Chapter 1

Artemis Thaleia's Perspective

"How is he?" Detective Isaiah Belmont asked as soon as I got out of the operating room. I took off my mask and put it in the pocket of my lab coat before I gave him a reassuring smile.

"The patient's condition is now stable, but Sin is still unconscious. For now, I can't say when will he wake up." 

Detective Belmont sighed exasperatedly and sat on the bench.

"Sin is a dangerous man with piled-up criminal cases against him... wouldn't it be better if he would die instead? Based on your stories before. Sin isn't just a contemporary mafia boss. He's more of a psychopath."

Detective Belmont, who is also my father, opened his eyes. He patted the seat next to him.

"What now, Papa?" Before he could even speak, Agent Segovia, making his way toward us, caught his attention.

"The rest of the miscreant's heads are no longer in their hideout, Sir." Papa stood fast.

"How about their shipments? Did you get it? Our raid was a surprise operation. They can't get rid of it from their warehouse in just a short period." 

"Detective, it looks like the Miscreant Mafia outsmarted us. Their shipment has nothing but waste material from Russia, and not guns and drugs." 

"Fuck! Fuck them! Fuck me! Fuck us! What a fucking bunch of wicked men!" Detective Belmont growled and punched the wall, which made me flinched. Agent Segovia managed to stop Detective Belmont, but it was too late, for Detective Belmont now suffers from wounds and injuries on his knuckles.

"I'm sorry that I have to drag you with this, Thaleia. You're the only Doctor I know that Sin can't bribe to help him escape," Detective Belmont spoke as I treated his wounded hand and knuckles. 

"As soon as he makes a recovery, I'll ask our Chief officer to let you go back to your hospital," Detective Belmont muttered in a calmer voice.

The corner of my lips curved into a small smile.

"Don't worry, Pa. Sin or anyone in his mafia won't be able to bribe me," I assured him. 

"Be careful on your way home, and what about your gun? Do you always have it in your purse?" Detective Belmont asked his usual question.

"I'm not going home yet," I said, biting my lips, "Saffron invited me to dinner, and I couldn't say no." Detective Belmont worriedly glanced at me.

"Please, Pa? I can't turn down this invite."

"Fine, but be home before 11. It's more dangerous for you now."

"Yes,

"I'll be careful, and don't overwork yourself, hmm, Papa? Now that you have Sin in your custody, you can somehow relax, don't you? Because Miscreant won't do anything without him, right?" Papa caressed my hair before letting go of our embrace.

Papa cupped my face and stared at me worriedly. "I don't know what I would do if something happened to you too, Thaleia." Giving him an assuring smile, I squeeze his hand.

"Nothing will happen to me. I'm a black belter in taekwondo. You even taught me how to use guns and different riflesMy combat skills could even make me your secret agent if you want to," I blurted out. 

Papa shook his head and laughed as he walked out of his office.

Just as I was leaving the building, my cell phone rang.

Thinking that it was Saffron, my best friend, I slid the answer button and put it in my ear.

"Saff."

"Tsk." I quickly turned around and panicked when I heard that baritone voice. My eyes then landed on my chest, where I found a red dot, a laser from a sniper rifle or something.

"Who is this?" I asked, tears welling up in my eyes, but the caller suddenly laughed. Saffron got out of her car and waved the small device where the laser came from.

"Saffron, that's not funny." I grabbed the laser from her hand. Saffron continued to laugh as she followed me inside of her car.

"You should have seen your expression, it's priceless."

"So..." she trailed, and I glared at her.

"What?" I asked irritably, which made her laugh again, but as I waited for her to speak, I got lost in my thoughts. 

"Earth to Artemis Thaleia Belmont?!" I blinked a few times before I turned my gaze back to Saffron.

I looked at her, asking her to repeat whatever it was that she was telling me before.

"I said, is he handsome? Does he have abs? Biceps, torso? Or anything?" I shook my head, sighed, and leaned on the passenger seat.

"I don't know if he was handsome. Sin has medical apparatuses on his face. I was there to save him." I smiled bitterly at that.

"I was there to save someone who killed so many people, including my mother," I added.

"Oh, sorry for asking that. I just got curious."

Now that Saffron brought up a question about his appearance. I couldn't help but wonder, "What does he really look like?" I whispered to myself.

I turned to Saffron. 

"Even Papa hasn't seen Sin's face yet. Papa said that he had an encounter with Sin several times, but he always had a mask on."

"Mask? What kind of mask?"

"It's a white mask with a wide grin. Suppose you search for him on the Internet. You can only see sketches of the masks he wore whenever they're up to something illegal."

Saffron nodded her head.

"Wait, you'll stay there until he makes a recovery, right?" Saffron asked, and although confused, I responded with a simple nod.

"Yeah, but why do you ask?"

"Nothing." Saffron laughed even though there was nothing to laugh about.

"Come on, Saff. What is it?"

"You have a thing for bad boys, and I was wondering what would happen if you found yourself falling for him?" I looked at her in disbelief. 

"Saff, what the hell?" 

"These are just my wildest what-ifs, okay? I didn't say that you will-"

"I must admit I love to like bad boys, but he isn't just a bad boy. He's a criminal, a very dangerous one, Saffron. Shut it, okay, we are not going to romanticize this brute." 

My liking for troublemakers was long-lived, but I have not lost my mind yet to fall for a psychopathic criminal who happens to be the same person who destroyed my family.