Edrado sat alone in the dim light, the heavy weight of his thoughts pressing down on him. In the darkest times, I had to protect the life of the person who matters most to me, he thought to himself. She is the only family I have left in this world. But what I don't understand is why she doesn't even want to hear from me. How will I communicate with her when she completely shuts me out? I put myself in this mess, and my wife has already paid for my sins with her life. I refuse to lose my daughter, too. He continued to mutter his worries into the quiet room until a sudden knock shattered the silence.
"Who's there?" he called out, trying to steady his voice. "Come in," he added when no immediate answer came.
The door swung open, and Juliana stepped into the room. She was wearing only a bath towel tied securely around her waist, leaving the upper part of her body bare. A seductive smile played on her lips as she glided slowly toward him.
Edrado hesitated, his body tensing with reluctance. "What is going on here, Juli?"
"Nothing, darling," Juliana whispered softly, her eyes locked onto his. "I just want to play with you, honey."
She stepped closer and pressed her hands firmly against his chest, gently but deliberately pushing him back onto the bed. She leaned down, her breath warm against his skin. "Let me take care of you tonight."
Juliana slid her hands down his torso, tracing a path to his chest. As her tongue brushed against his nipple, a low moan escaped his lips, sounding his appreciation. She paused for a brief, teasing moment before continuing down, lowering her mouth toward his thighs, her touch driving him wild. He moaned her name again, much louder this time, unable to hold back.
Overwhelmed by the sensation, Edrado rolled her over onto the mattress. He cupped her breasts with his large palms and buried his face into the crook of her neck, making her cry out with pleasure. In response, her hands found him again, pulling down his shorts while he worked the knot of the towel loose from her waist.
He pressed her flat against the sheets. His tongue traced a path back down her thigh, moving deliberately until it landed on her sweet, sensitive core. Juliana moaned his name softly, her fingers gripping the sheets. When he raised his head to kiss her, she instinctively lifted her legs, resting them over his shoulders.
Edrado looked up at her, a knowing smile breaking across his face. "You're asking for it now," he murmured.
She smiled back, pulling him down to capture his lips in a deep kiss. Edrado lowered his body, shifting his weight to find his balance before sliding inside her slowly. He established a steady rhythm, moving in and out as the tension between them peaked. Juliana leaned forward, pressing her face against his chest to kiss his nipple again, her hands wandering wildly all over his back. The pace quickened, turning fierce and fast, leaving Juliana screaming his name in a soft, breathless ecstasy.
Meanwhile, this was all part of a plan to keep Edrado occupied for a while, giving Jago time to uncover exactly what he was really up to. Ever since the incident involving Anita and Edward, Jago's suspicion toward Edrado had only grown stronger; he was certain the man had played a part in their sudden disappearance and vanishing without a trace.
Not far away, Markus stood with a phone pressed to his ear, deep in conversation, when Jago walked steadily toward him. Markus quickly ended the call and looked up as his boss approached. "Any news?" Jago asked, his voice low and sharp.
"Nothing yet, Sir," Markus replied, straightening up. "But every man we have is keeping a close watch. They are everywhere, covering every possible spot. The moment we pick up their trail or find out where they are hiding, I will report back to you immediately."
A satisfied look crossed Jago's face, though a hint of confusion still lingered in his eyes. "No one has ever managed to escape me before," he said firmly. "And I intend to make sure they don't start now. I have a solid plan in mind—come, let's go inside and discuss it properly."
Just then, Edrado stepped out from the room, having just returned after dropping the others off. He paused when he saw them. "Good morning, Sir," Edrado greeted respectfully.
Jago gestured toward the house. "Come inside. We need to talk."
"After you, Sir," Edrado said, stepping aside to let Jago lead the way.
They walked together into the living room, and once the door was closed behind them, Jago wasted no time. He turned to the two men, his expression serious and determined. "I have a plan to draw them right out into the open where we can get them," he began.
Markus leaned forward, eager. "Anything you need done, Sir—just say the word, and we will handle it."
Jago nodded, feeling a sense of relief that his men were fully behind him. "Good. Here is what we will do. We will kidnap one of Edward's most trusted workers. Once we have them, we will threaten not just the worker, but their entire family, until they have no choice but to obey us. We will force them to plant five kilograms of drugs right inside Edward's office. Once that is done, we will alert the authorities and let the police do the rest. When everything falls apart and Edward has nowhere left to turn, I will step in and make myself his only hope for survival."
Markus listened carefully, nodding his head in full agreement. A slow, wicked smile spread across his face. "That is brilliant, Sir—perfectly thought out. When do we put this into action?"
Edrado spoke up then, a confident glint in his eye. "I believe I know exactly who we should use for this. It has to be his personal secretary, Blanna. She works closely with him every single day—she will have easy access to his office, and no one will suspect a thing."
