Mark and Zidan stood frozen in the dimly lit room, their heads bowed in shame. The air felt suffocating, the silence so heavy it felt like a noose tightening around their necks.

Every breath seemed to amplify the tension as they waited, the weight of their failure pressing down on their shoulders. Mark could feel sweat trickling down his back, and Zidan’s jaw was clenched so tightly that it ached.

Neither dared look up. The room was eerily still, save for the faint sound of Lena’s fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest of her leather chair.

Lena Volkov sat across from them, her eyes sharp as a hawk's, taking in every detail of their nervous demeanor. The light above cast shadows on her face, emphasizing her sharp features.

She sat gracefully, legs crossed, her posture exuding control. Though beautiful, nothing was comforting about her presence. Her beauty was a weapon—cold, dangerous, and intimidating.

The silence dragged on for what felt like an eternity. Lena finally broke it, her voice low but laced with an unmistakable edge of contempt.

“So, you two were supposed to tail a college kid—a student—and instead of gathering information, you ended up humiliated. Defeated.”

Mark opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, Lena raised her hand, silencing him instantly. The air grew colder, and her emerald eyes bore into them like a predator watching its prey.

“I’m not finished,” she said, her tone as sharp as a blade. “You were following one kid. One. And you’re telling me he outmaneuvered both of you?”

Zidan took a shaky breath, trying to salvage whatever pride he had left. “It wasn’t just any kid, boss. He—he’s got something... different about him.”

Lena arched an eyebrow, her expression impassive. “Different?” she repeated, skepticism dripping from her voice. “Explain.”

Zidan swallowed hard. “Yes, boss. It was like he knew every move we would make before we even made it. He’s fast—way too fast for a student. He disarmed us in seconds. We didn’t stand a chance.”

Mark nodded quickly, desperate to back up Zidan’s explanation. “It’s true, boss. He’s not just some random rich kid. He’s trained—seriously trained. We’ve been in this business for years, but he made us look like amateurs.”

Lena leaned back slightly in her chair, her fingers tapping the armrest. The tension in the room grew thicker. She mused aloud, her voice softening but no less dangerous.

“A college student with combat skills? What you’re describing doesn’t sound like some spoiled brat playing with his family’s fortune," said Lena.

She added, "A kid like that shouldn’t have the training to take down even my lowest-ranked men like you two, who should have been more than capable of handling him.”

Mark and Zidan exchanged uneasy glances. While they weren’t at the top of Lena’s roster, they were far from novices.

A rich kid—no matter how fast—shouldn’t have been able to beat them. But here they were, standing before her, having failed a mission that should have been simple.

Lena rose from her chair, her movements fluid and deliberate. She began pacing slowly, her boots clicking softly on the polished floor as she circled the two men.

“Do you know why I assigned you this job?” she asked, her voice deceptively soft. Mark and Zidan remained silent, knowing better than to interrupt.

“It was beneath my top operatives. I didn’t think it required much skill—just simple surveillance, keeping tabs on a student. But clearly, I overestimated your abilities.”

Mark winced at the thinly veiled insult. His pulse quickened as he searched for a way to defend himself. “We didn’t expect him to fight back, boss. He was supposed to be easy—a kid with too much money. We thought—”

“That’s your first mistake,” Lena interrupted, her voice cold. “You thought. In this business, you don’t get paid to think.” She stopped before them, her eyes sharp enough to cut through their excuses. “You get paid to get the job done.”

Zidan’s knees buckled slightly, and he gripped his hands tightly to stop the trembling. He could feel the blood draining from his face, his mind racing for a way to justify their failure.

“We didn’t let our guard down on purpose!” Mark blurted, desperation creeping into his voice. “It’s just… he’s not normal. He’s trained in something, boss. We couldn’t match him.”

“Trained?” Lena echoed, almost mockingly. "You've mentioned that twice now. But trained in what, precisely?"

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Zidan hesitated, unsure of how to answer. “We don’t know, but it wasn’t what we expected. He’s not just some rich kid. He’s got real skills.”

Lena’s lips curled into a tight smile, though her eyes remained cold. “Interesting,” she murmured. “So, a student—barely out of high school, I assume—managed to outclass two of my men. It seems this is more than just a matter of combat skills.”

She stopped pacing and stood directly before them, her expression calculating. “Enough about that. Tell me about the money,” she ordered, her voice regaining its icy edge. “What else do we know about him?”

