4. Can't trace him.

Lord Michael placed a hand under his chin, his expression shifting. “I investigated him,” he said slowly. “But strangely....we couldn’t find any information about him at all.”

Matthew frowned “What?”

“I had Dan speak to every restaurant owner in the area you mentioned,” his father continued, tapping the iPad. “None of them recognizes him.”

He turned the screen toward Matthew. CCTV footage began to play.

There... among Kuznetsov’s men, was the figure Matthew remembered. Moving swiftly. Fighting cleanly. His face hidden beneath the brim of a cap.

“As you can see.....” Lord Guerrero said, pointing at the screen, “he’s the only one whose face is barely visible.”

Matthew stared. No matter how the footage was replayed, the man’s face never appeared clearly.

“That’s impossible,” Matthew said sharply. “He was wearing an apron. He had to be working in one of those restaurants.”

“The owners believe he might be a delivery man from one of their partner companies,” his father replied calmly. “That would explain why they don’t recognize him.”

Matthew let out a long breath.

If that was the case, finding him would take forever.

One restaurant alone had dozens of partner companies multiply that by five, and the search would stretch endlessly.

His gaze remained locked on the frozen image on the iPad. That man. The longer Matthew stared, the more something twisted inside his chest.

Something was wrong with him. Since that day, he hadn’t been able to forget that smile.

“Dad....” Matthew spoke quietly, almost without realizing it. “Is there any way to find him faster?”

The room fell silent. His father look at Matthew confusedly. Is he that greatful to his savior that he re6want to see him that bad? Lord Michael studied him closely, eyes sharp with suspicion.

“W-What?” Matthew frowned.

Then his father chuckled, shaking his head. “Sorry. I was just surprised.”

“Surprised?”

What was their to be surprised at??

“You rarely care about strangers" Lord Guerrero said. “Yet here you are here desperately looking for a stranger”

Matthew stiffened. The man’s smile flashed through his mind again.

Gentle. Warm. Infuriating.

Aishh—what is wrong with me? Why did I want to find that man so badly? He had paid him. That should’ve been the end of it. So why did it feel unfinished? Lord Michael suddenly took the iPad from Matthew’s hands, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“Since you want to see him so much,” his father said casually, “you should be the one to find him.”

“What? No—it’s not like I want to—”

“Son,” Lord Guerrero interrupted, his tone firm, “I want to find your savior too. But I have many matters to handle, and I need manpower elsewhere.”

Matthew scowled. What kind of excuse is that? This mansion was overflowing with people.

“But why me?” Matthew snapped. “There are plenty of people here.”

Lord Michael stood up, his gaze unwavering. “I’m serious about rewarding him. You need to find him and bring him to me. Do you understand?”

“Dad—!”

“Oh, and ask him if he wants to work as your bodyguard,” his father added as he walked toward the door. “I’ll have Dan reserve a slot.”

“DAD!”

But Lord Michael was already on his phone, walking away without a second glance. Matthew stood frozen in the doorway, irritatio

n boiling over.

“This is so damn annoying....” he leaves his father's office furiously but just as he turns his head. Something flew straight toward his face.

“THIRD YOUNG MASTER!!”

The warning came too late.

Something hard slammed straight into Matthew’s face.

BAM.

His head snapped back violently as white-hot pain detonated across his nose and cheekbone. Stars burst behind his eyelids, blinding and cruel, as if someone had smashed his skull with a hammer. His body reeled backward, boots scraping against the floor, balance barely held as the world spun out of control. His ears rang sharply—high, shrill—like a gunshot had gone off right beside his head.

For one terrifying second, he couldn’t breathe.

Air refused to enter his lungs. His chest locked, panic clawing up his throat. It was as if his body had turned against him, dragging every injury from a week ago back to the surface. Bruises screamed. Muscles burned. Half-healed wounds tore open inside him, pain stacking upon pain until it was almost unbearable.

Something hit the floor at his feet.

A book.

It landed with a dull, mocking thud.

Fuck! Who the hell—

“Hahahahahahaha! Idiot! You don’t even know how to dodge?”

That laugh. That damn laugh. It echoed through the hallway like a curse, sharp and cruel. It was scraping straight against Matthew’s nerves. His fingers curled slowly into fists with his nails biting into his palms as fury crawled up his spine, hot and uncontrollable like a fire licking through his veins. He would recognize that voice anywhere even if it was at the death’s door or in hell itself.

When he forced his eyes open, the grinning face was right there.

Too close, smug and pleased. The man stood before him, smiling as if he’d just done something hilarious rather than unforgivable. Matthew’s jaw clenched so hard it hurt.

“You fucking psychopath!” he snarled, lunging forward without hesitation and grabbing the man by the collar.

Chaos exploded instantly. Bodyguards rushed in from every direction. Black suits collided violently as hands grabbed arms, shoulders, backs and shouts overlapping with boots scraping harshly against the floor. Matthew’s men and the other man’s men crashed together in a storm of movement but Matthew refused to let go.

His fingers tightened mercilessly around the fabric. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to crush the bastard’s throat. To feel the life choke out of him and to make that his laughter stop forever.

“Why? Why? Why are you angry?” the man mocked, eyes glittering with twisted amusement. “It’s your own fault! Hahahahaha—you’re so stupid!”