Markus turned to Edrado, grinning widely. "Nice one, man. That is the perfect choice." He looked back at Jago, ready. "Then let's do it .
Meanwhile, everything unfolding was far more layered and calculated than it seemed. Jago had long carried a heavy suspicion weighing on his mind: he strongly believed Edrado had turned against him and was secretly betraying their trust. Ever since Anita and Edward vanished without a trace, Jago watched every move Edrado made, every word he spoke, never fully letting his guard down.
However, the plan he had laid out—kidnapping one of Edward's workers, threatening their family, planting drugs in his office, and tipping off the authorities—was not a lie or a fake trap created just to test him. It was a genuine, solid plan that Jago fully intended to carry out from the very start. Every detail he shared was real; this was exactly how he planned to bring Edward down and finally take control.
Yet, even as he discussed every step openly with Edrado and Markus, explaining exactly what needed to be done, Jago's true purpose ran deeper. Sharing the plan with Edrado served a dual role: yes, it was the actual mission, but it was also his way of testing Edrado right to his face. He wanted to observe him closely, to see if Edrado would obediently follow orders, contribute ideas, and commit fully to their shared goal—or if he would hesitate, make mistakes, try to sabotage things, or reveal by his actions that he was working against them.
But what Edrado did not know—what absolutely no one except Markus and Jago himself knew—was that long before he even spoke a word about the plan, Jago had already deployed his most loyal, trusted men to handle every single part of it. While Edrado thought he was being given an important role and trusted to execute the job, Jago's secret team was already several steps ahead, moving in the shadows, making contacts, preparing the location, and arranging every piece. They were doing everything Edrado thought he was going to do, and they were doing it perfectly.
This meant one crucial thing: the success of the plan did not depend on Edrado at all. If Edrado stayed loyal, followed instructions, and played his part well, everything would run smoothly, and Jago would know his suspicion was wrong—that Edrado was still true to him. But if Edrado turned out to truly be the traitor Jago feared—if he decided to leak information, warn Edward, or purposely fail to do his part—it would not matter in the slightest. The plan was already in motion; Jago's hidden men were already handling every angle, and the operation would go forward exactly as intended, with or without Edrado's help.
When Edrado confidently spoke up, suggesting Edward's secretary Benna was the perfect person to use, Jago watched him carefully. He noted the way Edrado jumped into the plan, how easily he thought of ways to hurt Edward, how eager he seemed to be part of destroying him. He did not show it, but in that moment, Jago was reading him like an open book. Edrado believed he was being included, trusted, and useful—but in truth, he was simply walking exactly where Jago guided him, completely unaware that his actions, his loyalty, or his betrayal were all being measured, while the real work was already finished before he even lifted a finger.
The plan remained solid and certain. Whether Edrado proved himself faithful or exposed himself as a traitor, Edward was going down. And in the end, Jago would get exactly what he wanted: victory over his enemy, and finally, the absolute truth about the man standing right beside him.Meanwhile, what Jago did not realize was that everything happening around him was turning into a deadly trap—one that Edrado himself had carefully set. When Edrado confidently suggested using Benna as the pawn in their scheme, it was not out of loyalty or helpfulness. It was a calculated move, a masterstroke of betrayal designed to strike Jago where it would hurt the most.
Edrado knew a secret that Jago had completely overlooked: Benna was the closest, dearest best friend to Juliana—Jago's own daughter. They shared everything, loved each other like sisters, and were inseparable. By putting forward Benna's name, Edrado was handing Jago the perfect weapon to destroy his own family without even knowing it.
He knew exactly how Jago operated. He knew that once they used Benna to plant the drugs and exposed her to the public as a criminal, she would be finished. She would lose all reputation, all access, and all hope. And true to Jago's nature, he would never leave a witness alive; he would inevitably order her death to tie up loose ends.
That was exactly what Edrado wanted. He wasn't targeting Edward anymore. He was targeting Jago. If Jago went through with this plan, he would personally be responsible for ruining and murdering the girl his daughter loved more than anyone else in the world. When the truth eventually came out—and Edrado would make sure it did—Juliana would be shattered, her heart broken beyond repair, and she would never be able to look at her father the same way again.
Edrado sat there, smiling and playing the obedient soldier, while inside he watched the trap snap shut. He had handed Jago the knife, pointed him toward the victim, and was waiting to watch him plunge it in. By the time Jago realized what had happened, it would be too late. He would have killed his daughter's best friend, destroyed her happiness, and brought pain into his own house—all because Edrado had told him exactly what he wanted to hear.
