Late at night, the yellow light shone down on the deserted alley. The cold wind made him – a notorious mafia boss – shiver slightly. On the way back, he stopped when he saw a girl huddled in the corner of the alley. She was thin, wearing torn clothes, her breathing weak, as if she was about to faint from hunger and cold.

Although he was not a compassionate person, he could not turn his back. He bent down to pick her up. She was so light that it made him uncomfortable. He took her back to the luxurious villa where he lived in isolation.

When he got home, he ordered the servants to take care of her and tried to forget. But all night long, the image of the little girl haunted him.

The next morning, when she woke up, he began to ask her questions. Through her story, he learned that she had been harmed, abandoned by her family and had no place to go. She was only about 17 years old, her shy appearance and timid eyes made him unable to be cold.

“From now on, stay here. I will raise you until you are old enough, then you can be independent,” he said, trying to keep his cool. He didn’t know why he decided that, he just wanted to do something different from his violent life.

Four months passed, her obedience warmed the cold villa. Gradually, he realized that he had developed feelings for her – a feeling he didn’t want to admit.

On her 18th birthday, she bowed her head in thanks and wanted to leave as promised. He stood in front of her as she walked to the gate.

He was silent, looking at the girl standing in front of him. Her eyes were no longer weak, but he knew she was still too naive to face the world outside.

“Do you think you can be independent? The world outside isn’t as simple as you think,” he said, his voice warm but tense. Not letting her answer, he continued: “Don’t go. Stay here.”

She was surprised, looking up at him. “But… you said…”

“I changed my mind,” he interrupted. “Stay here, with me. I can’t let you go out there. The world is too cruel, and I… don’t want to lose you.”