Oh, here he comes. The most feared, ruthless mafia  king of all. The club was alive with smoke, music,   and whispers of fear. Inside, powerful men  laughed, glasses clinkedked, and women danced   with painted smiles. At the highest seat, where no  one dared to look too long, sat June, the ruthless   mafia king of soul. His sharp black suit hugged  his tall frame, his cold eyes as still as ice.  

People said his stare alone could kill. To June,  women were a game. They entertained him for a   night, sometimes a week, but never more. Once he  had what he wanted, he tossed them aside without   a thought. No woman had ever left a mark on his  cold heart. That night, however, his gaze fell on   someone different. Not a dancer, not one of the  women trying to catch his eye.

 She was kneeling   on the floor, scrubbing silently with a rag, her  hands red from soap and water. A young black girl,   skin glowing softly under the dim light, hair  falling back neatly, face plain without makeup.   She looked out of place in a world dripping with  sin and shadows. Her name was Alicia. Jun smirked.   He leaned back in his chair, watching her.

 So  pure, so quiet, like a white flower growing in   the middle of blood soaked soil. How did she end  up here? He whispered to himself. Amusement curled   his lips. He raised his glass of wine and made a  cruel decision. She’ll be mine tonight. When his   men approached her, Alicia shook her head quickly,  panic in her wide brown eyes. No, I only clean.  

Please, I don’t belong here. But no one said no  to the King of Souls underworld. Within minutes,   Alicia was standing before him, trembling,  clutching her rag like a shield. “Why so afraid?”   June asked lazily, his deep voice echoing like  thunder. Her lips quivered. “I just want to work,   please. I don’t want trouble.” June chuckled  darkly. Trouble had already found her.

 He stood   towering over her and with one motion took her  hand. His grip was strong, unyielding. You’re   coming with me. Before Alicia could protest,  she was led out of the club and into his black   car. The city lights blurred as the car raced  through Soul. Alicia pressed against the door,   heart pounding, praying it was all a nightmare.  But the nightmare was real.

 The ruthless mafia   king was taking her home. The mansion was silent  when they arrived. Large black gates opened,   revealing a world of luxury and danger  hidden from the city. The marble floor shone,   chandeliers glittered, and guards stood at every  corner. Alicia had never seen such wealth, but   fear left no room for awe. June pulled her gently  inside, his hand never leaving hers.

 He dismissed   his men with a wave. Soon, only the two of them  remained in the vast living room. Alicia turned   to him, her voice shaking. Please don’t do this.  I beg you. I need this job to support my family.   I won’t tell anyone. Just let me go. June tilted  his head, studying her. Her tears were real. Her   fear was raw. Most women tried to seduce him to  survive. But Alicia, she begged only for freedom.  

Something strange stirred in his chest, but he  pushed it away. He had made his decision. “Follow   me,” he commanded. He led her upstairs into a room  larger than her entire apartment. The walls were   painted in deep black and gold, the bed tall with  silk sheets.

 Alicia froze at the door, her breath   came fast. No, please. But June stepped closer,  his presence swallowing her fear. He lifted her   chin with one finger, forcing her to look into his  cold eyes. You’re mine tonight. Alicia felt her   body tremble as the truth sank in. There was no  escape. The ruthless mafia king always got what he   wanted. And that night, he wanted her. She closed  her eyes, whispering one last prayer.

 But she   didn’t know that this night, the night she lost  her innocence to the most feared man in Korea,   would change his life forever. Alicia stood  frozen at the edge of the bed, her knees shaking,   her hands gripping the edge of her shirt as if  it could shield her. She had never felt so small,   so powerless. The room was too big, the silence  too heavy, and the man before her too dangerous.  

June slowly removed his black jacket, placing it  neatly on the chair. His movements were calm, but   his eyes never left her. He watched every breath  she took, every step backward she made. You look   like a lamb in a wolf’s den,” he said quietly,  almost amused. Her chest rose and fell quickly.   “Please, I don’t want this. I just came here to  clean. Please let me go.” But June shook his head.  

No one walks into my life and leaves when they  want. He stepped closer. Alicia backed away until   the bed caught her legs. Her heart raced. Tears  stung her eyes. “You can hate me,” June whispered,   his voice low. But tonight you belong to me. His  hand reached out, brushing against her cheek.

 She   flinched, closing her eyes. His touch was warm,  but it felt like fire burning through her skin.   Minutes later, the room was filled with silence  again, but a different kind of silence. Alicia   lay on the bed, her eyes staring blankly at the  ceiling. The silk sheets wrapped around her felt   like chains. She felt broken, humiliated, and  powerless.

