The rain finally stopped by morning.
Dark clouds slowly disappeared above Seoul, but inside the mansion, the atmosphere remained heavy.
Aryan had barely slept.
Files covered his office desk. Photos. Reports. Underground intelligence records.
Every single one connected to the same name.
Devil.
One of the most feared figures in the underworld.
No confirmed identity.
No photographs.
No public appearances.
Only rumors.
Rumors about a queen powerful enough to control governments, business routes, and entire criminal networks without revealing her face.
And now…
Aryan couldn't stop connecting those rumors to Nithya.
Rohan stood near the desk carefully.
"Our intelligence team gathered everything available."
Aryan flipped through another report silently.
"Nothing useful."
"That's because Devil erases traces perfectly," Rohan explained. "Even intelligence agencies failed to identify her."
Aryan's eyes darkened slightly.
Exactly like Nithya's hidden background.
Too clean.
Too controlled.
Too perfect.
"What about her guards?" Aryan asked.
"We're still tracing them."
Aryan leaned back slowly.
"Someone trained those men professionally."
Rohan hesitated before speaking again.
"Sir… if ma'am really is connected to Devil…"
Aryan looked up sharply.
Rohan immediately stopped talking.
Because nobody knew how Eagle would react if his wife turned out to be another mafia ruler.
Even Rohan couldn't predict it.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Nithya calmly prepared for university.
As if her husband wasn't secretly investigating her.
She tied her hair slowly while looking at her reflection.
Interesting.
Eagle had finally started hunting.
Her phone vibrated softly.
Viraaj.
"He's searching for Devil now," he reported.
"I know."
"Should we interfere?"
Nithya smiled faintly.
"No."
"You sound entertained."
"I am."
Viraaj sighed softly.
"Only you would enjoy being investigated by Eagle."
Maybe.
But deep inside, Nithya respected intelligent opponents.
And Aryan was becoming more dangerous every day.
At breakfast, the tension between them felt almost visible.
Aryan sat across from her quietly watching every movement.
Nithya calmly drank coffee like nothing had changed.
Finally she looked up.
"If you stare harder, the coffee might reveal secrets."
Aryan almost smiled slightly.
"You noticed."
"You're not subtle."
"I'm thinking."
"That's always dangerous."
Silence followed again.
Then Aryan suddenly asked,
"What exactly were you doing before marriage?"
Direct question again.
Nithya placed her cup down carefully.
"Studying."
"That's not a full answer."
"You never gave full answers either."
Again.
Perfect defense.
Aryan stared at her for a long moment.
Then surprisingly, he changed the subject.
"You're not going to university today."
Nithya raised an eyebrow.
"Another order?"
"Yes."
"Reason?"
"Possible second attack."
Nithya leaned back calmly.
"You sound worried."
Aryan answered immediately.
"I am."
The honesty in his voice surprised her slightly.
Later that afternoon, Aryan attended a private underground meeting with several powerful allies.
The large room fell silent the moment Eagle entered.
Fear and respect followed him naturally.
One mafia leader finally spoke carefully.
"The eastern alliance crossed limits attacking your mansion."
"They'll regret it," Aryan replied coldly.
Another leader hesitated.
"There are also rumors spreading…"
Aryan's eyes lifted slowly.
"What rumors?"
The man swallowed nervously.
"That Devil may be connected to your wife."
Complete silence filled the room.
Dangerous silence.
Everyone immediately regretted mentioning it.
Aryan's expression remained unreadable.
But his aura became colder.
"Rumors," he repeated quietly.
Nobody dared continue.
Because Eagle looked one second away from violence.
Back at the mansion, Nithya sat peacefully in the library when she suddenly sensed movement outside the window.
Her eyes sharpened instantly.
Someone was there.
Without panic, she quietly stood and moved toward the balcony.
A small folded paper rested near the railing.
Interesting.
She opened it carefully.
"Eagle is investigating you."
No signature.
No name.
But she already knew who sent it.
The eastern alliance.
Trying to create distrust between them.
Nithya calmly burned the paper with a lighter and watched the ashes disappear.
Childish move.
That evening, Aryan returned later than usual.
The moment he entered the room, he noticed Nithya sitting quietly reading again.
Too calm.
Always too calm.
"How was your meeting?" she asked casually.
Aryan loosened his tie slowly.
"Productive."
"You look irritated."
"I am."
Nithya closed her book.
"Why?"
Aryan walked closer.
"Because I don't like unanswered questions."
There it was again.
Suspicion.
Nithya stood slowly.
"And what if some answers create bigger problems?"
Aryan stopped directly in front of her.
His dark eyes stayed locked onto hers.
"Then I'll handle them."
For a moment, the air between them felt dangerously intense.
Then Aryan quietly asked,
"If I discovered something impossible about you…"
His voice lowered slightly.
"…would you tell me the truth?"
Nithya looked at him silently.
For one brief second…
Devil almost revealed herself completely.
Almost.
But instead she stepped closer and whispered softly,
"Can Eagle handle Devil?"
Aryan froze.
Only for a second.
But that single second changed everything.