The glow of Seoul's city lights flickered in Jennie's eyes as she stared at the screen in front of her.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, the words "The Black Lotus: The Mafia That Controls Seoul" glaring back at her from the title of her unfinished article.
She exhaled sharply, leaning back in her chair.
For months, she had been chasing whispers-hushed conversations in dark alleys, coded messages exchanged in underground clubs, and bodies that disappeared without a trace.
At the center of it all was one name.
Kim Jisoo.
The woman was a ghost, leaving no fingerprints, no evidence. No one even dared to speak her name out loud. They called her "The Red Queen."
But Jennie wasn't scared.
She had built her career exposing criminals who thought they were untouchable. Jisoo was no different.
At least, that's what she thought.
Until someone tried to kill her last night.
Her fingers unconsciously brushed against the bruise on her wrist, a reminder of the masked man who had grabbed her in the parking lot before she barely managed to escape.
That was a warning.
And yet, here she was-sitting in her dimly lit apartment, surrounded by case files, unable to stop herself from chasing the truth.
Jennie clicked on a photo she had taken a week ago. It was slightly blurry, but the woman in the black suit, stepping out of a sleek car, was unmistakable.
Kim Jisoo.
The boss herself.
Jennie had been following her for weeks, catching glimpses of her at exclusive clubs, hidden meetings, and high-end casinos. Jisoo moved like a queen on a chessboard-untouchable, always ten steps ahead.
But last night changed everything.
The attack meant one thing: she was getting close.
Jennie's heart pounded.
Should she stop?
A sane person would.
Instead, she grabbed her phone and dialed the only person she trusted.
"Lisa, I need you to get me into Club Seraph tonight."
A sigh came through the line. "You do realize that's a Black Lotus-owned club, right?"
"Exactly."
A pause. Then-"Jennie, if you keep digging, Jisoo's not gonna send some random thug next time. She's gonna come for you herself."
Jennie swallowed hard. That was exactly what she wanted.
Because if she was going to expose Jisoo...
She needed to meet the Red Queen face-to-face.
The bass of the music thrummed through Jennie's chest as she stepped into Club Seraph, her sharp eyes scanning the crowded floor.
The club was exclusive, a place where only the elite of Seoul's underground gathered. Celebrities, politicians, criminals-they all came here, knowing it was protected by the most feared mafia in the city.
The Black Lotus.
Jennie's fingers tightened around the edge of her dress as she moved through the crowd. She was dressed to blend in-a sleek black dress, high heels, and a confidence she didn't quite feel.