 June, on the other hand, sat at the   edge of the bed, shirt half open, his hair falling  across his forehead. But something was wrong. He   didn’t feel satisfied. He didn’t feel victorious.  Instead, for the first time in his life, he felt   unsettled. He turned his head and looked at her.  She wasn’t crying loudly. She wasn’t screaming.  

She was simply quiet. Too quiet. Her dignity  still clung to her even though he had taken what   he wanted. And that shook him. “Why are you so  calm?” he asked suddenly, his voice harsher than   he intended. Alicia turned her face away from him,  her voice barely a whisper. Because no matter what   you do to me, you can’t take my soul. Her words  cut through him like a knife.

 No woman had ever   spoken to him like that. No woman had ever dared.  June clenched his fists, but instead of anger,   what he felt was confusion. For the first time in  years, the ruthless mafia king didn’t know what   to do. June didn’t sleep that night.

 He sat in the  shadows of his own room, staring at Alicia as she   lay still on the bed. She had closed her eyes, but  he could tell she wasn’t sleeping either. Every   time she shifted slightly, her breath hitched  and her body tensed. The silence was unbearable.   June wasn’t used to silence. Women usually  begged him to stay, whispered sweet lies,   or clung to him for money. But Alicia was  different. She didn’t ask for anything.

 She   didn’t cry for comfort. She didn’t even curse him.  She was simply quiet. When morning came, Alicia   rose from the bed without a word. She wrapped the  blanket around herself, walked into the bathroom,   and came out later in the same clothes she  had worn. than the night before. Her eyes   looked tired, but her back was straight, her head  held high.

 June watched, waiting for her to plead   or bargain, but she didn’t. She headed for the  door. “Where are you going?” His voice was sharp,   cutting through the air. Alicia stopped, but  she didn’t turn around. “Home!” Jun stood,   his jaw tightening. “Do you think you can just  walk out?” Finally, she turned to face him. Her   brown eyes burned with quiet strength. You already  took what you wanted.

 What else is there? I won’t   beg you for freedom. If you want to stop me,  do it. But I won’t crawl. Her words struck   something deep inside him. No fear, no weakness,  just raw dignity. Jun’s hand twitched, but he   didn’t move. For reasons he couldn’t understand,  he let her walk past him. The front gates opened   and for the first time, a woman walked out  of June’s mansion without being thrown out or   chased away. His men exchanged confused looks,  but no one dared speak.

 June lit a cigarette,   his cold mask hiding the storm inside. All day he  thought about her words. You already took what you   wanted. I won’t crawl. And for the first time, the  ruthless king felt like the one who had lost. The   mansion felt strangely empty after Alicia left.

  June sat at the long dining table, food untouched,   his cigarette burning between his fingers. His  men stood nearby, whispering among themselves,   stealing glances at him. Boss never lets anyone  leave, one muttered. Especially not after a night,   another replied. June’s sharp eyes cut through  them, and they fell silent. But their whispers   clung to his mind like smoke.

 Why had he let her  walk away? Later that evening, June found himself   back in the same chair at the club, staring at  the dance floor. Music thundered, women swayed,   and men tried to impress him with money and  loyalty. But his eyes searched for one face.   The girl with quiet fire. The girl who refused to  crawl. She wasn’t there. Instead of satisfaction,   June felt an emptiness he couldn’t shake.

 He  drank glass after glass of wine, but the taste   was bitter. He called some women to his side, but  their laughter graded on him. Their hands felt   wrong. Their voices were too loud. He pushed them  away, his anger rising. “What’s wrong with me?” he   muttered under his breath. “The truth was simple.”  Alicia had gotten under his skin.

 Her innocence,   her defiance, her eyes that carried both fear  and strength, she haunted him. The next morning,   June ordered his men to follow her. He  needed to know where she lived, what she did,   who she spoke to. Within hours, they returned.  She stays in a small apartment on the south side,   one reported. Works double jobs, no friends, no  boyfriend, just family.

 She sends money to back   home. June’s joy tightened. She was struggling  to survive. Yet, she still had the courage to   defy him. That night, June drove alone to the  south side. His black car stood out on the poor   streets drawing stairs, but he didn’t care. He  saw her, Alicia, carrying a bag of groceries,   her head bent against the cold wind. For the first  time in his life, June didn’t feel like a king.

