Their moment was abruptly interrupted when a man burst into the room.

"Boss, the police are here." His shattered the tension that had enveloped Hazel and Francisco.

"We need to leave immediately."

"What? How is that possible?" Another masked man questioned him.

Francisco stood still for a moment, looking at Hazel. He reluctantly pulled his hand back.

"Boss, we must leave," one of his men whispered.

Reluctantly, Francisco stepped back. Before he took his leave, he turned back to look at Hazel one last time. Hazel's eyes remained locked on his until he left the cabin.

Police officers rushed in.

"Is everyone all right?" One police officer inquired as he surveyed the room.

A exhale of relief swept through the captives. The young girl who had been clinging to Hazel, summoned the courage to speak, "Can I go to my mom?"

Hazel patted her head gently. "Now we can all go home."

The police officers worked tirelessly and help to each of the rescued girls to return to their homes.

"Sir, all of those girls were rescued," a man reported to a young officer who had recently joined the force. The young officer, Rafael, nodded in acknowledgment, "But we failed to arrest those criminals. They simply escaped."

Rafael was known among his peers for his exceptional skills. At just 22 years old, his logical analysis, sharpshooting abilities, and high IQ had earned him the under-sheriff post.

"How did they find out we were here?" Rafael asked his fellow officer.

"I feel the same way, sir. Seriously, they got away so quickly," the officer replied.

Rafael continued to move around. As he did so, another officer named Freddie approached him.

"Why do they kill their own men, sir?"

Rafael sighed and knelt down in front of one of the bodies. He responded calmly, "They are not their men, Freddie. It appears they were in a skirmish with another gang."

Freddie could not hold back his thoughts. "Cool, I wish they fought among themselves and died together. Afterward, the public could have a happy existence."

Rafael couldn't help but smile. He got to his feet and replied, "Not a bad idea, but it won't happen. Our system is also corrupted. Someone among us might have informed them."

Freddie raised an eyebrow, his gaze locked onto Rafael as he walked out of the factory.

The scene shifted to Francisco's bedroom.

Luxurious crimson curtains adorned every window of the room. The floor was crafted from gleaming marble. A grand canopy bed, draped in sumptuous silk and velvet.

Having just returned from a mission, Francisco shed his bloodstained clothes with a casual disregard. With a languid grace, he went to the washroom.

Francisco stepped into the large, elegant bathtub. As he submerged himself, the water cascaded over his body, mingling with the blood. His eyes remained closed beneath the water's surface.

A maid wiped the bloodstains from the floor. But suddenly she heard approaching footsteps. She turned her gaze toward the doorway.

She saw a woman... unexpected at that hour. The maid stammered, "Ma'am... you! At this time?"

The woman offered the maid a sweet smile.

"Where is he?"

The maid hesitated momentarily, she gestured toward the bathroom.

A knowing smile graced her lips as she received the maid's response.

That maid left the chamber too quickly.

Francisco's peaceful bath was ruined when the bathroom door opened, and she walked closer to him in the water. Just as she extended her hands towards Francisco, his eyes sprang open. He acted with swift precision, capturing her hands in his firm grasp.

"Aw!"

As their gazes locked in an intense standoff.

It was Emily.

Emily gave an audacious smile with a flirtatious wink. "Did I interrupt you, babe?" Emily asked.

Emily had long graced the pages of fashion magazines as a celebrated model. Emily's role was the mistress of Francisco, but to the outside world, she was portrayed as his girlfriend.

With a harsh push, Francisco distanced himself from Emily. "Why are you in this place? I didn't call you."

Emily's smile graced her lips as she rose from the edge of the bathtub. She pulled down her dress. Her nude figure stood before Francisco, her alluring bosom, adorned with taut buds.

With an air of confidence, she leaned seductively toward Francisco, "I am here to accompany my king."

Francisco released a heavy sigh and lowered his eyes. He remained silent. Her fingers, gentle and tantalizing, brushed against his shoulder.

"Don't you have a show tonight?" Francisco asked.

Leaning down near his ear, Emily's voice was a seductive whisper.

"I had," she confessed, "but I was unable to resist coming here after learning that my king had returned home."

Her slender fingers, slid from his shoulders to explore the contours of his muscular and irresistibly sexy chest.

He turned his head to meet her gaze. "I don't feel like talking to you right now." As Francisco rose from the bath, water cascaded in a sparkling display of droplets.

Emily took a step back.

Unable to contain herself any longer, she approached Francisco with deliberate intention. She embraced him from behind, pressing her bosom against his damp back.

