The room was quiet, but not peaceful.
It was the kind of silence that carried weight… the kind that came before decisions that changed lives.
Rico Zander sat behind his desk, fingers loosely interlocked, his expression unreadable. Across from him stood his most trusted subordinate—Marco.
Marco had worked with him for years, seen things most men couldn't survive. Yet tonight, even he looked uneasy.
"This arrangement is going too far," Marco said carefully.
Rico didn't respond immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the glass in front of him.
"It is already done," Rico said finally.
Marco stepped forward slightly. "She has nothing to do with her father's past."
At that, Rico finally looked up.
"That is where you are wrong."
⸻
A pause settled between them.
Marco frowned. "Sir… her father has been out of the system for years. Whatever he did before—"
"Before?" Rico interrupted calmly.
His voice was quiet… but sharp enough to cut through steel.
"There is no 'before' in this world, Marco."
Silence.
⸻
Rico stood slowly, walking toward the window.
"Tell me," he said, "what do you know about her father?"
Marco hesitated. "Only what the records say. He was involved in underground operations years ago… then he disappeared."
Rico let out a short, cold breath.
"Not disappeared," he corrected. "He escaped."
Marco's eyes narrowed slightly. "Escaped from who?"
Rico turned halfway, his expression darker now.
"From us."
⸻
The words hit the room like a gunshot.
Marco went still. "You're saying he was part of the organization?"
Rico nodded once.
"He wasn't just part of it," he said. "He helped build it in this region."
A long silence followed.
Even Marco, who had heard many disturbing things, looked unsettled.
"That's impossible," he finally said.
Rico's gaze hardened. "No. What's impossible is that you were never told the truth."
⸻
Marco swallowed. "Then why is his daughter involved in your marriage?"
Rico turned fully now.
His voice dropped lower.
"Because he didn't just leave."
A pause.
"He betrayed us."
Marco stiffened. "Betrayed… how?"
Rico's eyes darkened slightly.
"He stole from the organization. Money. routes. intelligence. Everything that kept the structure stable."
Another pause.
"And then he vanished before the consequences reached him."
⸻
Marco shook his head slowly. "So this is revenge."
Rico's expression remained calm.
"No."
A beat.
"This is correction."
⸻
Marco looked conflicted now. "She is innocent in all of this."
Rico stepped closer, his tone colder.
"Innocence does not erase origin."
Silence again.
Then he added—
"She is not the target, Marco."
Marco frowned. "Then what is she?"
Rico's eyes sharpened.
"A bait."
⸻
The room went still.
Marco lowered his voice. "A bait for what?"
Rico turned back toward the window.
"To draw him out."
A pause.
"He thinks he can hide in the shadows while his daughter lives a normal life… while her uncle cleans up his mess by borrowing from the wrong people."
Rico's jaw tightened slightly.
"That mistake is what brought her to me."
⸻
Marco exhaled slowly. "So the marriage…"
Rico finished it coldly.
"…is access."
⸻
Silence fell again, heavier than before.
Marco said nothing after that.
Because in that moment, he understood something clearly.
The marriage was not love.
It was not politics.
It was a trap.
And she was standing right in the center of it… without even knowing.