Finley stood frozen in the middle of his office. He stared at his own hands, realizing just how deeply he had wounded Anna. The wall of resentment he had built up over weeks crumbled instantly, leaving behind a profound sense of guilt. Yet, as the cold and arrogant leader of a criminal organization, Finley refused to show his vulnerability. That guilt was locked tight behind his stiff, impassive expression.
Hiding the forensic documents in a desk drawer, Finley stepped out. He descended the stairs toward the master bedroom with an intimidating silence. No shouting, no slamming of doors.
Anna flinched as the door opened; her instincts immediately put her on high alert. She tried to pull her legs closer to the bed. However, instead of lashing out in anger as he usually did, Finley walked toward the bed with calm steps. He carried a first-aid kit in his left hand. He sat on the edge of the bed without uttering a single word.
“Stay there,” Finley said curtly, his voice issuing an order that left no room for argument.
Finley grabbed Anna’s ankle. His movements were no longer rough but careful as he applied ointment to the bluish bruises left by the chain’s coils. That sudden gentleness and attentiveness were accompanied by a stiff expression, as if he were merely completing a technical task. Anna held her breath, staring at the top of Finley’s head with confusion and wariness. Why was the man who had tortured her yesterday now treating her injured fingers and back?
Finley snapped the first-aid kit shut with a loud clang. Without meeting Anna’s gaze, he stood up and smoothed out his black shirt.
“Starting today, you no longer need to be confined to the basement,” Finley said flatly and coldly. “You may use the garden area inside the mansion. But don’t even think about doing anything stupid.”
This easing of restrictions was delivered without a smile or a gentle tone, but Anna caught the hint. It seemed the seeds of doubt he had planted and the documents Lexi had brought had clearly changed the game.
After leaving Anna’s room, Finley returned to his study. He intended to order Lexi to comb through the list of black market enemies located in the building where Feya was killed. Finley wanted to find new evidence that could confirm that Alden was indeed not Feya’s killer.
However, before the order could leave his mouth, the study door burst open. Lexi stormed in with a tense expression.
"Sir! I just received a report from our men to the west," Lexi said quickly. "Alden’s group is gathering forces. They’re planning a massive attack on our main warehouse tomorrow night!"
"What?!" Finley was so startled that he jumped to his feet.
Finley’s jaw clenched instantly. Rage erupted within his chest, completely consuming his recent intention to find evidence to secure Alden’s release. In Finley’s eyes, Alden’s preparation for a massive attack was proof that the bastard had never intended to make peace. His wounded ego and his dominance as the mafia boss suddenly took over once more.
“I was just about to give that bastard a chance, and he’s actually preparing for war!” Finley growled, his eyes red. He gripped the edge of his desk so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
“Should we tighten security at the warehouse for tomorrow night, sir?” Lexi asked.
“No. We won’t wait until tomorrow night!” Finley cut in coldly, his gaze deadly. “Alden is holding an internal meeting at the black market branch warehouse tonight, isn’t he? Gather all the main forces now! We’ll ambush and wipe them out tonight, before they even set foot in our territory!”
Behind the corridor wall near the slightly ajar office door, Anna stood frozen. Her hands trembled violently as she covered her mouth. She had originally intended to walk down the hallway to find Finley and thank him, but that blood-curdling conversation had struck her ears without mercy.
An ambush tonight… Alden is the target…
Anna’s tears streamed down her pale cheeks. An overwhelming sense of fear crept through her chest as she imagined her brother being mercilessly slaughtered in that meeting. She clutched the fabric of her dress, weeping in total silence so that no one would notice her presence in the darkness of the hallway.
Inside the room, Finley’s voice echoed once more in an intimidatingly obedient tone.
“Lock down all access to the mansion tonight as well. Tighten security at every corner! If even a single person tries to leave or touches any communication lines, kill them on the spot!”
Anna leaned stiffly against the wall, her heart pounding from her stifled sobs and surging panic. The mansion had just turned into a tightly locked iron cage, while the countdown to Alden’s slaughter had begun.