The sound drilled straight into Matthew’s skull. “You—!” Matthew shook him violently, control hanging by a single, fraying thread. “You think this is funny?!”

“Hahahahaha!” The man laughed even harder.

The angrier Matthew became, the more delighted he looked. Matthew’s vision narrowed, blood roaring in his ears. Every instinct screamed at him to strike. His fist rose, muscles tensing, power coiling and he was ready to release everything he’d been holding back but before the punch could land—

“Young Master Matthew!!” Theo’s hand clamped around Matthew’s wrist mid-air.

The force stopped his fist just inches from the man’s face. Matthew whipped his head toward Theo with fury blazing so violently that made Theo tense.

“Let go of me!!”

“Young master, stop—” Theo hissed. Or Lord Michael will send us to the Demon Captain again Theo didn’t move. His grip was firm. Unyielding. As if his life depended on it.

“I’ll kill this bastard!” Matthew snarled, struggling violently. “Let go!”

Instead of loosening, Theo tightened his hold that made Matthew’s anger spiked even higher. If he doesn’t let go, I might as well punch him too—

“I SAID LE—”

Something warm and wet suddenly splattered across his face that made him stop. Even the bodyguard was shocked. His entire body locked up as shock slammed into him harder than the book ever had. No....There was no fucking way.

He felt it sliding down his cheek. It was a saliva. That man had spit on him. Matthew’s eyes flew open, wide with disbelief. Boiling with rage as he stared at the man in front of him. You fucker!!!!

“FUCK!” Matthew shouted, recoiling violently as he wiped his face with his sleeve, disgust twisting viciously in his stomach. “Disgusting!”

“Hahahahahahaha!” The man’s laughter turned hysterical. “You’re really stupid, Matthew! You couldn’t dodge that either!”

For half a second. Matthew’s grip loosened. The man tore himself free and staggered backward as his bodyguards immediately swarmed around him, forming a solid wall of protection. You really want to die, you bastard?!

“HEY! COME BACK HERE, YOU CRAZY JERK!”

The man turned and ran and his laughter echoed wildly down the corridor as he disappeared with his guards. Matthew surged forward to chase him but strong arms wrapped around him from behind.

Theo restrained Matthew completely, he was biting his lower lips as if afraid laughter might escape from his mouth after witnessing the scene earlier. Matthew thrashed violently like a caged animal.

“Let me go!” Matthew snarled, breathing hard and uneven. “Let me go, Theo!”

“You two are fighting again.” The calm, gentle voice cuts cleanly through the chaos.

Matthew looked up and he saw Matteo approaching. Composed. Immaculate. Untouched.

His personal butler followed a step behind as if this were nothing more than a mild inconvenience. Matteo looked like he’d stepped out of a painting controlled and completely unbothered by chaos.

“Let go,” Matthew snapped.

Theo immediately released him and stepped back, avoiding his gaze as Matthew glared at him. Little did Theo not know Matthew noticed his fleeting smirk he tried to hide. One fucking day. Matthew swore silently, I’ll beat both you and that lunatic into the ground.

He pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his face furiously where the spit had landed. Disgust and humiliation surged through his veins.

“Matteo,” Matthew said sharply with irritation, “your crazy brother is out of his mind again.”

The smell still lingered. What the hell did that bastard even eat? It was so bad Matthew felt like scrubbing his face with acid just to erase it.

“He’s our brother, Matthew,” Matteo replied calmly, a faint smile playing on his lips. “And between the two of us.....your blood is quite similar to his.”

So what? That didn’t change the fact that he was a psychopath. "Tss" Without another word. Matthew turned and walked away. Straight to his room. The moment he reached the bathroom, he leaned over the sink and scrubbed his face harshly with soap.

Once.....Twice....Three times. He didn’t stop until his skin burned and turned red. Only then did he finally pull away. After drying his face, he collapsed onto his bed.

RING. RING.

His phone suddenly vibrated.

“What?” he snapped.

[“Ohhh—chill”] his friend laughed from the other end. [“Your temper’s flaring again.”]

“What do you want?”

Loud music and voices echoed through the phone. He was at the club again. Of course.

[“Come over to the Eclipse Club. Boss Lee brought in a lot of new pretty girls tonight.”]

Matthew exhaled sharply.

A full week trapped inside the mansion. A week of confinement and frustration “Fine.”

He hung up without waiting for a reply. He needed to let it out. It had also been a long time since he’d had sex. His body felt restless and irritated, like something was clawing beneath his skin. He needed a woman tonight.

Yet as he grabbed his jacket. That face flashed through his mind again. Why did his face keep popping in my head??

—ECLIPSE CLUB—

The club was loud, chaotic and alive. Matthew entered with five bodyguards and Theo closing in behind him. The air was thick with alcohol, smoke, sweat, and desire. Neon lights cut through the darkness as bodies moved wildly to the pounding bass.

“MATTHEW! OVER HERE!” his friend shouted, already half-drunk. “VIP room! Lots of girls!”

Matthew just rolled his eyes. As they passed the hallway, he suddenly stopped. Someone ahead was carrying a serving tray that caught his attention. Dressed entirely in black with a cap pulled low to his face. Matthew could only see his back. But his chest tightened violently.

That back... That damn, familiar back!! No way......Don’t tell me.

What the hell is he doing here?