𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑪𝒓𝒖𝒆𝒍 |니키˚˖𓍢ִ໋🦢˚

2.0🦢

(Chapter 20 [new ver])

Japan; Okayama

A few months had passed since that fateful meeting with Riki, and the landscape of Jiyoung's life had shifted into something almost unrecognizable. The lines between her mission and her emotions had blurred, and each day became a twisted game of cat and mouse. Despite her resolve to remain detached, the darkness that Riki represented had a strange allure she couldn't fully resist.

Riki had been watching her, she was certain of that. It was in the way he appeared at the edges of her life—his presence creeping into her thoughts and dreams. Each fleeting encounter had ignited a mix of anger and desire, turning her blood to fire. She could no longer pretend he wasn't a significant part of her life, even if it was a life she was fighting against.

The nights were the worst. In the quiet solitude of her condo, Jiyoung often found herself replaying their last encounter. The way he'd looked at her, as if he could see right through her, stripping away the layers of her carefully constructed facade. It was maddening. She couldn't let him get under her skin, but he had. The feelings she had for him were a cacophony of hatred and longing, entwined like serpents.

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Meanwhile, the Nishimura family had grown more brazen in their activities, their influence spreading like shadows across the city. As a covert operative within the FBI, Jiyoung was tasked with infiltrating their ranks, gathering information, and eventually dismantling their empire from within. Each lead she followed brought her closer to Riki and, disturbingly, deeper into a world she was beginning to understand on an intimate level.

Her days were filled with deception, playing the role of a loyal confidante, while her nights were haunted by memories of Riki's intense gaze. They were becoming intertwined in ways she never anticipated. The deeper she delved into her mission, the more she realized that Riki was not just an enemy; he was also a puzzle—one she was inexplicably drawn to solve.

Their meetings became more frequent, each one a calculated risk. Riki would invite her to lavish parties, exclusive events where the wealthy and powerful mingled. She attended under the guise of being an acquaintance, but it was a facade that barely masked the tension simmering between them.

Each encounter was a dance of seduction and deception, with Jiyoung expertly playing her part, all while trying to maintain control. But as the months dragged on, the emotional distance she had erected began to crumble, leaving her exposed to Riki's intoxicating presence.

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Japan; Okayama; Nishimura Manor; 24-8-2026

As Jiyoung walked out of the hideout, her mind was swirling with emotions she had tried so hard to bury. Riki's words echoed in her ears, and the unsettling truth he had laid bare rattled her. She was in too deep, drawn into his world of chaos, and it frightened her. But at the same time, she couldn't shake the undeniable pull between them, a connection that felt both destructive and inescapable.

The night air was cool, but Jiyoung's skin felt hot. Her thoughts raced, trying to rationalize her next steps. She needed to regain control, to distance herself from whatever twisted game Riki was playing with her emotions. Yet, the more she tried to clear her mind, the more his face lingered, his words creeping back in, wrapping around her like a chain.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, snapping her out of the haze. It was another message from Minho.

"Still nothing from you. You better not be pulling something reckless. Talk to me."