Listening intently to Chen’s account, Dean began to realize that the attacker’s background was anything but ordinary. Chen hadn’t named anyone explicitly but had dropped enough hints for a picture to form—this assailant moved with an agility and precision that stood out, their style of execution markedly different from the rough, straightforward tactics typical of the Cobra Gang. What’s more, the presence of someone so seemingly calculated and skilled in this setting felt jarringly out of place, almost as if an external force had quietly intervened.Though still a rookie in the underworld, Dean had developed enough instincts to sense when something didn’t add up—and if he could see it, so could Damon, a seasoned boss in the underworld. Dean had expected Damon to brush it off, to defend his gang’s reputation with a typical show of bravado, dismissing the incident as inconsequential. To his surprise, Damon didn’t react that way.Instead, after a moment of heavy silence, Damon spoke deli
Dean froze for a moment, caught off guard by the suggestion. His hesitation was clear, his gaze flickering between Chen and the problem at hand. Yet, as he assessed the height, he had to admit the idea made sense. With a resigned sigh, Dean carefully perched himself on Chen’s lap, feeling a flicker of self-consciousness.As he settled, Chen’s hands instinctively rested at Dean’s waist, holding him lightly to ensure he didn’t lose balance. The gesture was subtle but steady, and for a brief moment, the air between them grew unusually quiet, charged with a tension neither was willing to name.Surprisingly, Dean didn’t seem the least bit fazed by their proximity. Instead, he quickly immersed himself in his “task,” holding the razor with a careful precision that suggested an almost personal familiarity. His movements were gentle but meticulous as if tending to his own face. The sheer concentration on Dean’s face caught Chen off guard, leaving him momentarily entranced. Especially when Dean
Chen’s kiss seemed to hold a kind of magic, one that gradually made Dean lose himself, allowing him to let go of every ounce of resistance. His eyes fluttered shut, his pulse quickened, and his mind grew hazy. All that remained was the feeling of being drawn closer, of surrendering to the overwhelming intimacy they shared.At that very moment, a faint sound came from outside the door, but neither of them noticed. Neither did they realize that the bathroom door left slightly ajar, had slowly begun to creak open.It wasn’t until Dean suddenly felt a rush of cold air that his eyes snapped open, his face instantly flushing with a deep crimson. Just moments before, he had completely forgotten his surroundings, lost entirely in the heat of the kiss with Chen. Now, the reality of the situation hit him like a cold wave, and embarrassment washed over him as his mind scrambled to process what had just happened.At the doorway stood Leo, his eyes wide with shock as he stared blankly at the two o
Dean froze momentarily, his emotions a storm of anger and confusion. He turned to Leo, his gaze sharp and piercing. “What are you talking about? And what do you mean by ‘them’? Even if it’s a man, it should be him—not ‘them.’”The words slipped out before he fully realized the intensity behind them, but in that very outburst, he recognized something deeper within himself—a truth he hadn’t fully acknowledged before. The sharpness of his own voice was a revelation, one that spoke louder than any carefully measured response. It was as if the weight of his feelings had suddenly been brought to the surface, unfiltered and undeniable.Leo chuckled softly, his eyes glinting with playful mischief. “So, who are you going to pick?” His tone was calm, but there was an undeniable air of casual provocation.Dean opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. The question hung in the air, and he realized he had no answer. His thoughts were a tangled mess, and his emotions swirled too chaotical
Dean felt a sudden storm of conflicting emotions well up inside him. Damon’s suspicions weren’t entirely unfounded, and Dean was aware of that. Yet, he wasn’t ready to lay his cards on the table just yet. There was too much at stake, and perhaps, too much pride to surrender so easily.Dean took a deep breath, his gaze gradually firming up. “I don’t distrust anyone, nor do I completely trust anyone. But I trust the truth. That’s why I came to you—for help in finding it.” His words came out without hesitation, yet they carried a faint trace of unease, a subtle vulnerability. Deep down, even Dean wasn’t entirely sure of the full shape of the truth. All he could hope was that Damon would grasp this nuance.But Damon wasn’t so easily placated. His expression sharpened, his gaze cutting through Dean’s carefully chosen words. “Your reaction this morning didn’t quite say that,” he said, his tone lightly tinged with irony but still composed, calculated.Dean’s chest tightened, his pulse quicke
Damon didn’t respond immediately, merely lowering his head with a quiet sneer, as if he couldn’t care less about Chen’s accusation. But for Dean, the weight of the moment grew heavier by the second. He hadn’t expected to become the focal point of their conflict. The tension between the two men was increasingly suffocating, and it was Chen’s final words that struck him the hardest. He realized then that he hadn’t truly resolved the issue at hand—he had simply been dragged along without even realizing it.“That was in the past. Didn’t you hear him? Dean said I’ve been good to him,” Damon suddenly spoke up, his voice laced with a provocative edge. It was as though he hoped that one sentence would somehow restore his position in Dean’s mind as if to reclaim the ground he’d lost.But Chen’s gaze remained unwavering, his reply concise and sharp. “That’s just him being polite.” Chen’s words were blunt, but each one carried a depth of insight that couldn’t be ignored. He knew, as clearly as a
