Chapter 2

**"Aoife! Take Devika and run! Don't look back, baby, run!"** Devika's mother screamed as she was being dragged into the fire.

**"Let go of me!"** Devika's mother screamed, but all of her screams fell on deaf ears.

**"Mom!"** Teenage Aoife called in a whisper, tears rolling down her eyes. Eight-year-old Devika, who saw the terrifying scene, screamed without caring if they were going to be seen.

**"Mummy!"** she screamed.

**"Nooooo!"** Devika screamed.

She jolted up from sleep, beads of sweat dripping from her forehead, her breathing uneven.

**"Fuck. It was just a nightmare,"** she muttered. She pushed the comforter away, then stood up from the bed. Her silk nightgown ended above her thighs.

She wore her flip-flops and walked into the bathroom. She turned the tap on at the sink and splashed water on her face before turning it off. Her eyes traveled around the luxurious-looking bathroom. Even with all of the wealth, she still wasn't okay.

She felt empty, like a piece of her was missing.

After witnessing her parents being burned alive, she had promised to get her revenge. But here she was—still hadn't found the people behind her parents' deaths.

She closed her eyes, trying to remember the faces of the people who dragged her parents into the fire, but they were all blurred.

She opened her eyes and closed them again. After inhaling and exhaling, she tried again—still nothing. That made her furious. She punched the mirror, and it shattered, leaving cuts on the back of her palm. Blood oozed from the cuts, and she couldn't care less.

She kept punching the mirror nonstop. The mirror shattered everywhere, her blood splashing on the walls and pouring out of her hand like a running tap.

**"Motherfuckers!"** Devika screamed at the top of her voice.

---

### **IDRIS CASTLE**

Three cars pulled into the castle, parking at the entrance of the main building.

The guards from the first and third cars rushed out. They opened the back door of the second car, and Idris stepped out.

He looked dashingly handsome, even in the middle of the night. He was taller and more muscular than his bodyguards.

He took his suit from the car and walked away. No guard followed him.

With each step he took, the lights in that area switched on, showcasing the castle's magnificence.

Idris wasn't a king or royalty, but he lived in a castle alone. After all, he was the richest man in the world.

He lived alone, away from his family. The house was encrypted—he was the only one with access.

He walked into his room and took off his sleeves. He went to his watch collection, removing his necklace before reaching for his wristwatch.

Surprisingly, the watch wasn't on his wrist. Panic rushed in. He walked back to the room and searched his suit—still nothing.

He started patting his entire body, then returned to his jewelry collection. He almost turned the place upside down, but the watch was nowhere to be found. He couldn't possibly lose that watch—it belonged to the only person who ever cared for him. It was too important to lose.

He stood rooted to the spot for a while, staring into space. He tried remembering where he had gone throughout the day.

This morning, he went to work, then left for a conference. At four, he attended the launch of PJ2. After that, he was lodged at a hotel by the president. Thinking he would... wait.

His face twisted into a frown.

**"Fuck,"** he muttered.

He walked to his room and picked up his phone, dialing his secretary's number. The call rang four times before it was answered.

**"Sir..."** His secretary, Matthew, sounded like he had just woken up. It was three in the morning.

**"Get me security footage from the hotel at nine thirty PM. I was in the secret exit,"** Idris said, ending the call without waiting for a reply.

He managed to relax his muscles. This thief—she dared steal his watch, his priceless jewel. He already knew who had taken it but needed confirmation.

He stripped naked and walked into the bathroom. After bathing, he went to his system. As expected, Matthew had already sent the security footage.

He watched the video, pausing immediately when he saw her face. He took a screenshot, then went to his browser and searched **ThiefWeb.com**—a site where high-class thieves uploaded their profiles. The site wasn't widely known; it had been created by his father, a high-class thief.

The website's purpose was for thieves to recognize each other so they wouldn't steal from one another. He uploaded her picture, and her profile appeared on the screen.

