Mafia's secretary

Chapter 4: The Unveiling of Loyalties

The days following Yibo’s initiation were a haze. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the man he had killed. The sound of the gunshot echoed in his ears, a haunting reminder of the life he had taken. The office, once a place of normalcy, now felt like a stage where everyone played a role. Xiao Zhan was the cold and calculating CEO by day and Sean, the feared mafia leader, by night. And Yibo? He was stuck in the middle, straddling both worlds.

Xiao Zhan seemed unaffected. His demeanor at work remained the same—stern, controlling, and occasionally dismissive of Yibo’s presence. But when the office emptied and the clock struck late, his aura shifted into something darker.

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Late Night at the Office

It was nearing midnight when Xiao Zhan called Yibo into his office. Yibo hesitated, his heart racing. His interactions with Xiao Zhan since the initiation had been minimal, but he could feel the man’s watchful gaze on him more often than not.

“Close the door,” Xiao Zhan said as Yibo stepped inside. His voice was calm but carried an edge of authority that made Yibo’s chest tighten.

Yibo obeyed, shutting the heavy door behind him. Xiao Zhan sat behind his desk, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He looked up at Yibo, his expression unreadable.

“How are you feeling?” Xiao Zhan asked, breaking the silence.

The question caught Yibo off guard. He hadn’t expected any acknowledgment of his emotional state. “I… I’m fine,” Yibo lied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Xiao Zhan tilted his head, studying him. “You’re lying.”

Yibo swallowed hard, his hands clenched at his sides. “It’s just… hard to adjust.”

Xiao Zhan set his glass down and stood, walking around the desk to stand in front of Yibo. “The first kill is always the hardest,” he said, his voice surprisingly soft. “But it gets easier.”

Yibo looked up at him, searching for any sign of humanity in Xiao Zhan’s eyes. But all he saw was cold resolve. “Does it really?” Yibo asked, his voice trembling.

Xiao Zhan’s gaze hardened. “It has to. In this world, guilt is a weakness you can’t afford.”

Yibo felt a lump rise in his throat. “And if I can’t let it go?”

Xiao Zhan leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Then you won’t survive.”

The words sent a chill down Yibo’s spine. Xiao Zhan wasn’t threatening him—it was a fact, spoken with the certainty of someone who had lived it.

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The Next Assignment

A few days later, Yibo received a cryptic message from Liu Zhen.

Liu Zhen: Be at the warehouse tonight. We have a job for you.

Yibo’s stomach churned. He wasn’t ready for another assignment, but he knew better than to refuse.

When he arrived at the warehouse, he found Liu Zhen and a few other members of Sean Mafia waiting for him. Xiao Zhan wasn’t there, but his presence was felt in every corner of the room.

“This one’s simple,” Liu Zhen said, handing Yibo a small package. “Deliver this to our contact at the docks. No questions, no delays.”

Yibo nodded, clutching the package tightly. The task seemed straightforward, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to it.

As he drove to the docks, Yibo’s mind raced. What was in the package? Drugs? Weapons? He wanted to open it, to see for himself, but he knew the rules. Curiosity could be deadly.