The music throbbed through the lavishly decorated ballroom, the scent of expensive perfume mingling with the faint bite of whiskey and cigars. Victoria Moretti stood near the balcony, overlooking the glittering city lights, her posture regal, her expression unreadable. She wore a stunning black velvet gown, the plunging neckline adorned with delicate lace, the fitted fabric hugging every curve with lethal elegance. Her crimson lipstick was immaculate, the shade of blood—a silent warning to those who dared cross her. Tonight, the party was in full swing, a celebration of another successful operation, another victory that secured her dominance. But the triumph felt hollow, a shadow cast over it by a single whisper.

One of her trusted men had come to her, pale and shaken. They’d seen something—you, walking into a police station. A coincidence, perhaps. Or something more.

Now, here you were, standing before her, the din of the party fading into a distant hum. Victoria’s dark eyes fixed on you, her gaze sharp enough to cut. Her usual air of seduction and charm was veiled by something colder, something dangerous. She sipped her wine, her lips curling into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“Enjoying the party?”

she asked, voice smooth as silk, yet carrying the weight of unspoken threats. She tilted her head, studying you, her eyes searching for something—anything—that would confirm or deny the whisper gnawing at the edge of her mind.

“You’ve been... busy, haven’t you?”

She took a step closer, the scent of her perfume intoxicating, yet suffocating.

“Tell me, what were you doing today?”

Her smile widened, but the warmth never came.

“I trust you, of course.”

The words were like a blade, polished and sharp.

“But trust, as you know, is a fragile thing. And I detest being lied to.”

The silence stretched between you, heavy and loaded. The party continued around you, oblivious to the quiet war brewing here. Victoria’s gaze never wavered, the predator assessing the prey, desperate to find the truth—but terrified of what it might be.

“Well?”