Chap 1

Zara's POV

12 YEARS AGO

I froze in my place as I looked at the sight ahead of me. My mom and dad were covered in their own blood on the floor, and two men stood over them. One of the men held a glowing iron rod in his hand. They hadn’t seemed to notice me as I quickly hid behind the door, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Goodbye," the man holding the iron said, his voice cold and devoid of remorse, as he tore my father’s shirt and pressed the hot iron against my father’s bare chest. A scream erupted from my dad, a sound that pierced through the haze of shock. I gasped, unable to contain my horror. The man's gaze snapped to me, and I could feel the other man moving toward my hiding spot.

"Run, Zara," I heard my mom’s weak voice, barely a whisper but filled with urgency.

"No, mom!" I cried, tears streaming down my face as i peeped out of my hiding spot. I felt paralyzed, caught in a nightmare that I couldn’t escape.

"Zara, please, run... no, hide," she urged, her voice growing weaker with every word.

Panic surged through me. I looked around desperately and dashed into the room next to me—the store—and locked the door behind me. My hands shook as I fumbled with the lock, the sound of my parents’ cries echoing in my ears.

"Open the door now," I heard a husky voice demand. It was the man who had moved toward me. I trembled at the thought of what was happening to my parents. I couldn’t leave them like that. They needed me; I needed to save them.

"Open the door if you don’t want your parents to die," the voice came again, ominous and threatening. My heart dropped. What did he mean? Would they really die if I didn’t obey?

I moved to unlock the door, but my mom’s tearful plea stopped me. "Don’t, Zara. We’ll be fine. Please don’t open the door."

Then I heard a blood-curdling scream from my mom, and my heart sank. Should I have opened the door? The sound of someone pounding against the door made me jump. "I will break down this door if you don’t open now!" The threat was clear. What should I do?

"Leave her, Pierce. We don’t harm kids," the other man said, and then there was silence.

Minutes passed like hours. I waited, my heart racing, until I finally mustered the courage to open the door slowly. The room was empty except for my parents who lied lifeless. The men had left. I rushed to my parents, shaking them, pleading for them to wake up, but there was no response. They lay still, their faces pale and lifeless. A loud cry escaped my lips as I realized I had lost them. Despair washed over me, and I continued to shake them, hoping against hope for a miracle.

Zylara. My little sister! I remembered her, and a surge of panic gripped me. What if the men had gone after her? No! I couldn’t let that happen. I dashed out of the room, my mind racing as I made my way to her daycare. Thankfully, she was safe. i picked her up and headed back home. But when I arrived, chaos surrounded our house. People were gathered, blocking the entrance.

I fell on the floor with a thud when I realized that my parents were really gone and I let out a loud cry.

****

PRESENT

"Here, it's the next target," Xander said, sliding a file across the desk toward me.

I picked it up and the name CASSIUS DIMARCO leapt off the page, stark and foreboding.

"Cassius, Mafia Lord?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. There’s no one in New York who doesn’t know the name Cassius, even if some don’t even know what he looks like—including me.

Xander nodded, his expression serious. "Why? When did I migrate to mafias?"

"Just now!" he replied, exasperated.

"No, Xan. I really can’t do this. This is Cassius we’re talking about! What if I get caught?"I felt the weight of the world pressing down on me. Years ago, when I first heard whispers that it was a Mafia Lord who had killed my parents, I had vowed to myself that I would never have anything to do with the Mafia. If I ever encountered one, I promised that I would kill him immediately without hesitation.

"I believe you’re not a newbie who doesn’t know her way around a mission," he countered, his confidence frustrating me.

"Xan, this is huge! I can't handle this," I said, frustration bubbling to the surface as I slammed my hand on the desk. I feel like I am going to fucking kill Cassius before I even start my mission.

"Well... and here I was thinking it’d be your last mission," he teased, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Really? I can quit after this?" My eyes widened, hope flickering within me. I had been wanting to quit for a long time but Xan just wouldn’t let me go.

"Yes, but since you don't want it..." he began, reaching for the file.

"No, no, no! I will do it!" I snatched the file. Xander’s smirk widened—he had a knack for getting his way.

"Okay, so what are the details?" I asked, taking a seat opposite him.

******

I found myself sitting on an opulent sofa in Cassius's mansion, glancing around in awe. Fuck! This bastard is damn rich! The walls were painted a deep green and white, and the sofa was a pristine white, while the rug beneath my feet mirrored the green of the walls. It was clear Cassius had a penchant for the color green. Was it his favorite? Even the throw pillows were a vibrant shade of emerald.

"When you're done glancing around, can we move to business?" His husky voice jolted me from my thoughts.

He sat across from me, exuding an aura of power and charisma that was almost intoxicating. Damn! He’s fucking handsome for a ruthless Mafia lord. His green eyes held a captivating intensity—no doubt where his color scheme came from.

What the hell are you thinking, Zara? Get your fucking mind straight.

As I gathered my thoughts, I began, "My name is—"

"Crystal Greene, right?" he interrupted, his gaze penetrating as if he could see right through me.

"Yes," I managed to reply, fighting back the urge to add 'bastard' at the end. I felt an overwhelming urge to kill this handsome bastard right now. Perhaps eliminating him would free me from the burden of vengeance that weighed so heavily on my heart—the vengeance I had been craving since that afternoon when my parents were taken from me. The vengeance to kill a Mafia Lord.

"Okay. Take this." He handed me a document. "You can start work tomorrow after going through that." His tone was casual, but my mind raced at his tone. Why then had he asked me to come over today? I had thought he wanted to interview me. Fuck him.

Right, I was to be his cook. The thought of being so close to him was thrilling—and dangerous. The annoying part was that I would be moving next to him. It's all for the better!

"I really don't tolerate spacing out," he said, breaking the silence, his voice low and commanding.

"I'm sorry, sir," I said quickly, shaking off my daze.

Just as I thought I could regain my focus, a woman burst into the room—no, a slut. Her outfit screamed attention, and she rushed to Cassius, planting a kiss on his lips that made my stomach churn. What a cliché!

I squeezed my face in irritation. This had to be the latest in a long line of fleeting flings, a mere distraction for him. I had heard he changed women as often as he changed clothes. Probably just a woman for the week—or was it just for the day?

Heck! I don't care! Just want to get rid of the bastard and be done with this hell of a job.

"Hope you didn't miss me?" she cooed, her voice dripping with seduction.

Cassius's eyes flicked toward me, gauging my reaction. "You really shouldn't squeeze your face like that if you want a job here," he commented, making me quickly force a smile, reminding myself that Crystal was supposed to be sweet and accommodating.

"You should take your leave now," he added, dismissing me with a wave of his hand, while I noticed the woman scanning me with evident disdain. Bitch!

I nodded, stepping out of the room, a sigh escaping my lips as I exited his mansion. This mission was shaping up to be more complicated than I had anticipated. Cassius didn't look like an easy target.

Well... it’s Zara Singh here—only one Zara Singh, a perfect woman who's good at seducing any man. Cassius would be a piece of cake, as the past guys too! And I would make sure to kill him mercilessly at the end.