[LYANDER]

    Unbeknownst to Iraya, Lyander De Santis had been present on the other side of the bar earlier, casually watching the scene unfold.

    He wasn''t one to meddle without reason, but when Iraya arrived, he instructed that guards to let her in. Now, as he sat leisurely, a guard approached, shoving a nervous young waiter forward.

    "Boss, we caught this guy talking with Miss Lee," the guard said, his grip firm on the waiter''s shoulder.

    Lyander, lounging in his chair, didn''t immediately respond. Instead, he calmly downed the shot of whiskey in his hand, the glass clinking softly as he set it down. His eyes, cold and unreadable, flicked toward the trembling waiter.

    He didn''t bother sizing the boy up—it wasn''t necessary. People like him always broke under pressure.

    "What did she say to you?" Lyander''s voice was low, smooth, and dangerous, like a blade concealed in silk.

    The waiter''s knees nearly buckled. He had only taken that bribe to earn extra money before Christmas, hoping to buy gifts for his younger sisters. Now, it seemed like he was in real trouble, standing face to face with Lyander De Santis, the man known as ''The Devil''.

    Rumors swirled about him—how he dealt with disloyalty, how a waiter who once accepted a bribe had vanished without a trace.

    "I—I''m sorry, boss!" the waiter stammered, dropping to his knees, his voice shaking with fear. "I only wanted to make some extra money to gift my sisters! Please, don''t kill me!"

    Lyander sighed, an air of impatience settling over him. "Answer only what I ask. What did the girl tell you to do?"

    Meanwhile, Lyander stepped outside, pulling his coat tighter against the cold night air. He knew Iraya wasn''t acting out of impulse. She was playing a deeper game—and he couldn''t wait to see how it all ended.

    Smiling to himself, he dialed a number on his phone. "Let''s keep an eyes on those guys," he instructed calmly. "This is just getting interesting."

    === ???? ===

    Meanwhile, Jason and Kylie stumbled into the dimly lit hotel room, their minds hazy and their bodies burning with unrestrained desire.

    The drug coursing through their veins made every sensation ten times more intense, clouding their judgment. Clothes hit the floor in a chaotic trail behind them, and in a feverish blur, they fell onto the bed, driven purely by the chemically induced heat surging within them.

    All night, they gave in to reckless passion, neither caring nor remembering to use protection. Their minds, fogged by the potent aphrodisiac, only registered pleasure—an endless cycle of heat and intensity until exhaustion finally claimed them.

    Unbeknownst to them, the locked door had proven to be no challenge for someone lurking in the shadows. A figure, stealthy and efficient, slipped inside the room. They remained hidden in the darkness, capturing the entire scene on a small, high-resolution camera. Every careless action, every moment of Jason and Kylie''s impulsive indulgence was recorded. With their task complete, the intruder slipped out as silently as they had entered, leaving no trace of their presence.

    The next morning, sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains, casting a soft glow over the disheveled room.

    Jason groaned, his head pounding from the aftereffects of both alcohol and whatever drug had been in his system. He rolled over, blinking blearily at Kylie, who was sprawled beside him, equally groggy.

    "Ugh . . . what happened last night?" Kylie muttered, clutching her head. She felt a strange mix of soreness and lethargy, but the details of the previous night were a blur.

    Jason rubbed his temples, forcing himself to sit up. "I don''t remember . . . must''ve been too many drinks. Damn, I feel like I got hit by a truck."

    Neither of them gave much thought to the missing pieces of the night—they were too used to blaming their reckless behavior on alcohol-fueled parties. Besides, Jason wasn''t the type to dwell on things he couldn''t change, and Kylie quickly shrugged it off, too eager to focus on what was coming next.