ᴇɴɪɢᴍᴀヾ⁠(⁠*⁠'⁠Ｏ⁠'⁠*⁠)⁠/

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 ~ 01 ᯓ★

── .✦ ── .✦ ── .✦ ──

The flight from Rome to Seoul was long, but it was the silence that weighed on Lily the most. She sat in first class, staring out the window as the clouds drifted past, her thoughts heavy with the life she was about to step into.

Kim Taehi, her mother, had remarried after her father, Min Albert, had died. Her stepfather, Kim Taeyang, was a retired mafia king in Korea-one who had stepped away from the bloodshed to focus on family. Lily knew he wasn't a threat, but his children... his children were a different story.

The Devils.

Lily clenched her fists as the plane began its descent. Seven step-siblings, all connected by blood, secrets, and lies. She hadn't met them yet, and she wasn't eager to. The arrangement was supposed to be simple-she'd stay with them for a while, to bond with the family. But in her world, nothing was simple. She couldn't afford to trust anyone.

In Italy, Lily was the Black Rose, leader of the most powerful mafia group, Black Mamba. Her team consisted of fighters, strategists, hackers, and assassins-people who had fought by her side and earned her trust. But here, in Korea, she was just Lily Albert, the stepdaughter. And that's how she needed it to stay.

She couldn't afford for anyone to know her true identity.
The Kim mansion loomed ahead as Lily's car pulled into the estate. The place was massive, with high walls and security systems that made even the toughest mafias second-guess an approach. As she stepped out of the car, she felt the weight of every camera on her. Not that it mattered-she was used to being watched. But the feeling was different this time. This wasn't an enemy territory; it was her new home.

The doors swung open, revealing her mother and Kim Taeyang waiting at the entrance.

"Lily," her mother's voice was warm, and Lily couldn't help but soften slightly. No matter what had happened between them, Taehi had always tried to be there for her. "I'm so glad you're here."

"I missed you," Lily murmured, stepping into her mother's embrace. Behind Taehi, her stepfather stood with a welcoming smile. He was tall and imposing, his face stern but kind.

"Lily, welcome to our home," Taeyang said. "We've been looking forward to having you here."

Lily smiled politely, though her heart raced at the thought of meeting the others. "Thank you."

As if on cue, a group of figures emerged from the shadows of the hallway. The Devils. They were everything she had expected-sharp, dangerous, and completely unreadable.

The eldest, Kim Haejin, stood at the front, his cold eyes scanning her as if she were a puzzle he couldn't quite figure out. His posture was stiff, authoritative, the kind that commanded respect without needing to ask for it.

Next to him was Minho, a smooth-talker if there ever was one. He smiled at her, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Lily, right? It's about time you got here."

The rest of the siblings followed-Seojun, silent and distant; Hana, fierce and protective; Daehyun, with a gaze that could pierce through steel; Jisoo, carefree on the outside but clearly hiding something beneath her lighthearted demeanor; and finally, Hyunsoo, the youngest, rebellious and eager to prove himself.

Lily's eyes swept over them, her mind already analyzing every detail. She had trained herself to read people in seconds, and these people were no different. They were dangerous, each in their own way, but they weren't invincible.

They just didn't know who they were dealing with yet.

Dinner that night was a test of endurance.

The conversation was light, mostly led by Kim Taehi and Taeyang, but the underlying tension was palpable. Lily ate in silence, feeling the eyes of her new siblings on her. Haejin, especially, seemed to watch her with an intensity that made her skin prickle. He was assessing her, just as she was assessing him.