**Name:** Devika (no surname)

**Affiliation:** Furious Thief Group

He didn't say a word, just leaned back in his chair. He was going to get her—he knew it.

He stood up and walked to his closet, changing into his nightwear. He knelt in front of his bed, prayed, then climbed in. But as usual, his eyes stayed open until dawn.

Idris prepared for work, got dressed, and walked out of his castle. As usual, his guards and Matthew were already lined up, waiting for him.

**"Good morning, sir,"** Matthew greeted.

Idris only nodded. Matthew opened the back door for him, then got in after him. The others did the same, and they drove out of the castle.

---

### **DEVIKA'S APARTMENT**

Devika tightened the tie around her neck. With a final tug, it hung neatly in place. She pulled her hair into a sleek bun, applied light makeup, and put on glasses. She took a step back to stare at herself in the mirror—dressed like a real PA, she looked elegant. And she hated it.

This wasn't her style.

She slid into a pair of red-bottom heels, grabbed her bag, and left the room. Her heels clicked on the marble floor as she catwalked to the living room.

Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest when she saw Chloe in her kitchen, eating.

**"How did you get in?"** Devika asked, sitting on the kitchen counter and stealing Chloe's plate of pasta.

**"Looks like you're forgetting who I am—AKA Chloe the Hacker,"** Chloe introduced with a proud smile.

Devika only rolled her eyes. She wasn't much of a talker—everyone in the gang knew that. But Chloe was different. Devika had picked her up from the streets and given her this job, so Chloe was the only one she was close with.

**"Shouldn't you be in school?"** Devika questioned. Unlike the others in the group, who were in their mid-to-late twenties, Chloe was the only teenager—just sixteen.

**"Duh! My classes are online. I don't go to school. That shit is boring,"** Chloe said.

Devika shot her a glare.

**"I promise I won't curse again,"** Chloe said, raising her hands in surrender.

Devika stood up from the stool, grabbed her purse, and reached for her Ferrari keys—then changed her mind and took a Toyota key instead.

**"Lock the doors,"** Devika said as she walked to the door.

**"Aren't you forgetting something? Like that shiny watch on the couch?"** Chloe said.

Devika's gaze snapped to the watch. She picked it up, walked to her room, then came back out without another word.

She didn't exchange any words with Chloe before leaving the apartment.

---

### **PJ-TWENTY FIVE**

Devika's car pulled up in front of the company—**PJ-Twenty Five**, an automobile empire owned by Idris Zachariah, the richest man in the world. The skyscraper towered over her as employees rushed in for work.

**"It won't hurt stealing a couple of bucks,"** Devika muttered.

She pulled out her phone again to reread her mission details:

**Time Limit:** 30 days

**Objective:** Steal **4 billion in cash** from Idris's castle.

**First Step:** Earn his trust.

**"What the fuck?"** She frowned.

How was she supposed to earn his trust in such a short time? She had already stolen from him—she could only pray he didn't remember her face.

She exhaled sharply. She didn't know why, but she had a bad feeling about this mission. She had never felt like this before—and she hated it.

Nonetheless, Devika grabbed her bag and stepped out of the car. She tapped the side of her glasses, activating the earpiece.

**"You got me in?"** Devika asked.

**"Yeah, I did. Just show the guards your fake ID—they'll let you pass,"** Chloe's voice replied through the glasses.

Devika walked to security, flashed her ID, and was let in.

**"Take the elevator on your right. Sixth floor is your stop. Don't forget—your undercover name is Haram Barley,"** Chloe instructed.

Devika followed the directions, pressing the button for the sixth floor. When the elevator doors opened, she stepped out and presented her ID to the security team.

**"I'm the new PA,"** Devika said.

**"Haram Barley?"** the security guard confirmed. She nodded.

**"This way,"** one of them said, leading her down the hall.

**"That's Sir Idris's office,"** the guard said.

Devika didn't wait for further instructions. She straightened her posture and walked to Idris's office, knocking once before entering.

**"I've been expecting you."**