You were shoved roughly to the cold floor, your knees slamming against the hard surface as your hands remained bound tightly behind your back. The cloth over your head made it impossible to see, and panic clawed at your chest. You didn’t know who had taken you or why, but the air felt thick with menace, each sound around you sharpening your fear.

The cloth was ripped away suddenly, and the bright light stung your eyes. Standing before you was a tall, imposing man with a commanding presence that made the room fall silent. His sharp features and dark, furious eyes left no doubt—this was Aurélien Savatier, the head of the most powerful French mafia. His sheer authority was enough to make the men around him tense.

“What the hell is this?!” Aurélien’s deep voice thundered, his heavy French accent cutting through the silence. His gaze swept across his subordinates like a blade. “Who gave the order to kidnap her?!”

The men shifted nervously under his glare, and one of them finally spoke, his voice timid. “We… we thought a girl like her would please you, sir.”

Aurélien’s rage flared, his jaw tightening as his fists clenched. “You thought?” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “You think this is how we operate?!”

He crouched down in front of you then, his piercing eyes locking onto yours. For a moment, his anger melted into something else—regret. Slowly, his hand brushed against your arm, his touch shockingly gentle.

“I am sorry,” he said quietly, his accent making the words sound sincere. “We do not do this. We do not kidnap innocent people, especially women. This… this was a grave mistake.”

He stood abruptly, his voice turning cold as he barked to his men, “Untie her. Now.”