his office when Rafael approached him with a serious expression. Without a word, Leo's right-hand man handed him a plain white envelope with no sender.

"What is this?" Leo asked, frowning as he took the envelope.

"It was delivered straight to the front door," Rafael replied. "No one saw who dropped it off."

Leo tore open the edge of the envelope and pulled out a photograph.

His blood instantly boiled.

It was a picture of Sofia, taken from a distance maybe at school or while she was with her nanny. Beneath it, written in red ink, were the words:

"Take good care of her before it's too late."

Leo clenched his fist so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His eyes remained fixed on the photo, but his mind raced, analyzing every possibility.

Ricardo.

He didn't need to think twice to know where this threat came from. This wasn't just a warning it was proof that Ricardo could reach Leo's world anytime he wanted.

Rafael watched as Leo's expression turned cold, understanding that something serious was happening. "Leo?" he called cautiously.

Leo didn't respond. He took a deep breath, forcing down the fury rising inside him. Then, in one swift motion, he tore the photo into several pieces and let them fall to the floor.

"We're increasing security for Sofia," he said, his voice calm but laced with a dangerous edge. "I want to know about anyone who comes near her anyone within ten meters of her."

Rafael nodded. "I'll take care of it."

But Leo wasn't satisfied with just playing defense. He knew Ricardo too well. The man wouldn't stop here.

"Find out who took this picture," Leo continued. "Check the CCTV, question anyone who might have seen something. I want to know how close Ricardo has already gotten to my home."

"I'll get on it immediately."

After Rafael left, Leo sank into his chair, pressing his fingers against his temple.

Once, threats like this were just part of the game. He never cared who the target was or who had to fall for him to rise higher. But now, everything was different.

Now, the target was his daughter.

And if Ricardo thought he could use Sofia to weaken him, then he had just made the biggest mistake of his life.

Leo wouldn't stand still.

He would make sure Ricardo regretted the day he decided to mess with his daughter.

***

Leo sat in his office, staring at the phone in his hand. The screen displayed a series of messages he had just received from Rafael.

Rafael:

"Ricardo is getting suspicious. He's starting to move his people to find out who took Evelyn down."

"So far, he hasn't found enough evidence to link everything to you, but his men are getting closer."

"One of their spies just arrived in the city. I'm still trying to find out their identity."

Leo leaned back in his chair, sipping whiskey from his glass. He had expected Ricardo wouldn't stay silent after losing one of his most trusted women. But this wasn't the first time Leo had faced a man like Ricardo and, of course, it wouldn't be the first time he won.

He exhaled, his gaze shifting to the corner of the room, where a small photo of Sofia sat on his desk. His daughter was the only reason he kept going, the only thing that still made him feel human.

Leo pressed a button on his phone, calling Rafael.

"Who's the spy Ricardo sent?" he asked without preamble.

Rafael sighed on the other end. "I'm still looking into it. But I have a strong feeling they're not just anybody. Ricardo wouldn't send someone without the right skills."

Leo scoffed. "Make sure you find out who they are before they find anything about me."

"Understood," Rafael replied. "By the way, there's something else you should know."

Leo waited.

"Hana is missing," Rafael finally said.

Leo was silent for a moment.

"What do you mean, missing?" His voice was colder than before.

"She's not in her apartment. No trace of where she went. Even Ricardo's men can't find her."

Leo clenched his fist on the desk. Hana was cunning, but he never expected her to disappear completely.

"Do you think she ran?"

"It's possible," Rafael replied. "Or maybe she's just waiting for the right time to come back."

Leo smirked. "Hana can't run from me forever."

"Alright, I'll keep looking into it. If anything suspicious comes up, I'll let you know."

Leo nodded and ended the call.

He stared blankly at his whiskey glass, his mind racing.

Hana had disappeared. Ricardo had sent a spy. And now, someone out there was trying to infiltrate his life.

The game had just begun.

One Hour Later

Leo stepped out of his house, dressed in a black suit with a dark shirt underneath. Tonight, he had a plan to gather more information about who Ricardo had sent.

He arrived at an exclusive nightclub, a place where people from the underworld often gathered. Music thumped in the background, neon lights flashing in chaotic patterns.

Rafael was already waiting for him at the bar, two glasses of drinks in front of him.

"Well?" Leo asked, taking a seat beside him.

Rafael took a sip of his drink before answering. "I found something. Ricardo sent someone pretty dangerous."

Leo glanced at Rafael. "Who?"

Rafael pulled out his phone, showing a photo.

A woman.

Long black hair, sharp eyes, and an expression full of confidence.

"Her name is Alina," Rafael said. "Former private agent. Now works as a paid informant. She doesn't just gather information she knows how to play in the shadows."

Leo studied the photo for a long moment.

"How much has she uncovered?" he asked.

"Not much yet," Rafael replied. "But she's already collecting data on your legal businesses. If we don't act fast, I'm sure she'll dig deeper."

Leo sipped his drink slowly. "I want to see how far she can play."

Rafael gave him a sharp look. "Don't underestimate her, Leo. This woman is no joke."

Leo smirked. "Neither am I."

He set his glass down and stood up.

"Where is she now?"

Rafael sighed and handed him a small card.

"She'll be at a charity event tomorrow night. Using an alias, of course."

Leo stared at the card.

"Then we'll meet her."

Rafael looked at him with doubt. "Are you sure you want to handle this alone?"

Leo gave a small smile. "I want to see if she's really as good as you say."

He slipped the card into his pocket and walked away, leaving Rafael at the bar with a cautious expression.