Chapter 4

As Cheng exited the dining room, Mrs. Julia the head maid followed. "Shall I have the driver prepare your car, Master Cheng?"

"No, don't bother," Cheng said in a husky tone, his mind still reeling from the conversation with his father.

"Okay, Master Cheng," Mrs. Julia said, before turning and leaving.

In the hallway, Cheng's phone buzzed with an incoming text from Rambo, his trusted right-hand man in his clan. "Boss, the Morozov syndicate is making moves to expand into our territory."

"Arrange a meeting with Viktor Morozov," Cheng instructed via text, his eyes narrowing as he thought about the potential threat.

Rambo texted back. "Already done, Boss. He'll arrive shortly."

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The door opened, and a tall, muscular man walked in. He had a stern expression on his face, but his eyes seemed to hold a hint of kindness.

"Good morning, Miss Mei," the man said, his voice deep and respectful. "My name is Jin, and I've been assigned by Mr. Cheng to be your personal guard."

Lian's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Cheng to assign a guard to protect him.

"Good morning, Jin," Lian replied, trying to sound calm. "I wasn't aware that I needed a guard."

Jin's expression remained stern, but his eyes seemed to soften. "Mr. Cheng wants to ensure your safety, Miss," he said. "You're a valuable asset to him, and he wants to protect you at all costs."

Lian felt a shiver run down his spine as he realized the true extent of Cheng's control over him. He was not only a prisoner but now he is also an asset.

"What does that mean, exactly?" Lian asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Jin's expression didn't change, "It means that I'll be with you at all times, Miss," he said. "I'll protect you from harm, and I'll ensure that you are safe at all cost."

Lian felt a wave of despair wash over him. He was trapped, Jin's presence seemed to reinforce the fact that he was a prisoner, and that Cheng had complete control over him.

"What about my family?" Lian asked, trying to keep his voice steady. "Will I be able to see them?"

Jin's eyes seemed to hold a hint of sympathy. "I'm afraid that's not possible, Miss," he said. "Mr. Cheng has made it clear that you're not to have any contact with the outside world. At least, not for now."

Lian felt a pang of sadness and frustration. He was completely cut off from his family and friends, and he had no way of knowing if they were safe.

"Are they... are they okay…My family?"

Lian asked again, his voice barely above a whisper

Jin's expression softened, and he looked away for a moment before answering. "I'm sorry, Miss," he said. "I don't have any information about your family. But I can tell you that Mr. Cheng is a powerful man, and he'll protect your family if you obey his will."

Lian felt a wave of relief wash over him. He knew that he had to cooperate with Cheng, at least for now. But he also knew that he couldn't trust Cheng.

"What do I have to do?" Lian asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Jin's expression hardened, and he looked at Lian with a cold, calculating gaze. "You'll do exactly as Mr. Cheng says, Miss," he said. "You'll obey him without question, and you'll do everything in your power to please him."

Lian nodded, feeling a wave of despair wash over him.

“Okay you may leave, I want to have my bath.“ lian said hoping Jin would leave and also he could have some time alone to think to himself.

* * * * * * THE PHOENIX CLAN* * * * * * * *

As the Phoenix entered the clan's headquarters, all the mobsters assembled to greet him. "Welcome, Don!" they said in chorus, their heads bowed.

The Phoenix nodded slightly, his eyes scanning the room from behind his mask. Rambo, his trusted right-hand man, approached him.

"Boss, Mr. Morozov hasn't arrived yet," Rambo said, his voice low and even.

The Phoenix gestured to Matteo, one of his loyal soldiers. "Get me some whiskey!"

Matteo bowed slightly and left to do as he was told. He returned with a decanter of fine whiskey and two glasses.

"Will that be all, Don?" Matteo asked, pouring a generous amount into each glass.

The Phoenix nodded, taking a glass from Matteo. "That's all, Matteo. You may leave."

Matteo bowed and retreated, closing the door behind him.

Rambo stood by the window, his eyes scanning the grounds. "Mr. Morozov's entourage has arrived, Don."

The Phoenix sipped his whiskey, his gaze never leaving the glass. "Show him in."

Rambo nodded and exited the suite, returning moments later with Mr. Morozov.

"Good evening, Don," Mr. Morozov said, his voice dripping with false sincerity.

The Phoenix gestured to the chair opposite him. "Mr. Morozov. Please, sit."

The air was thick with tension as the two men faced each other.

Mr. Morozov sat, his eyes scanning the room before settling on the Phoenix's mask.

"I see you're a man of... mystery, Don," Mr. Morozov said, his voice laced with curiosity.

The Phoenix raised an eyebrow, his expression hidden behind his mask. "I have my reasons."

Rambo stood by the door, his presence a silent reminder of the Phoenix's authority.

Mr. Morozov leaned forward, his voice taking on a more serious tone.

"I believe we can come to a mutually beneficial agreement, Don. The Morozov syndicate has... interests that align with your own."

The Phoenix's expression remained neutral. "I'm listening."

Mr. Morozov smiled, a cold, calculating glint in his eye.

"I thought you'd see it our way," he said, pulling out a small notebook from his pocket.

"Let's discuss the details."

As Mr. Morozov began to outline the terms of the proposed alliance, the Phoenix listened intently, his mind racing with the implications.

He knew that this was a turning point for his organization, one that could either propel them to new heights or destroy everything they had worked for.

Rambo, sensing the Phoenix's interest, spoke up.

"Boss, I think we should discuss this further before making any decisions."

The Phoenix nodded, his eyes never leaving Mr. Morozov's face.

"I agree. Let's take some time to review the terms and discuss them among ourselves."

Mr. Morozov's smile faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered.

"Of course, of course. Take all the time you need. But let's be clear: this is a limited-time offer. If you're not interested, we'll have to look elsewhere."

The Phoenix nodded, his mask glinting in the dim light of the room. "I understand. I'll be in touch soon."

Mr. Morozov stood, his eyes lingering on the Phoenix's mask before he turned to leave. "I look forward to hearing from you, Don."

As Mr. Morozov exited the suite, Rambo turned to the Phoenix. "What do you think, Boss? Is this a deal we want to make?"

The Phoenix poured himself another glass of whiskey, his eyes narrowing as he considered the proposal. "I'm not sure yet. But I do know one thing - we can't let the Morozov syndicate get the upper hand. We need to stay one step ahead of them."

Rambo nodded, his eyes gleaming with understanding. "I'll get to work on gathering more intel, Boss. See if we can dig up any dirt on the Morozovs."

The Phoenix nodded, his mask glinting with approval. "Good work, Rambo. I knew I could count on you."

As Rambo turned to leave, the Phoenix called out to him. "Rambo?"

"Yeah, Boss?"

"Get me Jin on the phone. I want to speak with him."

Rambo nodded and pulled out his phone, dialing a number before handing it to the Phoenix.

The Phoenix took the phone, his eyes gleaming with intensity as he waited for Jin to answer.