7.

Soft classical music floated through the grand ballroom, blending with the sound of clinking glasses and polite laughter from the elite guests. Glittering gowns and tailored black suits filled the space, illuminated by the shimmering light of the crystal chandelier, which danced over the champagne in their glasses.

Amidst the opulence, Leo stepped in his movements relaxed yet calculated. The black suit that fit his frame so perfectly made him look like he belonged here, but there was something in the way he carried himself his sharp gaze, his composed expression that radiated danger.

His eyes swept across the room. Rafael had already told him that his target was here. Alina.

A woman like her wouldn't be careless in concealing her identity, but Leo knew what to look for the way someone moved, a gaze just a little too sharp, or a body language that didn't quite match the role they were playing.

And then, he found her.

A woman with long, jet-black hair stood gracefully near the cocktail table, dressed in a deep burgundy gown that contrasted against her pale skin. Her dark eyes scanned the room with the calmness of a predator, though her lips curved into a charming smile as she spoke to the older man beside her.

Leo smirked.

She was damn good at this game.

Alina was likely here as an observer, gathering intel on Leo's world from the unsuspecting wealthy elites. But tonight, Leo wouldn't let her stay just an observer.

He approached, smoothly taking a champagne glass from a passing waiter and stopping just a few steps beside her. He didn't speak right away he simply let his presence be known.

Alina noticed. Leo could tell from the slight shift in her posture not much, just a small adjustment, but enough to indicate that she was alert.

Finally, Alina turned, their eyes meeting.

And the game began.

"I didn't expect this event to have such a special guest."

Her voice was soft, but there was an edge beneath it. She wasn't surprised at least, not outwardly.

Leo raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of his champagne before replying, "I didn't expect to find someone like you here either."

A faint smile touched Alina's lips. "Someone like me?"

Leo tilted his head slightly, his gaze piercing, as if he could see through the persona she wore tonight. "You're not just an ordinary guest, are you?"

Alina didn't answer right away. Instead, she let out a quiet, amused laugh. "And what makes you so sure?"

Leo studied her for a moment before finally offering a small, knowing smile. "Instinct."

Alina's expression remained unreadable. She knew who he was that much was clear from the way her eyes slightly narrowed, from the way she wasn't completely at ease. But instead of retreating, Alina stepped just a little closer, challenging him.

"If that's the case, then your instincts should also tell you that I'm not someone easily figured out," she said.

Leo grinned. "Oh, I already know that."

Their eyes locked, as if sizing each other up. Leo knew she was trying to read him, to determine whether he was simply teasing or if he actually suspected her. But he wouldn't give her a clear answer.

That was part of the game.

"Are you enjoying the event?" Leo finally asked, shifting the conversation effortlessly.

Alina gave a small shrug. "So far, it's been entertaining. Lots of interesting people to observe."

Including me, right? The thought flickered through Leo's mind, but he didn't voice it. Instead, he took another sip of champagne and said in a quiet, deliberate tone, "I hope you enjoy tonight. Because I have a feeling it's going to be a night you won't forget."

A shadow flickered across Alina's eyes, but she kept her smile. "Oh? I can't wait to see what surprises you have in store."

Leo merely offered a knowing smirk. He didn't need to say anything more. This woman was sharp she already understood that Leo knew who she was. Or at least, that he was close to the truth.

But he wouldn't catch her.

Not yet. Not here. Not hastily.

He wanted this game to last just a little longer.

Because the longer it played out, the greater the satisfaction when he finally won.

The Plan to Take Down Alina

After leaving the event, Leo sat in his office, his mind working fast.

Alina was no ordinary opponent.

She wasn't just some informant who could be bribed or a spy who could be easily trapped. If Ricardo had sent her, that meant she had an impressive track record. Leo couldn't allow her to keep digging.

So, he had to make her the target instead.

Step one: Let her think she's still in control.

Leo would make her comfortable, give her the illusion that she still had the upper hand. That would make her drop her guard.

Step two: Find her weakness.

Everyone had a weakness someone they cared about, a past they hid, or an ambition too big for their own good. Leo just needed to find it.

And once he did…

Step three: Take her down on her own terms.

Alina was the kind of woman who thrived in the shadows, but Leo wanted her to know what it felt like when the darkness turned against her.

He would make sure that when she fell, she had no choice but to accept the prize he had prepared for her.

Leo smirked to himself as his mind ran through different scenarios.

What kind of prize would be fitting for a woman like Alina?

Not death that was too simple.

Not torture that was too crude.

But something that would strip her of control, something that would make her realize she had chosen the wrong man to target.

He would make her submit.

Not by force, but in a way that left her with no escape from him.

With a game far more dangerous than any she had ever played before.

Leo took a slow sip of his whiskey, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.