She whispered softly, "Don't push me away, Francis. I will happily stay below your feet if you offer me a small space."

Francisco's expression remained unreadable.

Emily walked in front of him and knelt down, her raven eyes locked on his blue eyes. She looked at him intently as he slightly bit her lower lip. She spotted his bulge. She did not care about his stern look and carefully put it inside her mouth. She started giving him a deep throat.

After a few minutes, Francisco shut his eyes and began gagging Emily's mouth. He immediately reached his climax and filled Emily's mouth. Thereafter, he pushed Emily forward.

She plopped down on the floor, licked her lips and said, "How rude!"

Francisco cleaned himself up. As he reached for a towel, Emily turned on the shower and moved closer to him.

"When will you show affection again?"

Francisco answered while grabbing the towel, but in an irritating manner, "Go fuck yourself."

He left the bathroom, leaving Emily there. She muttered softly, "I'll wait for as long as it takes, Francis."

Francisco put on a robe and made his way to the balcony. He lit a cigarette.

He inhaled deeply then exhaled a slow, smoky sigh. Francisco's mind was consumed by the memory of the girl, those green eyes.

"Three years ago, you saved my life, and I've been looking for you ever since, but I couldn't find you. But today, I'm seeing you again... though I never imagined it would be like this. I can't be sure if I'm right or wrong, but I remember those eyes. They were like a rare gem in the midst of chaos. Your hair was shorter back then, but something about you feels unmistakably familiar," Francisco thought.

Just then Emily's voice broke through his though, pulling him back to the present. "What are you thinking?"

Francisco took a moment to respond. "Nothing."

Emily giggled. "Are you trying to trick me? Francis, you can fool everyone, but not me."

She made a move to touch him but he swiftly turned, "I don't like it when someone touches me without my permission."

Emily stepped back. It was a familiar scenario for her.

Francisco never publicly backed Emily's modeling career, but everyone knew his influence helped her become famous. People saw her as powerful and mysterious because she was with the gangster.

Emily refused to leave Francisco's life because she couldn't bear to lose him. Their relationship was complicated, but she couldn't let go. And the reason was, she loved him.

Hazel was in her apartment, sitting in front of her laptop in the dark. On the screen, a mail appeared.

'Tomorrow is your interview. Your mission has started.'

Hazel took a deep breath and deleted everything. She turned off the laptop and got up from the chair. She was clearly no ordinary girl.

Next day, Francisco had been spending the day exercising in his private gym, ignoring his phone calls and messages. But after a minute, he couldn't help but stop his workout and reach for his phone.

His face remained unreadable as he read the message. After a brief moment, he set the phone down and returned to his workout.

However, as he was about to leave the gym, Max stood before him.

"What's wrong with you exactly?"

Francisco sighed and stepped aside, making his way to the stairs leading out of the gym.

"Dude, I am asking you something," Max persisted. "Did you not receive any mail from the company?"

Francisco paused on the stairs. Then he finally spoke, "I did, Max. But I did not feel the need to reply."

Max's sigh as he observed Francisco's carelessness.

"Hey, you have to show up to the meeting today. Keep in mind that you must go in for an interview for the CIO position."

Francisco's response was somewhat nonchalant. "I will be there in 20 minutes. But I can't take everyone's interview."

"Furthermore, I have heard that Diana is seeing someone."

Max arched his brows. "I... I am not sure, to be honest."

Francisco raised one eyebrow at Max's response. "Then try to figure out who he is," he urged.

Max confessed, "Yes, but I don't think Diana will let me do anything."

Francisco asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Max looked away for a moment, his thoughts a tumultuous storm of emotions. "I mean, why does she allow me to meddle in her life?"

Francisco's furrowed brows, "I don't want to hear anything. I don't want my sister to let her love life divert her mind."

"What if she refuses to let me in?" Max asked.

"So, you are aware of what to do." With those words, Francisco left the room, leaving Max standing there.

Once, Max and Diana had argued vehemently about his tendency to meddle in her life. She had explicitly told him not to interfere.

But now, with Francisco's tacit approval, Max knew that nobody could stop him from seeing her. A victorious, wry smile crept onto Max's face.

**

After an hour, everyone in the office, including Max, waited for Francisco. The interview for the CIO position was scheduled to begin, but Francisco was absent.

Luke, the CFO of the Hilton company, leaned forward. "Mr. Max, where is Mr. Hilton? The interview must start now."

Max dialed Francisco's number.

