The mansion was finally quiet again.
But the silence after violence always felt heavier.
Broken glass still reflected dim lights across the floor while security teams worked outside clearing the remains of the attack. The smell of smoke and blood lingered faintly in the air.
Inside Aryan's office, tension filled every corner.
"Who are you really, Nithya?"
His question remained between them like a loaded weapon.
Nithya stood calmly near the desk, her expression unreadable.
Most people would panic after being exposed this much.
Devil simply stayed composed.
Finally she spoke softly.
"Would your answer about yourself satisfy me completely?"
Aryan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You're avoiding again."
"And you're demanding honesty while hiding half your life."
Fair.
Dangerously fair.
Aryan walked slowly toward her.
The atmosphere instantly became intense again.
"You fought like a trained assassin tonight."
Nithya crossed her arms.
"And you expected your wife to cry in fear?"
"That's not what I expected."
"Then what did you expect?"
Aryan stopped directly in front of her.
For a moment, neither looked away.
Then he answered honestly.
"Not this."
Silence filled the room again.
Outside, distant thunder echoed across Seoul.
Nithya quietly looked toward the rain-covered windows.
"You're angry," she observed.
Aryan's voice stayed calm.
"I don't like hidden things around me."
Nithya almost smiled slightly.
"That's ironic."
For the first time in hours, Aryan actually let out a short laugh.
Cold.
Quiet.
But real.
"You enjoy provoking me."
"You're easy to provoke."
"That's definitely false."
Maybe.
But only with her.
A knock suddenly interrupted the moment.
Rohan entered carefully.
"Sir."
Aryan's expression immediately returned to business.
"What?"
"We captured one surviving alliance member."
Interesting.
Aryan's eyes darkened instantly.
"Where?"
"Basement holding room."
Aryan glanced toward Nithya briefly before walking toward the door.
"You should rest."
Nithya raised an eyebrow.
"You really think I'll sleep after all this?"
Aryan looked at her calmly.
"Yes."
That made her almost laugh.
Impossible man.
Ten minutes later, Aryan entered the underground holding room beneath the mansion.
A badly injured alliance member sat tied to a chair under harsh lights.
The man looked terrified the moment he saw Aryan.
Everyone feared Eagle.
Aryan calmly removed his gloves.
"Who ordered the attack?"
The man stayed silent.
Aryan tilted his head slightly.
Wrong decision.
Within seconds, the atmosphere in the room became terrifying.
Not loud anger.
Not shouting.
Just deadly calm.
"You attacked my home," Aryan said quietly. "You targeted my wife."
The prisoner swallowed nervously.
Aryan stepped closer.
"So I'll ask once more."
His dark eyes became ice cold.
"Who ordered it?"
Finally the man broke.
"The eastern leader!" he shouted quickly. "He said you became weak after marriage!"
Silence.
Dangerous silence.
Aryan's jaw tightened slightly.
Weak.
That word alone was enough to sign someone's death sentence.
Then the prisoner added nervously,
"He also said the girl was suspicious…"
Aryan's eyes sharpened immediately.
"What do you mean?"
"We heard rumors… that she might be connected to someone important."
For one second, the room became completely still.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Aryan slowly leaned closer.
"What rumors?"
The prisoner looked terrified now.
"A hidden queen… someone called Devil…"
The second that name entered the room—
Aryan froze.
Only for half a second.
But enough.
Because everyone in the underground world knew that name.
Devil.
The invisible mafia queen nobody had ever fully identified.
Ruthless.
Untouchable.
Equal to legends.
And suddenly…
A dangerous thought crossed Eagle's mind.
Impossible.
No.
It couldn't be.
Upstairs, Nithya stood alone on the balcony while cold wind moved through her hair.
Her phone vibrated once.
Encrypted message.
"The eastern alliance mentioned Devil during interrogation."
Nithya's eyes darkened slightly.
Too fast.
Things were moving faster than expected now.
She looked toward the mansion hallway quietly.
Aryan was intelligent enough to connect clues eventually.
And once Eagle started hunting answers…
He rarely stopped.
A while later, Aryan returned upstairs slowly.
His expression was unreadable.
Too unreadable.
Nithya noticed immediately.
"You learned something."
Aryan stared at her silently for several seconds before speaking.
"Do you know someone called Devil?"
Direct attack.
Sharp.
Unexpected.
But Devil herself remained perfectly calm.
"No," she answered smoothly.
Aryan watched her carefully.
Too carefully.
Almost like he was trying to read hidden meaning behind every breath.
Finally he spoke quietly,
"People say Devil controls an empire equal to mine."
Nithya leaned lightly against the balcony railing.
"Then you finally found competition."
Aryan's eyes stayed locked onto hers.
And for one dangerous second…
He imagined it.
Nithya sitting on a throne beside him.
Cold.
Powerful.
Untouchable.
No.
Impossible.
But still…
The thought refused to disappear.
Later that night, Aryan stood alone in his office again.
The name echoed repeatedly in his mind.
Devil.
He remembered Nithya's fighting skills.
Her hidden guards.
Her fearless attitude during attacks.
The way powerful men listened to her instantly.
Too many coincidences.
Far too many.
Rohan entered quietly.
"Sir?"
Aryan slowly looked up.
"Find everything about Devil."
Rohan blinked once in surprise.
"You think there's a connection?"
Aryan's voice became dangerously calm.
"I think my wife is hiding an empire."