 He   felt like a man chasing something he couldn’t  control. He rolled down the window. Alicia,   she froze slowly. She turned her head. Her eyes  widened when she saw him. Then without a word,   she turned away and walked faster. Jun’s heart  pounded. No one had ever dared to ignore him like   that. And yet, he couldn’t stop following her.

  Alicia quickened her pace, clutching her groceries   tightly. The cold air stung her face, but it was  nothing compared to the chill running down her   spine. She could hear the slow roll of the black  car behind her, like a predator following prey.   Alicia June called again, his voice calm but  commanding. She ignored him, her steps turning   into a near run.

 She darted into the narrow alley  near her apartment, hoping he would give up,   but the sound of his shoes soon echoed behind  her. She spun around. “What do you want from me?”   she demanded, her voice trembling but firm. June  stopped a few feet away, his dark eyes locking on   hers. “I just wanted to see you.” her lips pressed  into a hard line. You’ve seen me. Now leave me   alone. He took a slow step closer.

 You think it’s  that easy? You think you can walk out of my house,   out of my life, and pretend nothing happened?  Her grip tightened on the grocery bag. Yes,   because nothing between us was real. You used  me, sir. Remember? For a moment, June froze. Her   words pierced deeper than any bullet. He had faced  betrayal, gunfire, blood. Yet this quiet rejection   shook him more than anything. His jaw clenched.  You’re wrong.

 Before she could reply, he grabbed   the bag from her hand and set it aside, his other  hand gripping her wrist firmly, but not painfully.   Alicia tried to pull away, but his strength  overpowered her. “Look at me,” he said sharply.   Against her will, her eyes lifted to meet his.  June’s voice dropped lower, almost raw. You think   you were just another night. You weren’t. I can’t  stop thinking about you.

 I don’t know why, and   it makes me angry. But it’s the truth. Alicia’s  chest rose and fell quickly. She shook her head,   her voice breaking. You don’t get to say that. You  don’t get to play with me after what you did. For   the first time, June’s grip loosened. He looked  at her, really looked, and realized he couldn’t   command her heart the way he commanded everything  else.

 And that scared him more than any enemy ever   had. The next day, Alicia tried to forget. She  went to work as usual, sweeping floors and wiping   tables in the club. But deep inside, her heart  was restless. She hated that June’s face kept   flashing in her mind, his sharp jaw, his cold eyes  that sometimes softened when he looked at her.   No, she told herself. He doesn’t care. He only  knows how to take.

 Meanwhile, in his mansion, June   sat at the long dining table with his closest men.  Cigars burned, glasses clinkedked, and laughter   filled the air, but the laughter wasn’t friendly.  It was aimed at him. “Boss,” one cousin sneered.   “We heard you’ve been chasing that cleaner girl.”  Another added, “A black girl, too.

 Out of all the   women in soul, you let yourself get hooked on  a girl who scrubs floors. The table roared with   mocking laughter. Jun’s expression didn’t change,  but his hand tightened around his glass until it   cracked. “Careful,” he said coldly, his voice  slicing through the noise. “Mock me again, and   I’ll cut your tongue out.” Silence fell instantly.  Everyone knew his threats were never empty.

 But   even after the room quieted, the sting of their  words lingered. June hated weakness and now they   thought he was weak because of her. That night,  instead of going to another club or another woman,   he drove again to Alicia’s neighborhood.

 He parked  in the shadows, watching as she returned home with   tired steps. He wanted to go to her, but something  held him back. For hours, he sat in the car,   staring at the small apartment window where a dim  light glowed. Inside, Alicia cooked a small meal,   humming softly to herself. She didn’t know the  king of souls underworld was outside watching   her like a man possessed. For the first time,  June realized this wasn’t about power anymore.  

It wasn’t about owning her. It was about needing  her. And that terrified him more than bullets ever   could. The following morning, Alicia opened her  door and froze. A box sat on the ground wrapped   in black and gold ribbon. She looked around,  but the street was quiet. Slowly, she bent   and picked it up.

 Inside were expensive clothes,  silk scarves, and a small velvet case with diamond   earrings. Her stomach turned. She didn’t need to  guess who had sent it. Without a second thought,   she carried the box to the dumpster and dropped it  inside. “I don’t want your gifts,” she muttered,   her voice shaking with anger. From his car across  the street, June saw everything.