But as he was about to dial Francisco's number, the room fell into a moment of stunned silence as the door was pushed open with an unexpected abruptness. Everyone in attendance, including Max, stood up, his eyes widening in concern.

They were even more taken aback when they saw his bleeding hand. He clutched a handkerchief around his injury.

"Are you alright?" Max asked, his eyes locked onto Francisco's injured hand.

"We will discuss it after going back. Start the interview." Francisco waved off the immediate concern, making it clear that the interview could not wait.

"But, sir, your hand?" Luke questioned.

Francisco's sharp look met Luke's frazzled expression.

"It's not your hand; it's mine. So why are you so concerned?" Francisco's response was curt.

Max shrugged in response to Francisco's words. "At least put some antiseptic lotion on the wound. The candidates can wait for two minutes."

"No need. I'm a one-word guy," he stated calmly.

The senior employees were very busy interviewing the job candidates. Francisco leaned back in his chair. They interviewed fifteen, yet there were still many candidates to assess.

Working for Hilton's enterprise was widely considered a dream opportunity... an entry into a world of power and influence.

Max spoke up. "Mr. Luke," he began, "I think we can't take any more interviews right now."

"Yes, sir. We can call the other half of the candidates tomorrow. It's been a long day, and they deserve our full attention."

However, it was Francisco who had the final say in the matter. "No, today means today."

Max was about to say, "But, Francisco..." But Francisco halted him with a stern look and said, "Max, it has to be done now."

Then he looked at the other members; everyone quickly shook their heads in agreement. Luke spoke up, "Yes, Mr. Hilton is right. We are capable of doing it."

Francisco rose, "Max, we need to go in order to inspect the chemical factory."

Max nodded before standing. But suddenly, the room was disrupted by a girl's voice.

"May I come in, sir?" The unexpected interruption startled everyone in the room.

Francisco turned his attention to the door, and as he spotted the girl, he just froze in his tracks. The other team members were equally surprised by it.

Luke suddenly said in an angry tone, "Did we ask you to come in?"

The girl frowned. She opened her lips to respond, her voice trembling slightly, "But, sir..."

Luke interrupted her impolitely, "We did not call anyone here. It's a break time."

"But, sir," she was about to say, her words almost a whisper, but her eyes widened as she witnessed what Francisco did next.

When Luke treated her rudely, Francisco's reaction was unexpected and intense. He reached for Luke's collar and lifted him off the ground.

"Sir!" Luke's shocked, he let out a gasp.

"Francis!" Max exclaimed, dashing towards Francisco.

Max tried to loosen Francisco's hold on Luke. Luke struggled to breathe, gasping for air as he dangled from Francisco's grasp.

The girl who had interrupted, still shocked by the scene, spoke out, "What is going on? Please stop it."

"Mr., kindly let him go. He will die," she implored Francisco.

"Stop it, Francis," Max repeated.

Francisco slowly released his grip on Luke as he heard her voice. He muttered to Luke, "Say sorry to her now."

Luke nodded and turned to face the girl. "I... I am sorry."

"No, sir, why are you saying sorry to me? Actually, I am sorry. I think there is a misunderstanding. In the future, I ought to be more cautious." She seemed ready to walk away but Francisco's furious glance at Luke stopped her.

"Wait," Luke immediately said, his voice more composed and respectful this time.

The girl turned back. Max gave a knowing smile, finally spoke up, "Ms., kindly take a seat."

Max's understanding of the situation and a smirk cracked on his face as he looked at the girl's profile. He had understood why Francisco had reacted so strongly to her presence.

"Ms. Hazel."

Hazel sat down in front of the team with a welcoming smile. "Hello."

"Hello, Ms. Hazel," Max replied, offering a polite nod. He then turned his attention to Francisco, who appeared to be momentarily lost in Hazel's presence.

Max cleared his throat and spoke, "Umm... Meet our CFO."

Max continued with the introductions, taking the responsibility for easing the atmosphere. "Allow me to introduce everyone, Ms. Hazel. These are the key members of our team."

"And the CEO of this company is Francisco Hilton."

Francisco's eyes remained locked on Hazel..

She addressed Francisco with a tone of respect, "I am sorry, sir. I should not have talked to you loudly."

Hazel began to explain herself, "It's my fault. In fact, Mr. Hilton, you had his neck in such a tight grip that he was unable to breathe normally. So, I expressed myself in a rude way..."

Francisco did not say a word just kept looking at her. But before Hazel could finish her sentence, he abruptly interrupted her with a firm command, "Get out, everyone."