Chapter 003

ELVIS POV

When we arrived at the ring, I noticed Losif was already there, his sharp eyes fixed on me. He gave a slight bow and greeted me with a formal, "Good evening, Boss." I nodded in acknowledgment, keeping my response curt. Losif and I rarely spoke beyond what was necessary; our interactions were always professional and distant.

Pavel, on the other hand, was different. Though we spoke more casually, there was still a barrier between us. I didn’t trust him entirely, and that created a gap neither of us tried to bridge.

After we both suited up, ready for the match, we stepped into the boxing ring.

The bell rang, and we started circling each other, eyes locked in a silent battle of wills. Pavel struck first, throwing a series of quick jabs. I dodged and weaved with ease, relying on the techniques I’d honed through countless hours of training since arriving here.

For a while, it seemed like Pavel had the upper hand. He landed a few clean hits, forcing me to stumble back and catch my breath. My frustration simmered. Losing to Pavel reminded me too much of the weak boy I once was—a boy I had fought hard to leave behind. Refocusing, I dug deep.

I came at him with renewed intensity, my punches landing with sharp precision. Pavel stumbled back, surprised. For a fleeting moment, he smirked in satisfaction .Despite the turmoil inside me, I always found control in the ring, and this time was no different.

Spotting an opening, I unleashed a flurry of punches, my fists connecting with brutal force. Pavel tried to block, but I was relentless. I feigned exhaustion, dropping my guard to lure him in. Predictably, he took the bait, attempting to land a blow. I dodged and countered with a powerful punch to his upper abdomen. He staggered, his arms raised in surrender, and fell slightly back. I stood over him, breathing heavily, victorious.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the match. I stepped back, a faint smile playing on my lips.

"You're getting slower, Pavel," I said evenly.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I’m getting old. Besides, I’ve burned all my energy training you," he replied with a smirk.

I laughed in disbelief, catching the glint of pride in his eyes. He never gave compliments, but I could feel his satisfaction. Grinning, I climbed out of the ring and approached Losif, who handed me a towel. As I dried off, my phone started ringing. Losif passed it to me, and I saw Leo's name flashing on the screen.

""What?" I snapped into the phone, my voice cutting through the noisy background.

"Come on, man," Leo drawled, his tone light and teasing. "I’m having a great time here. It’d be a shame for you to miss out."

The noise made it hard to hear him clearly, but I caught enough to understand his point. Too tired to respond or argue, I ended the call without replying . The phone rang again. Without checking the caller ID, I picked up, ready to snap at Leo.

“I said, I'm not going?” I snapped, my voice sharp with irritation.

But instead of Leo’s voice, I heard someone else.

“Elvis,” the voice said softly, a mixture of relief and emotion. It was shaky, almost on the verge of tears.

I froze. I knew that voice—knew it better than my own.

“It’s me, Nadia,” she said, her words wrapping around me like a ghost from the past.

I couldn’t breathe. My heart pounded in my chest, a painful reminder that I wasn’t as composed as I liked to think.

“Are you there? Please, talk to me,” she pleaded, desperation lacing her voice.

But I couldn’t. My legs felt weak, my mind spinning. Without a word, I ended the call.

For a moment, I stood there, unmoving, leaning against the wall for support. My hand pressed to my forehead, I tried to steady myself.

After a few minutes, I called Losif. He appeared quickly, his expression as calm as ever.

“Besides Leo , who came to see me today, did the CCTV cameras pick up anyone or anything suspicious?” I asked, my voice low and controlled.

“No, Boss,” he replied.

“And in the past few weeks?”

“Nothing unusual, Boss.”

I nodded, dismissing him. “Good. Keep this between us.”

He gave a quick nod and left.

Restless, I paced my room, my mind racing with questions. How had Nadia gotten my number? Had my location been exposed? Frustration clawed at me. I needed a distraction—anything to clear my head.

Leo’s invitation crossed my mind, and I grabbed my phone. He answered almost immediately.

""Missed me already?" he teased, his voice cutting through the faint noise of the party in the background, which made me assume he had stepped outside.

Ignoring his joke, I asked bluntly, "Does your offer still stand?"

Leo hesitated for a moment, then laughed, clearly caught off guard.

"Tonight’s party," I clarified.

"Man!" he shouted, his excitement palpable. "Of course! I’ll send you the location now."

Hanging up, I exhaled, ready to lose myself in the chaos of the night.