★ Marek POV ★
It had been five days since the surgery, and the boss still hadn't woken up. Doc Jun went in and out of this room in any given second, checking on his condition.
Meanwhile, Enzo and I hadn't slept in days, doing everything to find that wench who did this to our Don.
"Fucking shit!" Enzo cursed in frustration as I believed another lead had turned cold.
"Another fake identity? Why does this whore keep using different faces?" He slammed his fist on the desk. "The only thing that turned out right is her signature kill, nothing more."
I stared at the wall covered in pinned photos, reports, and weapon types. "And the same blade," I muttered, tracing my hand through my hair. "The same precision."
"So why can't we locate her?" Enzo stood, pacing the room, his eyes bloodshot, hair a mess. "I spoke to Serena last time, and she wasn't able to match her face! Serena!" He pointed in disbelief, "Do you believe that?"
He continued, "How can she leave bodies behind and still not exist?"
"Enzo, choose your words with care. The boss is not dead."
"Are you sure? Then he should be awake now."
I glared at him, shutting his trap up before he turned back to the files.
All track data led to a dead end, leading only to fake passports from different parts of the world owned by her. They were all different unfamiliar faces.
"She keeps disappearing like smoke," Enzo growled, slamming his fist on the wall. "Every time."
"Enzo, you have to calm down."
"Calm down! Did you just say calm down? The Boss has been lying there motionless for days now. We aren't even sure if he's going to wake up any time soon or not. And you are telling me to calm down?"
"You being this agitated won't change anything. As much as you are mad, I'm angry too. I want to find that woman and make her bleed, to see if her blood is also as blue as her eyes."
"I hope your word is as truthful as you say it, because you are too calm about this," he said, storming off, slamming the door so hard that the walls nearly cracked.
After two days, Enzo returned, shoving a folder at me. "Read it."
I skimmed the pages. "Is this all you found?"
"That's not all." He jabbed a finger at the photo. "She's not some random woman seeking revenge. She's a contract assassin—one of the best. Code name: Butterfly."
I scoffed. "You believe that? An assassin who leaves no trace but manages to stab the Boss in his own house?"
"Don't underestimate her," he snapped. "She's been targeting high-profile figures for years. Multiple passports. Zero digital footprint. Don't you get it! Someone powerful is behind her."
But none of this mattered now, not until the Boss woke.
"Let's take a rest for now, while waiting on Serena," I told Enzo.
I walked my way to the monitor room, my gaze resting on him as he lay there peacefully and pale. "You better wake up, Boss. We're standing on a fucking line right now."
I turned to leave, but a sound halted me. A rasp… barely audible.
I glanced back. And his fingers twitched.
Then his eyelids fluttered, slow and steady, before cracking open.
I stepped closer, my heart lodging in my throat.
"Boss?" I whispered, stepping closer. His gaze shifted to me.
Then a whisper, hoarse and dry, scraped from his throat.
"Where is she?"
***
★ Zenkai POV ★
"Ugh! Marek, get me some water," I said.
He moved swiftly as he exited the room, ordering someone outside.
"You! Go get the doctor now!" he barked.
After drinking the water Marek handed me, I saw that even with his calm and composed temperament, he looked really bad.
"How long have I been out?"
"Seven days, Boss."
"Seven?"
My gaze dropped to the bandage all over my body and the countless wires connected to me. That little devil actually did a number on me.
I saw he didn't take me to the hospital; always smart.
"What is the status of her?"
He responded with hesitation in his tone: "We are still... searching for her."
"Seven days unconscious and you're still searching?"
If Marek still hadn't found her till now after what happened that night, then the circumstance was more challenging than I thought.
"What is the status?"
"The—."
"What do you two think you are doing?" Jun's voice came echoing across the room, laced with anger. "You just woke up and you are talking about work already. What makes you think you are not in the afterlife right now?"
"If I'm there, I know I won't be seeing you, since you love your life so much, Doc," I replied.
"Lay back down, don't go breaking the stitches now. How are you feeling?"
"Doctor J, I'm fine... as strong as a horse."
"Shut the fuck up. Did you perform the surgery? You are not to leave this bed for another week."
Enzo walked in, leaning against the wall, also looking like shit. Staring at me but saying nothing.
"Why are all of you looking as if a train ran through you?"
"Of course it did. Are you not the one who went looking for death's ass, acting recklessly?" Jun interrupted with irritation in his voice.
"I acted the way I did for a reason, and letting my guard down is the only mistake."
"You letting your guard down alone rendered whatever reason you made that decision useless," J retorted.
"I get that you're all scared. But it was a calculated risk."
I glanced at each of their faces, my gaze settling on Enzo to see if he would say something. But he still remained silent.
"Marek, have the birds that were sent to my home been taken care of?"
"Yes Boss, I took care of them the moment we arrived at the estate."
"Good. Is Rigo still not back?"
"No, Boss."
"Boss, did you have to take the hit just to fish out which family was after you?" Enzo spoke, his voice trembling with concern, face distorted with wrinkles of pain and worry masking his once handsome face—like he's holding back tears. "Did you?" he asked again.
"Enzo, it was necessary. There's no other choice."
"YOU COULD HAVE DIED," he roared.
"Enzo, you can't speak to the Boss in that manner, no matter how you feel. Know your place." Marek walked towards him in two strides, almost pinning him to the wall.
"Marek, it's okay." Marek stopped on his tracks, turning to me.
"Enzo, control yourself. It is a necessary move, and your commendable passion is not going to matter if you keep acting like this. Your assistance will be needed to make the next move."
"I'll do my best. Please forgive my rudeness earlier, Boss."
"Marek! Continue with your reports."
"Hmmm. Butterfly and disguising, huh?"
That's a moth disguising as a butterfly.
I trailed my fingers over that bandage wound, leaving her marks after a touch.
"Do you notice any pattern she kills with, or how long she has been in the market?"
"Yes. These are the people that disappeared around the time she appeared."
Marek listed thirty people, and surprisingly, they were either top politicians, recent falling godfathers, brokers, Capos of minor families, or even suppliers.
How did I not notice this sooner? They are wiping out families the same way they wiped mine clean; she could be the connection.
"I promise you, little devil. I will find you. So you better run as far as you can and make sure to hide very well, because I will find you, and when I do, I will make you bleed."