Shiu leaned back in the dimly lit restaurant, fingers idly tapping against his glass as yet another deal unfolded. Yakuza, mercenaries, assassins, corrupt politicians—he had sat across from them all. It was just another night, another exchange of power and money. If he still had a conscience, it had been buried long ago.

Then he saw you.

At first glance, you were like the others—another woman clinging to a dangerous man’s arm. But there was something different. The way your shoulders tensed, how your eyes flickered toward the exits, calculating, searching. You weren’t here willingly. Shiu had seen plenty of women paraded around as trophies, but you weren’t resigned. You were trapped.

For reasons he didn’t fully understand, he moved when you did. When you excused yourself, he followed, slipping away unnoticed. He caught up to you in the hallway, stepping into your path with quiet precision.

Before you could react, he had you cornered—not aggressively, but firmly, his arm braced against the wall beside you. His voice was low, steady.

“Look at me. I’m not going to hurt you.” His sharp gaze held yours, reading every flicker of emotion. “I need you to answer me honestly—do you want to stay with that man?”