At Dean's words, the twins seemed to relax, exchanging a quick smile, but the next moment, they locked eyes with one another, and their relaxed expressions quickly morphed into one of challenge. Dean rolled his eyes, shaking his head in exasperation. With a push, he shoved his way past them and quickly slipped between their bodies to get out the door.Dean thought his plans for the day were neatly in place. The only hiccup seemed to be the unexpected responsibility of the twins to take him back and forth. He assumed the day wouldn't be too complicated. But not long after, he realized how wrong he was. Things were taking an unexpected turn, and the situation was rapidly veering off course. When he finally settled into Damon’s car, he waited for a long time—but Leo still hadn't gotten in.Just as Dean was about to search for the elusive figure of Leo, his peripheral vision caught sight of something near Chen's sports car. Leo was being dragged into the car by Chen, unable to escape desp
Damon's words hung heavily in the air. "I can’t help it," he said, his voice carrying a subdued weight. "It feels like if I let my guard down for even a second, Chen will take you away from me." The confession was laden with unspoken fears, a thread of vulnerability and quiet desperation woven into his tone.Dean’s heart skipped a beat. He looked at Damon and saw someone different from the assertive, self-assured person he was used to. In this moment, Damon seemed softer, almost fragile—more like a boy grappling with his insecurities than the commanding figure Dean had always known. The transformation was striking, and it left Dean at a loss.The mixture of emotions within him swirled into an intricate knot—sympathy, confusion, and something deeper, harder to name. He wanted to reach out, to offer reassurance but found himself struggling to find the right words. Damon’s openness was rare, and Dean felt both moved and unprepared to face it. All he could do was hold Damon’s gaze, his ow
He hadn’t taken it seriously at the time, but now, he never would have imagined that there would come a day when he would need such a place.The lobby manager was already waiting. As soon as he saw Dean, he immediately approached him with respectful professionalism. "Mr. Harrison, we've prepared a room for you on the top floor. You can check in at any time."Dean furrowed his brow, a hint of confusion in his expression. "How did you know I was coming?"The manager offered a polished smile. "Your friend, Leo, made the arrangements in advance. He said you might need a quiet place."Dean froze for a moment, an unexpected wave of emotion sweeping through him.Leo...That seemingly carefree, always acting nonchalant guy had taken the time to set up an escape plan for him?He had even gone so far as to ask the young lady to help and secure the quietest room on the top floor?Dean pressed his lips together, a mixture of emotions welling up inside him.He wasn’t without friends, after all.At
Among the four people he trusted the most, Shawn’s betrayal was the one he could never accept.Shawn had built his empire with his fists, carving a path through blood and corpses. And yet, he had always believed that, at the very least, Shawn was a man of honor.He was wrong.He couldn’t have been more wrong.The car rolled to a smooth stop in front of the Shark Gang’s headquarters. The gang members stationed at the entrance stepped aside the moment they saw him. No one tried to stop him—Ted had already given the order."Mr. Harrison." Someone greeted him with respectful deference.Dean didn’t respond immediately. He kept walking, his pace unwavering and his demeanor cold. The lobby was filled with whispers, the members of the Shark Gang pausing in their work to glance his way. No one dared to stop him, knowing that Ted had already made arrangements.As Dean strode through the building, his eyes briefly flickered over the gathered faces, cold and indifferent. It wasn’t long before Ted
Damon’s eyes instantly filled with panic.Unable to stand still any longer, he rushed toward Dean, and no matter how much Dean struggled, he held onto him tightly. "Dean! Please, listen to me—please, let me explain!""I don’t want to hear it!" Dean fought with every ounce of strength, his voice raw. "I don’t want to hear it! I’m nothing but a disposable pawn in your grand Dragon Gang plan!"Damon’s heart clenched violently. He had never felt so frantic in his life. "Dean, please! Calm down! Just listen to me—"Seizing the moment of Damon’s panic, Dean wrenched himself free from his grip and bolted toward the door of the office.He threw all his strength into yanking the door open, and there, just outside the elevator, he saw Leo standing, looking at him in confusion."Dean?"Dean’s gaze fell on the elevator as the doors slowly slid open. He turned back one last time to look at Damon, his eyes hollow with utter despair.He looked at Leo, his voice trembling. "Leo… If you consider me yo
