When Julian's eyes met Rosalie's, a gentle smile appeared on his face. Rosalie smiled back just as softly. None of the four adults seated around the table appeared to pay much attention to the exchange. Yet in truth, every single one of them had noticed it.
Sam slowly swirled the wine in his glass as he glanced at the young couple from the corner of his eye. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "These two really have no idea..."
Rosalie leaned slightly closer to Julian and lowered her voice.
"Do you have any idea why all the adults suddenly decided to gather today?"
Julian shrugged.
"I have no clue. Uncle Sam just called and told me to come as soon as possible."
"That's kind of strange..."
"Yeah, it is."
The two exchanged confused looks before quietly laughing together. Mrs. Violet chuckled softly at the sight.
"Kids will always be kids."
Mr. Violet nodded in agreement.
"Let's just let them figure things out at their own pace."
Mr. Thorne raised his wine glass.
"Then, a toast to the children."
"To the children."
The wine glasses clinked gently together. Neither Julian nor Rosalie understood the true meaning behind those words. As far as they knew, today was simply a gathering between old family friends who had not seen one another for a long time.
...…
On the opposite side of the city, Ethan remained alone on the veranda of a magnificent mansion. After the leader left, the entire area fell silent. A cool breeze swept through the air, causing the strands of hair hanging over his forehead to sway slightly. Resting both hands on the railing, Ethan stared into the distance.
The image of Ping Casino slowly surfaced in his mind. No one knew better than he did how much effort it had taken to acquire that place. Years of planning. Countless resources.
Money…Manpower…Time.
He had invested everything.
And yet, within a matter of days, it had all been taken away. Ethan's jaw tightened. His fists clenched until the knuckles turned white.
"Devil Iris..."
The name escaped through gritted teeth. Every time he heard it; a fire seemed to ignite inside his chest. They were stronger than Eagle Wings.
Richer.
More influential.
They even had connections reaching into the highest levels of authority. If Eagle Wings was a young lion struggling to establish itself, then Devil Iris was a monstrous predator that ruled the entire forest.
Ethan knew that. He understood it better than anyone. But knowing the truth did not make him willing to surrender. Footsteps suddenly approached from behind.
"Brother Ethan..."
"What is it?"
Ethan asked without turning around.
"Our people received some information. Several members of Devil Iris have been moving around the city."
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
"Who?"
"They believe they're from the Left-Hand Division."
The moment he heard that, a smile slowly appeared on Ethan's face. It was not a pleasant smile. It was cold. Dangerous.
"I've been wanting to meet them for a long time."
"Brother Ethan... the Boss said not to act recklessly—"
"I know."
Ethan cut him off immediately.
"But nobody gets to keep me pinned down like this."
He lifted his head and looked toward the sky.
The pride and confidence of a young man in his twenties still burned fiercely within him. He had spent most of his life winning. Failure was something he had rarely experienced. That was precisely why this defeat was so difficult for him to accept.
Ping Casino.
Devil Iris.
And then,
Rosalie Violet.
The moment her name crossed his mind, the coldness in his eyes softened ever so slightly. He pulled out his phone. A photograph appeared on the screen. Rosalie stood beneath the sunlight, wearing her bright, sweet smile. Ethan stared at the image for a long moment. Slowly, one corner of his lips curved upward.
"Julian..."
His voice was low and quiet. Yet there was an unmistakable chill hidden beneath it.
"Do you really think you're always going to be the winner?"
"I'm not someone who gives up that easily."
He slowly locked the screen and lowered the phone. Then he gazed into the distance once more, a cold smile spreading across his face.
"One day..."
"I'll take everything back."