 He had expected   her to at least keep the earrings, maybe even  hesitate, but she didn’t. She threw them away   like trash. Instead of being offended, June felt  something else, a strange pull in his chest.   She’s not like the others. That evening, Alicia  was leaving work when she was stopped by two   rough men. They cornered her in the alley, their  eyes hungry, their tone mocking.

 You’re pretty,   one sneered. Why don’t you come with us?  Alicia’s heart pounded. She stepped back,   clutching her bag. Leave me alone. Before the men  could grab her, a shadow fell over them, June.   His tall frame blocked the light, his black coat  sweeping the ground as he approached. His eyes   were colder than death. The men froze. Everyone  in soul knew his face.

 Without a word, Jun’s men   appeared from behind, dragging the thugs away like  trash. Alicia stood frozen, shock flooding her.   You followed me,” she whispered, half angry, half  relieved. June stepped closer, his voice low. “I   told you no one touches you.” Her lips trembled.  “Why? Why me?” For a moment, his mask slipped.

 His   voice was almost raw because you’re the only one  I can’t forget. Alicia’s chest tightened, but she   quickly turned her face away. You think saving me  makes up for what you did? It doesn’t. Her words   cut him, but June didn’t move. He watched her walk  away, her back straight and unyielding.

 From the   shadows, another pair of eyes watched. A rival  boss lit his cigarette and smirked. So, the king   finally has a weakness. In the smoky backroom  of another club across the city, rival bosses   sat around a small table. Cards and money lay  scattered, but their minds were far from the game.   You’ve noticed it too, haven’t you? One man said,  flicking ash from his cigar.

 The great June isn’t   himself anymore. Another laughed. He’s chasing a  girl. A cleaner of all things. A black girl. Can   you imagine? The ruthless king brought down by  innocence. Their laughter was low and dangerous.   One leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. This is  our chance. If we can’t touch June, we touch her.   Take the girl and we’ll have the king on his  knees. Glasses clinkedked in agreement.

 The plan   was set. Meanwhile, June was drowning in thoughts  he couldn’t control. Every night, he drove by   Alicia’s apartment. Every morning, he wondered if  she had eaten if she was safe. He sent groceries   to her door, but she left them outside. He paid  her landlord quietly, making sure she wouldn’t be   thrown out. Yet still, Alicia kept her distance.

  When he appeared at her workplace one evening,   the staff froze in fear. Alicia’s eyes widened  when she saw him sitting in the corner, his dark   presence filling the room. She stormed over. What  are you doing here? She hissed. Jun’s gaze locked   on her. I wanted to see you. She clenched her  fists. You don’t get to do this. You don’t get   to appear in my life whenever you want. He leaned  forward, his voice sharp but quiet.

 You can hate   me all you want. Just don’t ignore me. Alicia’s  chest rose and fell, anger and confusion battling   inside her. She turned and walked away, leaving  him sitting there like a man who had lost control.   June lit a cigarette, but it didn’t calm the storm  inside. He was used to ruling the city with fear.  

Now he was ruled by a single girl’s refusal.  What neither of them knew was that eyes were   watching from the shadows. The rivals had found  her. They had seen the way June looked at her,   the way his world bent whenever she was near. And  soon they would strike. That night, Alicia walked   home under the dim street lights, her bag clutched  tightly against her chest.

 She could still feel   June’s eyes on her even though he was nowhere  around. She hated the way he made her heart race.   She hated the way her thoughts tangled whenever  he was near. But most of all, she hated that a   part of her was starting to wonder what lay behind  his cold, ruthless mask. Her footsteps echoed on   the pavement. A sudden chill brushed her skin,  unaware.

 A black van had been following slowly   from a distance, headlights dimmed. Inside, the  rivals whispered and grinned. “There she is,” one   muttered. “The king’s weakness.” Alicia paused,  sensing something wrong. She glanced behind her.   nothing but shadows. She quickened her pace. Her  building was just around the corner.

 The van doors   slid open silently. A gloved hand reached out.  In the distance, June sat in his car outside her   apartment block, staring at the window he knew  was hers. He knew she wasn’t home yet because   she had left her at her workplace, but a strange  unease gripped him as if danger was near. His jaw   tightened. He reached for his phone. Then a scream  cut through the night. The sound froze his blood.  

It sounded so familiar. Jun’s eyes widened as he  threw open his door, heart pounding like never   before. But by the time he reached the corner, the  street was empty. The only thing left was Alicia’s   bag with her ID card in it, lying torn on the cold  ground. To be continued.

 Stay tuned for part two   and please don’t forget to like, comment on the  part you enjoyed most, and subscribe for more.