Adrian's POV
The room was dark.
Not dim—dark.
The kind of darkness that swallowed sound, light, and hope in one bite.
Only a single lamp glowed behind the man sitting in the large leather chair, casting a sharp halo across the back of his head. To the subordinates in front of him, he looked like a silhouette—a shadow given human form.
But they all knew him.
Everyone in the underworld did.
The Boss.
Footsteps echoed in the cold, quiet chamber as one of his men approached, lowering his head instantly.
"Boss," the man said carefully, "I have… information. About the girl."
The air shifted.
The man in the chair leaned forward slightly, still hidden in the darkness.
"My little angel," he murmured. "Where is she tonight?"
The subordinate swallowed hard. The boss's tone was soft—gentle even—but it carried a threat beneath it, a warning only fools ignored.
"She's home, sir," the man reported. "Resting. Safe."
The boss let out a slow breath, fingers gently tapping the arm of his chair.
"Good."
He leaned back again, shadows swallowing him whole.
"And what of the Maddox girl?"
The subordinate stiffened.
"Boss, the school authorities plan to settle the matter quietly. Her family is… pushing to save her reputation. They're trying to keep the story from spreading further, but—"
"Make sure she disappears."
The subordinate froze.
"I—I'm sorry, sir?"
The boss's voice was smooth, calm, emotionless.
"I said," he repeated, "make sure Verena Maddox disappears. No university should ever accept her again."
"But—"
"And deal with the Maddox family."
The subordinate's knees nearly buckled.
"They should never show their shameful faces in society again."
The air turned ice cold.
No one dared breathe until the boss waved his hand dismissively.
"You're all dismissed."
The men fled instantly.
Silence reclaimed the room.
A slow, dark chuckle echoed from the chair.
The chair turned slightly, revealing the glow of a large monitor. On the screen was a photo—
a girl lying on a hospital bed, eyes closed, face calm.
Crystal.
His little angel.
The man—Adrian Montgomery—lifted a hand and traced the image on the screen.
His touch was gentle, almost reverent.
"So fragile…" he whispered.
"So perfect."
His fingers slid to her cheek, stroking the image as if she could feel it.
A storm brewed in his eyes—obsession, possessiveness, hunger.
She had grown beautifully.
More beautifully than he anticipated.
A soft knock broke the moment.
"Enter," Adrian said without turning.
His assistant quietly stepped inside, placing a thick stack of files on the desk.
"You asked for the information, sir."
Adrian finally tore his gaze from the screen.
He lifted the first file.
Liam Harrington.
Wealthy. Influential father. Dangerous bloodline.
Adrian's lips curled faintly.
"A Harrington dog, hm?"
He flipped to the second file.
Ethan Thatcher.
Old money. Ruthless ambition. A future heir.
Another smirk.
"And a Thatcher puppy too?"
Adrian closed both files slowly, tapping them against the desk.
"It seems," he murmured, "my little angel is a seductress after all… having wrapped two powerful boys around her finger."
The assistant cleared his throat.
"Sir… should we interfere?"
Adrian chuckled softly—too softly.
"No. Not yet. Dealing with these two would be troublesome for now. And expensive."
His smile widened, dark and amused.
"I need to know what she thinks of them first."
The assistant bowed slightly.
"She has no interest in either of them," he reported. "Crystal is… heartless toward them. She's only using their feelings when it benefits her. Her goals are focused on her future and her revenge—not romance."
Adrian's eyes gleamed with pride.
"That's my girl."
He leaned back, folding his arms.
"If she's not interested in them, they're no threat. Let her play. Let her use them. As long as she keeps her hands clean of any… intimate contact."
He paused.
"I'll handle that part myself when the time comes."
The assistant forced himself not to react.
The boss was not a man who "liked."
He was a man who possessed.
"Should we continue surveillance?" the assistant asked.
Adrian's gaze drifted back to Crystal's image.
"Yes," he whispered.
"Watch her. Protect her. And make sure her path is cleared of obstacles."
His smile sharpened.
"And report immediately if any fool tries to lay a finger on what's mine."
Adrian stood before a massive mirror, loosening his tie. The reflection staring back at him was cold, powerful, terrifying.
He touched the glass lightly, imagining Crystal's face instead.
"You're still young," he murmured.
"Still growing. Still learning."
His voice softened, full of a chilling affection.
"I'll give you time, little angel. Time to bloom. Time to become even more perfect."
His reflection smirked back at him.
"When the moment is right…
I'll come for you."
He turned away, the room swallowing him in darkness again.
"Until then," Adrian whispered,
"have your fun."