Chapter 1: The Astley family

“WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE DOING?!” A man shouted as he was getting dragged and tied to a chair forcefully by three men. Those men were dressed in black suits. 

The whole room was filled with people, terrified and quiet. Sweat trickled down their foreheads, and their hands became frigid as they watched that scene happen in front of their eyes. 

Some looked away, some closed their eyes, and some started praying that they could get out of there soon. 

It was happening just cause that man had been provoking a commotion this whole time and rebelled against what the kidnappers had told them to do.

“You asked for it, darling." A female voice came from outside, and all eyes went in that direction.

The door opened, and the sudden light was blinding to their eyes, for the room was quite dark. As their eyes adapted to the light, that figure became clearer with the passing time.

It was a girl who entered that room; fair skin tone and mid-length brown hair. She wore a beige coat over a white shirt and black pants, which complemented her sleek figure. She appeared to be in her early twenties, but her attitude made them deny this fact. Her hazel colored eyes were filled with confidence, and no fear was visible in them, even in that tense situation. She held a loaded gun in her hand and seemed to be the boss for all those black-suit-men bowed as she entered the room.

“We did ask you politely but you decided to be a rebel." She said, and they all looked at her in confusion. As far as they could remember, kidnapping someone is not considered polite. 

"Try to remember, you got an invitation, just a few days ago, that asked you to attend an auction. But you ignored it, that's when you risked your life and especially...your business. So now you gotta pay for not obeying our orders, the people who created you." She said and glanced at the guards standing beside that young guy. 

One of them punched him the next second. The people in that room gasped and were filled with fear. Their fear increased as she walked past them. She was headed towards that man who was tied at the end of the room. They forgot what she had said earlier due to that mess.

“You’re the one who kidnapped us?” He asked and looked at her as she stood in front of him. 

His eye was bruised, and his lower lip had started bleeding, but it didn’t look like he was giving up anytime soon. He continued thinking about her words, and he only saw one possible result. 

“Who else would it be?” She said and sat on the edge of the table. Even though the situation was pretty tense, they had kidnapped all those 'rich' businessmen all at once. She looked pretty calm as if she wouldn't care even if they got caught.

“This is Astley family's company, how did you get into this building?” He asked and was provoking her to know the whole truth; the room was filled with gasps as the people started remembering the Astley family.

The Astley family owned the most dangerous underworld organization, the Y organization. People only knew their name; no one even knew who the leader was. One day the whole organization suddenly vanished from the underworld. Now that this name was brought up again, it just meant that this was just the silence before the storm that was going to come soon. The queen was back in this game.

“You are not capable of doing anything to us, you have no idea how powerful we are. No matter what you do, we aren't gonna compromise!” He said as he stared at her with no fear in his eyes. “You’re just a fucking thief…”

*thud*

She slapped him across the face, which was followed by pin-drop silence. Her expressions were cold and heartless as if she could kill him and not even flinch. 

He went silent and was more shocked than scared. He was not expecting anything like this, especially from her. He had previously thought that they were just normal kidnappers asking for money, but it seemed to be bigger than that.

“You talk too much,” She complained and took out her gun, holding him at her gunpoint.  “I know exactly how powerful you guys are. I also know how many drugs you have sold and how many people you have killed to get that power.” 

Her words were followed by pin-drop silence; those businessmen could not believe how she knew the secrets that even their families did not know.

“Well, time is up, baby. I gave you a chance to compromise, too bad you did not take it.” She said as she reloaded the gun.

“Who are you and how do you know all those things?” He asked and looked kinda terrified, for he did not want to get exposed in front of the world. It would mean an end to his whole career.

“Oh wow!” She smiled and looked at him. "You all are my customers after all, how would I not know.” She said, and his eyes widened as he heard her words. 

They all remembered that they used to do all such trades with Y organizations. Her saying something like that just meant one thing. That guy stared at her for a second and then gulped before he spoke up. His lips quivered as he opened his mouth.

“Y…you…a...are…” He stuttered and looked scared.

“Summer Astley.” She cleared his doubt and placed her finger on the trigger, about to shoot him any second. All the hostages were shocked and looked at each other's faces. 

The girl standing in front of them was Summer Astley, the only heir of the Astley family. And it just meant that the tigress was back in the game to conquer her kingdom when no one had expected it to happen for their name was last heard almost 7 years ago.

“I’m sorry, master.” That guy begged and started crying. 

Even though their name wasn’t so popular now, but people knew how dangerous and brutal the people from the Astley family could be. They didn’t dare go against her and quietly signed the documents which were placed in front of them.

The documents stated that they were giving up their powers and considering her their boss from then on. She'd let them stay the leaders for the company, but they had to follow her orders and give up everything whenever she asked them to. She was making them her puppets, leaving them no choice to refuse.

That guy bowed in front of her, and she slowly lowered her gun. The guard threw the documents on him. He picked up the pen and started signing the document. 

She tilted her head and a faint smile formed on her face. “Now that is like a good boy.” She sat back on the table. “You better know your place.” She said as she pinched his chin, making him look directly into her eyes. He started shivering at the very instant, for all he saw in them was coldness and no sign of any warmth.

“I...I am sorry, mam…” He said, and his eyes filled with tears because of fear and anxiety. She smiled as she saw him in that state, for she felt a sense of control and superiority over him.

“All these years you people have just used the Y organization but now it is time for you to pay back." She stood up and started walking around the room; all those hostages were filled with fear. 

"You have to help us get back in this game and remember you have no choice to refuse. We helped you reach these heights so you better know we also have the power to make you fall on the ground. You’d better be careful from now on.” She threatened them with a cold expression in her eyes that sent chills down their spine. 

Her words sounded familiar; they were similar to what the old leader used to say. They had never seen him, for he always hid behind the curtains, but only his words were enough to make them fear death. The same was happening in this situation, and it made them believe that she was indeed their daughter.

She smiled as she saw them tremble in fear, hesitant to even look at her in her eyes. She glanced at the guards, and it was enough to make them understand that the play was over, and now it was time to clear all the traces. 

She walked out of the room, her heels clicking and echoing in the empty hallway for a long time, not letting them even breathe in relief. 

The guards collected the documents and warned all of them once again not to let any words out, or they would destroy their lives. They then started sending them back from where they had kidnapped them.

“Amy,  everything is set…” Jane, her assistant, said as she ran up to her. “They all signed the documents and agreed to work for us so we can start the plan whenever we want.”

“Good…” Amy said and was walking out of that building. “Ask our people to keep an eye on all of them and kill them if they even try to go against us.” Her expressions turned dark in no time. Jane nodded. Theo, one of her bodyguards, tagged along with them.

“For now, we just have to wait for some time. We still have to prepare a few things. So for now, stay in the hideout.” Amy said, and the other two nodded along and became a little more serious. 

They knew that even a single mistake would result in failure and them getting killed. 

“We have got closer to the final step now…it would not take much time until I meet them. I wanna see their reaction when they see me again after all these years that have passed…”