He frowned, a sense of unease creeping up on him. It all felt a little too coincidental, like something was off, but he couldn't quite place it.Still, no matter what, he was always used to being alone. Shrugging off the nagging feeling, he let it go for now. Breakfast first.After breakfast, Dean went as usual to sort through the boxes that had been moved from Joe's villa. There were forty boxes in total, and he had already gone through most of them. The remaining ones seemed to hold little importance. Yet, he continued his meticulous search, knowing that even in these seemingly insignificant items, there might be a clue that could shed light on either Sally or Joe.However, today’s search felt different.When his eyes landed on a box in the corner of the room, he furrowed his brow.He had no memory of this box.It appeared older than the others, its surface covered in a thin layer of dust, as though it hadn't been touched in years. Stranger still, when he tried to move it, he found
Damon’s hand was the first to rest gently on his, his voice tender but tinged with worry. "Are you okay?"Chen gently supported his shoulder, carefully studying his face. "Do you feel any discomfort?"Shawn furrowed his brow, his gaze never leaving him. "Do you need me to call a doctor?"Greg’s expression was more somber than the others, a hint of restlessness in his voice as he sighed. "Why aren't you speaking? Does something hurt again?"Dean blinked, fully realizing that he had indeed returned.The words of the messenger from the afterlife echoed in his mind—he hadn’t been taken advantage of by Joe. Yet, even so, he still needed to hear it from these four, to hear the truth from them before he could truly find peace.He cleared his throat slowly, his voice hoarse. "I... was I... slept with?"The four of them froze almost simultaneously, their expressions varying, yet all betraying a mix of anger and concern.Damon tightened his grip on his hand, looking at him with unwavering deter
Dean held his breath, barely daring to hear the words that were about to follow.Joe slowly curved his lips into a smile, and with a soft exhale, he uttered two words that sent a chill through the air."Sleep with you."As his words hung in the air, Joe didn’t hesitate for a moment. He leaned down, capturing Dean’s lips with an intensity that left no room for escape.Joe’s kiss was ruthless and commanding, carrying the unmistakable weight of someone who expected complete control, without the slightest trace of tenderness. Dean tried to pull away, but he couldn’t even summon the strength to turn his head. The pressure from Joe’s presence was overwhelming. He fought desperately, but the lingering numbness from the shock earlier still gripped his body, leaving his limbs unresponsive. Every attempt at resistance only felt more futile than the last.Joe clearly showed no concern for Dean’s resistance; if anything, he seemed to take pleasure in the desperation of his prey. With one hand, he
Dean’s face drained of color in an instant, his pupils narrowing slightly. “What?” he breathed, his voice barely a whisper.Sally shrugged casually as if discussing something insignificant. “It was me who told everyone you were an easy target, which is why they liked bullying you.”It was as though the very foundation of Dean’s world crumbled at that moment.He stared at Sally, his eyes wide with shock, anger, and disbelief. He never could have imagined that the painful memories from his childhood and adolescence, the ones that haunted him, had all come from the very sister he had trusted most.He opened his mouth, but the words were trapped in his throat as if his very vocal cords had been scorched by fire. “Why…?”Sally’s laugh was sharp, dripping with sarcasm. “Why do you look so shocked? Fine, let me tell you,” she said with a lazy smile.She narrowed her eyes slightly, a malicious curve to her lips. “I did it all to make you angry, to push you into cutting ties with me.”Dean’s f
Joe strolled toward him at a leisurely pace, a knowing smile playing at the corner of his lips. With eerie ease, he scooped Dean off the ground as though lifting a helpless kitten, the motion so smooth it sent a chill down Dean’s spine."Be good," Joe murmured, his voice soft and almost playful as he gently placed Dean back on the bed.Then, standing before Sally, Joe lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her cheek, a smug look spreading across his face. "See, I told you, your plan isn’t going to work."Sally didn’t say a word. She just coldly watched Dean on the bed, her gaze unreadable, emotions flickering behind her eyes like a storm waiting to break.Joe bent down, his fingers curling around Dean's chin, forcing him to look up and meet his eyes.There was something possessive in his gaze—mocking, assessing, even tinged with a dark, almost malicious amusement."Your little brother, huh? He's a lot sharper than you think," Joe remarked, his voice lazy, a playful hint of admiration
The air in the room grew thick with emotion, the weight of years apart pressing down on them in silence.For a long while, neither of them spoke.Finally, Dean broke the quiet, his voice carrying a tangle of emotions.“Sis… your face…”Sally loosened her hold on him and gave a small smile. “I had an accident. It left me scarred, so… I no longer look the same.”Dean fell silent.A flicker of pain crossed his gaze.Memories crashed over him—the fights, the reckless words, the way they parted on bitter terms… the way they had cut ties completely.For years, he had convinced himself she wanted nothing to do with him, that she had disappeared from his life for good.But now—she was here.Alive.The realization came with a wave of overwhelming guilt.He lowered his head, his throat tightening. His voice was hoarse when he finally spoke.“Sis, I’m sorry.”Sally’s eyes widened slightly. Then, with a soft chuckle, she reached out and ruffled his hair, just like she used to when they were kids.