THE RIVAL APPEARS

CHAPTER 3

The next morning, Min Jae-Hyun tried to shake off the memory of Dmitri Volkov. But no matter how hard he focused on paperwork at the police precinct, the Russian mafia man’s dark gray eyes and predatory smirk lingered in his mind like an unwelcome shadow.

He rubbed his temples, frustrated. Why can’t he just leave me alone? He muttered under his breath, determined to ignore the dangerous allure. But deep down, he knew it was impossible—Dmitri didn’t do subtle, and he certainly didn’t give up easily.

As Jae-Hyun reviewed reports, the office phone rang. The voice on the line belonged to someone he hadn’t expected: Alexander Kane, the ambitious CEO whose reputation for charm and ruthless ambition preceded him.

“Officer Min,” Alexander’s smooth, confident voice purred. “I hear you had an… interesting encounter last night.”

Jae-Hyun froze, irritation flaring. “And you are?”

“I’m someone who doesn’t like to lose,” Alexander replied lightly. “Call me a rival… or perhaps a complication for certain dangerous men.”

Jae-Hyun felt his patience thinning. “Look, I don’t know what you want, but—”

“I want him,” Alexander interrupted, voice low and firm. “Dmitri Volkov has taken an interest in you. But I think you’d rather choose someone… more civilized.”

Jae-Hyun blinked, caught between irritation and disbelief. “Excuse me?”

Alexander chuckled softly, confident and unnerving. “I see potential, officer. I see fire. And I also see a man who will not back down easily. You deserve someone who can handle that fire… without threats, danger, or obsession.”

Jae-Hyun clenched his fists, flush rising to his cheeks. Of course there’s a rival. “I’m not… choosing anyone right now,” he said firmly, his voice a mix of stubborn defiance and hidden curiosity.

Across town, Dmitri already knew about Alexander Kane. It did nothing to unsettle him—in fact, it made the game even more delicious. Alexander was a worthy threat, charming and arrogant, but Dmitri had something no CEO could ever claim: obsessive, possessive, unwavering desire for Jae-Hyun.

“Ivan,” Dmitri murmured later that evening, pacing in his office, “we have competition. But he doesn’t understand what he’s dealing with. He thinks desire can be negotiated. He doesn’t know the meaning of obsession.”

Ivan nodded silently, familiar with Dmitri’s intensity. “Then we make sure he never gets the chance.”

Meanwhile, Jae-Hyun tried to focus on his daily routine—patrols, paperwork, training—but Alexander’s smooth voice and Dmitri’s magnetic presence haunted him at every turn. He hated how drawn he was to both men, each pulling him in different directions: one dangerous, possessive, and unpredictable; the other polished, confident, and calculated.

By evening, the tension had coiled tight in Jae-Hyun’s chest. He hated the feeling, hated how it made him shiver when Dmitri appeared unexpectedly, and how Alexander’s words lingered in his mind.

The battle lines were drawn. Two men, both dangerous and possessive, both determined to claim him. And the stubborn, teasing officer—Min Jae-Hyun—was about to find out just how difficult it would be to resist… when both of them refused to let go.

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