Mark jumped in, eager to provide something useful before Lena’s patience ran out. “We followed him for a while, boss. He’s got money—serious money. He went to the Opulence Royale Hotel, and we saw him meeting with someone in the private room, but we couldn’t get close enough to confirm who it was.”

Lena’s expression remained neutral, but her eyes sharpened. “So, you don’t even know who he met?”

Mark swallowed, glancing at Zidan for support. “Not at first, boss. But afterward, we followed him to a property agency. He was looking at that famous unsold building by Luca Moretti.”

Zidan quickly chimed in, his voice growing more confident. "He then went to view the building with a female agent. That's when we saw him—David Turner was there. It's him, boss. We're sure of it now. He must have been the one meeting Ethan at the hotel."

"And Luca Moretti was there too," Mark added, not wanting them to overlook any critical details.

Lena's interest was immediately piqued. "David Turner and Luca Moretti?" she inquired, her eyebrow arching. "How do two of the city's most influential men end up in a deal with a college student?"

Mark nodded in agreement, then added, "We're not sure what the deal was exactly, boss. But Moretti gave Ethan the keys and access cards to the building, and Turner talked seriously with Ethan. It definitely wasn't just a casual chat. We think they were discussing some big business plan."

Lena remained silent for a moment, her mind working quickly. Luca Moretti and David Turner weren’t men who wasted their time on trivial matters.

The fact that they were both engaging with Ethan Cole meant the situation was far more complex than it appeared. This wasn’t just another wealthy college kid flaunting his money; Ethan was moving in circles far beyond what anyone had anticipated.

"Turner and Moretti don't meet with just anyone," Lena muttered, more to herself than to the men standing before her.

She leaned back in her chair, her eyes narrowing in thought. "This kid isn't just rich—he's involved in something much bigger."

As her mind worked, the pieces began falling into place. The Volkov family had always prided itself on staying one step ahead of everyone else, both in business and in their covert dealings.

In the public eye, they were untouchable tycoons, revered for their success in lucrative industries like real estate, finance, and technology. But behind closed doors, they wielded an even greater influence.

They were the masterminds of the Shadow Syndicate, an underground network responsible for the most high-profile and flawless heists the world had ever seen. Nobody suspected them.

Their public persona as respected business elites allowed them to operate in the shadows without raising an eyebrow.

Lena was no exception to this legacy. She had built her reputation on precision and control, which defined her rise to power.

However, the leadership of the Volkov family wasn’t handed down lightly. She was one of three heirs vying for control of the Shadow Syndicate, and the competition was fierce.

Lena had decided on Novan City as the place where she would prove she could lead her family. 'If I can obtain something from this man, I believe I will be ahead of the others,' Lena thought, thinking about the other two heirs.

Her worth wasn't measured solely by her accumulated wealth; the family Elders judged her on various factors.

The size and influence of her faction, her connections, her ability to execute flawless operations, and her net worth after climbing the ranks would all determine whether she could claim the top position.

This meant building her power from the ground up, and while she had operatives like Mark and Zidan—who were far from her best—they were a necessary part of her strategy in expanding her influence quickly.

Lena’s lips curled into a tight smile. Ethan Cole was no ordinary college student navigating in circles far above anyone had previously thought, and now he was on her radar.

“If he’s tied to Turner and Moretti, then he’s not someone we can ignore,” Lena said, her voice thoughtful. “He’s either backed by someone powerful or hiding something far more dangerous.”

With a quiver, Zidan asked, “What do we do now, boss?”

Lena’s face turned serious. “We? I don’t want any more mistakes. I’m taking care of this myself.”

Mark and Zidan breathed a sigh of relief, but it didn’t last long when they saw Lena’s look become even more stern.

“But let me be clear,” she continued, her voice cutting like a knife. “If you disappoint me again, you won’t get to say sorry.”

The two men tensed up, quickly nodding in agreement.

“Now, leave,” Lena commanded, gesturing for them to go. “And keep out of trouble.”

Mark and Zidan wasted no time. They hurried out of the room, their hearts racing, as the door closed slowly.

Lena stood alone in the room, her mind buzzing with thoughts. Ethan Cole was far from your typical student. His wealth, combat skills, and ties to David Turner and Luca Moretti shrouded him in mystery.

She knew she had to uncover more about him, so she needed to meet him in person.

Heading over to her desk, Lena accessed the scant information her team had gathered on Ethan. It wasn't much, but it piqued her interest.

The challenge was now underway, and Lena Volkov was not one to lose.