CHAPTER 10 ONE BY ONE

Antonio's POV

I clenched my jaw as I walked out, shutting the door behind me harder than I intended.

What the fuck was I thinking?

Offering to take her with me? Bringing her into my world when I barely let anyone get close?

She laughed at me. Mocked me.

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling slowly, trying to push down the irritation bubbling in my chest.

The woman was a walking contradiction—sharp enough to cut through steel, yet reckless with her own life. I had seen the wounds, the scars, the way she barely flinched when Luca set her shoulder back in place. It wasn't normal.

She wasn't normal.

And yet, she got under my skin.

Her words replayed in my head—What, you don't have enough BITCHES to keep you entertained?

Like I was some bored bastard just looking for a new toy.

She didn't get it.

I didn't want her for entertainment.

And for the first time in a long time, I wanted to know what it would be like to have someone like that standing beside me.

Not as a pawn. Not as a possession.

But as something else.

I let out a breath, rolling my shoulders before pulling out a cigarette.

Luca stepped out a moment later, looking at me like he already knew what happened. The bastard had that smug little grin that made me want to break his nose.

"Smooth," he muttered.

I shot him a look, lighting the cigarette. "Shut up, Luca."

He only chuckled, shaking his head as he walked past me.

I exhaled, watching the smoke curl into the night air, letting the burn in my lungs ground me.

She was gasoline, alright.

And I was already holding the match.

"Did you notice the tattoo?" Luca asked.

"I did. It looked like VK, the Silent Thunder," I said."It was a secret organisation, but they dismantled it a few years back due to some issues. Can you look more into it?"

Luca nodded.

Back to Sera

I heard the news that Antonio was going back to Italy, but I didn't think much of it. Why should I?

Instead, I decided to empty my place before anything else could happen. I packed up what I needed and set the house on fire. It was easier that way. I'd report it as a gas leak—nothing out of the ordinary.

I went back to my parents' house in God's own country. Walking through the doors felt like stepping back into painful memories. I hadn't been here in years, but the place still felt... the same. Servants kept it clean, just like they always did.

I went to my room, took a shower, and made something to eat. The day ended quietly.

But my mind couldn't stop working. I kept digging into the human trafficking ring. The more I uncovered, the darker it got. They were selling girls under the age of fifteen. Orphanages were being used as the main source. Thakur's clan had been involved in this shit in the past, but the more I looked into it, the more I realized the buyers weren't just from one group. I couldn't find La Mano Nera in the mix, but I knew someone was pulling the strings.

Xiongdi Hu, Los Sombros, Cruz de Fuego, Heqing She. Those were the names I had last. (Author's note: These are all fake names for readers.)

Even after I killed Arun Thakur, someone would always take his place. What if I started a war between them? I closed my eyes, trying to focus. What was Antonio doing now? Shit, why am I thinking about him? Concentrate, Sera.

I noticed the next shipment date was on the 5th—this Friday. Great. Night duty.

The day came, and I was already on the rooftop, watching the container. Only a few of Thakur's men were present—mostly Mexican guys. There he was, the second-in-command of the Los Sombros clan.

Bang.

Got him. That was enough to spark a fight between the clans. By the time I moved down, most of Thakur's men were down. I used the chaos to my advantage, knocking out the rest and tying them up.

I opened the container... Goodness. It was filled with little girls. My stomach twisted in disgust.

They were terrified.

I scanned their faces, trying to reassure them. Then I saw a familiar one. "Diya," I murmured.

"Teacher?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

"Diya, listen to me. The officers will be here soon, and the media. You can trust them. Tell them everything. About the orphanage, what they're doing. I don't have much time, okay?"

I gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, my heart heavy.

I heard footsteps approaching. I moved quickly. The officers were sorting through the situation as I slipped away.

The next day, it was all over the news.

After that, I kept feeding the officers I trusted information about the upcoming sales. It would be quiet for a while—long enough for me to stop them from coming into my country. I tracked down everyone involved in the trafficking ring and gave them two options: "Die by my hand or turn yourselves in."

They chose to turn themselves in. They were out on bail in one day.

What a fucking joke the system was.

Did they really think I'd let them off that easily? No. I hunted each one of them down. In front of the public. That was the kind of satisfaction I needed.

All these years, I had protected my country from the outside. I should've started cleaning up from the inside first.

I was having a rare quiet day at my parents' house when something hit me—instincts. Someone's coming.I froze, every nerve alert. I turned off the lights, plunging the house into complete darkness. I moved silently through the shadows, glancing at the security cameras. Ten of them. I knew exactly who they were. And I hated close combat.

But it looked like they were splitting up. Two of them were heading toward my office, four went toward my bedroom, and the rest were moving toward other parts of the house. They were already inside.

I watched them through the camera feed, their heavy boots creaking on the wooden floors.

I grabbed my knife, the cold steel comforting in my hand.

I moved fast, slipping into position behind the door to my office. My body was like a coiled spring, waiting for the right moment.

The first man stepped in; his silhouette barely visible through the haze of dark. I was already there, closing the distance in two quick strides. I shoved the blade into his throat before he could even register my presence. His blood gushed out, hot and sticky, as I pulled the knife free. The man gurgled, collapsing to the floor.

I didn't pause.

The second one was faster. I shot him square in the forehead, the gunshot ringing in my ears. His body jerked and crumpled to the floor in an instant. I wiped the blood off my blade and moved, the next two already entering the room.

Bang.

I shot one of them in the leg before he could react. The sound of his scream was deafening, but it didn't matter. He collapsed, writhing in agony on the floor. The other man tried to raise his weapon, but I was already on him. A quick twist of my wrist and my knife buried itself deep into his throat, silencing him instantly.

The remaining four were coming now. The noise from the other rooms told me they'd figured out where I was. I could hear footsteps pounding on the floor, the rush of bodies closing in on me.

I ducked behind my desk, just as they burst through the door. Smoke grenades. I threw one into the air, watching the room quickly fill with thick, choking smoke.

It was like the world slowed down.

I moved through the smoke with deadly precision. I couldn't see them clearly, but I could hear them. Their footsteps were heavy, uneven, trying to adjust to the sudden blindness.

I grabbed one by the arm, twisting it behind his back and slamming his head against the desk. His body went limp, and I let him drop to the floor, where I finished him off with a shot to the chest.

Another one came at me from behind, but I already had my gun aimed. I pulled the trigger, his chest erupting in a spray of blood. He fell without a sound, his eyes wide in surprise.

The smoke was clearing now, and I could see them moving toward me. But they weren't fast enough.

I moved again, faster than they could react, picking them off one by one. Another shot rang out—another man went down. And another. The last man was stumbling, his hand reaching for his weapon, but I was already on him.

I grabbed him by the throat, my fingers digging into his flesh, choking the life out of him with a single, quick squeeze. I could feel his pulse, strong at first, then weakening.

When he stopped breathing, I let him drop to the floor.

I was breathing heavily now, sweat dripping down my face. The house was silent

It was over.