Meanwhile, every event unfolding was far more intricate and meticulously calculated than it appeared. A heavy, lingering doubt had settled deep within Jago's mind; he firmly suspected that Edrado had defected and was secretly violating their bond of trust. Ever since Anita and Edward vanished into thin air, Jago had scrutinized every movement and word of Edrado's, never once lowering his guard or letting his guard down.
Yet, the scheme he had outlined—abducting one of Edward's associates, coercing them under threat against their loved ones, planting illegal substances in his workspace, and tipping off law enforcement—was no mere fabrication or hollow ruse designed solely to test loyalty. It was a concrete, well-structured operation that Jago intended to execute to the letter from the very beginning. Every detail he disclosed was genuine; this was precisely the strategy he meant to deploy to bring Edward to ruin and seize full control.
Still, even as he articulated every phase openly to Edrado and Markus, his true motive ran far deeper. Sharing the blueprint with Edrado served a dual purpose: it was indeed the legitimate mission, but it also functioned as a direct examination of his character. Jago watched him closely, intent on discerning whether Edrado would comply obediently, contribute solutions, and commit wholeheartedly to their collective objective—or if he would hesitate, make deliberate errors, attempt to undermine the process, or inadvertently expose, through his behavior, that he was working against them.
However, what remained concealed from Edrado—what no soul knew except Jago and Markus alone—was that long before he had even breathed a word of this plan, Jago had already dispatched his most devoted, reliable operatives to manage every aspect of the undertaking. While Edrado deluded himself into believing he had been granted a vital role and entrusted with significant responsibility, Jago's covert unit was already several strides ahead, maneuvering unseen, establishing connections, securing locations, and organizing every component. They were fulfilling every task Edrado presumed he was assigned, and doing so with flawless precision.
This established one irrefutable fact: the success of the operation was entirely independent of Edrado's involvement. If Edrado remained faithful, adhered to directives, and performed his part efficiently, everything would proceed seamlessly, and Jago would realize his apprehension was unfounded—that Edrado remained steadfast. But if Edrado proved to be the traitor Jago dreaded—should he choose to leak intelligence, alert Edward, or intentionally sabotage his duties—it would make absolutely no difference. The machinery was already in motion; Jago's unseen agents were managing every variable, and the objective would be achieved exactly as planned, regardless of Edrado's contribution.
When Edrado stepped forward confidently, proposing Edward's secretary, Benna, as the ideal candidate for their use, Jago observed him with piercing focus. He registered how swiftly Edrado integrated himself into the strategy, how effortlessly he devised ways to inflict harm upon Edward, and how eagerly he seemed to participate in his destruction. He gave no visible reaction, yet in that instant, Jago perceived him entirely clearly. Edrado believed he was being welcomed, trusted, and made indispensable—but in reality, he was merely stepping exactly where Jago guided him, utterly oblivious that his every action, allegiance, or treachery was being weighed and measured, while the true labor was already completed before he had even lifted a hand.
The operation remained unshakable and inevitable. Whether Edrado validated his loyalty or unmasked his deception, Edward's downfall was assured. Ultimately, Jago would secure everything he desired: triumph over his adversary, and at last, absolute clarity regarding the man standing right beside him.
Yet, what Jago failed to see was that everything playing out around him had become a deadly trap — one carefully laid by Edrado himself. When Edrado confidently suggested using Blanna as their pawn, it was never out of loyalty or willingness to help. It was a cold, calculated move; a clever act of betrayal meant to strike Jago right where it would hurt him the most.
Edrado held a secret that Jago had completely missed: Benna was Juliana's closest and most beloved friend — Jago's own daughter. They told each other everything, loved like sisters, and were never apart. By bringing up Blanna's name, Edrado was handing Jago the perfect weapon to destroy his own family, without him ever knowing what he was doing.
He knew exactly how Jago worked. He understood that once Blanna planted the drugs and they exposed her to the world as a criminal, her life would be over. She would lose her good name, her standing, and every chance of a normal life. And knowing Jago's nature, he would never let a witness stay alive; he would surely order her death to wipe away every loose end.
And that was exactly what Edrado wanted. He was no longer aiming at Edward. His true target was Jago. If Jago followed through with this plan, he himself would be the one to ruin and kill the girl his daughter loved more than anyone. And when the truth finally came out — and Edrado would make sure it did — Juliana would be crushed. Her heart would break beyond fixing, and she would never be able to look at her father the same way again.
Edrado sat there, smiling and acting like the obedient follower, while deep down, he watched his trap close in. He had placed the knife in Jago's hand, pointed him straight at the victim, and waited for him to strike. By the time Jago realized the truth, it would be too late. He would have killed his daughter's best friend, destroyed her happiness, and brought pain into his own home — all because Edrado had fed him exactly what he wanted to hear.