chapter 2 - Operation: Crimson Shadow

Crimson Hearts: The Mafia Queen & The Ice Violet King

Night blanketed the city.

Far from the glittering skyline, an abandoned shipping port sat in complete silence.

Dozens of armed men patrolled the warehouses.

None of them realized they were already being watched.

On the roof of a nearby building...

Hazel Valentine adjusted her earpiece.

Behind her stood Lucian Volkov.

The moonlight reflected in their crimson and violet eyes.

Hazel smirked.

"Lucy."

"Hm?"

"I hacked every camera."

Lucian checked his tablet.

"I disabled every alarm."

Hazel grinned.

"Race?"

Lucian raised an eyebrow.

"To clear the warehouse?"

"Loser buys dessert."

Lucian smiled.

"You're on."

---

Inside the command vehicle...

Ivan, Emily, Arthur, Lyra, Thevan, Oliver, Alex, Marcus, Killiam, Cassius, and Layla watched the live feed.

Marcus sighed.

"They're betting again."

Emily smiled knowingly.

"They always do."

Killiam chuckled.

"They're impossible."

---

Hazel counted softly.

"Three..."

"Two..."

"One."

The two disappeared.

Like ghosts.

A guard blinked.

"...Did you hear something?"

A gentle voice answered from behind him.

"You."

The guard slowly turned.

Hazel smiled sweetly.

"Wrong answer."

Thud!

He collapsed unconscious.

At the same moment—

Another guard pointed his rifle.

"Who's there?!"

Lucian appeared behind him.

"You should've looked behind you."

Thud!

Down he went.

---

Inside the warehouse...

More than fifty criminals rushed forward.

"Kill them!"

Hazel sighed.

"So loud."

She spun gracefully, disarming one man before sweeping another off his feet.

Lucian fought beside her with calm precision, knocking weapons away and disabling opponents in seconds.

Within minutes...

The warehouse floor was covered with unconscious criminals.

Hazel dusted off her sleeves.

"Forty-three."

Lucian glanced around.

"Forty-four."

Hazel frowned.

"...You counted?"

"I always count."

She crossed her arms.

"Show-off."

Lucian gave the tiniest smile.

"So are you."

---

Meanwhile...

One criminal hid behind a crate, trembling.

He whispered into his radio.

"T-They're monsters..."

Another whispered back,

"Who are they?"

Before he could answer—

A voice echoed from above.

"You talk too much."

Both looked up.

Hazel was sitting casually on a steel beam, swinging her legs.

She smiled.

"Hello."

The two men screamed.

Hazel sighed dramatically.

"Seriously?"

"I'm not that scary."

From behind them, Lucian spoke in his calm voice.

"I think you are."

The criminals nearly fainted.

---

Back in the command vehicle...

Cassius laughed so hard he had tears in his eyes.

"She scared them just by saying 'hello!'"

Layla wiped away a tear from laughing.

"Poor criminals."

Arthur shook his head.

"I almost feel bad."

Ivan answered immediately.

"I don't."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

---

Hazel opened a reinforced steel door.

Inside...

Several frightened children and adults were locked in cages.

Hazel's expression softened instantly.

She knelt beside a little girl.

"You're safe now."

The child looked at her with tearful eyes.

"A-Are you an angel?"

Hazel blinked.

Then she smiled warmly.

"No."

She pointed toward the door where Lucian was carrying an injured boy.

"That's the angel."

Lucian looked over.

"...What?"

Hazel grinned.

"I own Angel Network. You're the angel tonight."

Lucian sighed.

"You make no sense."

"I rarely do."

The rescued children giggled.

---

One little boy tugged on Lucian's sleeve.

"Mister..."

"Yes?"

"Are you and the pretty lady married?"

Lucian froze.

Hazel froze.

Outside the room...

Their families had just arrived in time to hear the question.

Emily bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.

Arthur looked away, pretending to inspect the wall.

Cassius whispered loudly,

"Answer him, brother."

Layla nodded innocently.

"We're waiting."

Hazel cleared her throat.

"...No."

The little boy tilted his head.

"Oh."

He smiled brightly.

"You should be."

Silence.

Lucian looked at Hazel.

Hazel looked at Lucian.

Both turned bright red for the first time in years.

Marcus burst into laughter.

Oliver nearly fell against the wall.

Killiam was holding his stomach.

Even the usually stoic Thevan let out a small chuckle.

Ivan folded his arms with a faint smile.

"It seems even the toughest mafia legends have weaknesses."

Hazel groaned.

"I'm never trusting children with questions again."

Lucian smiled softly.

"I don't mind the suggestion."

Hazel glanced at him.

"...Lucy?"

"Hm?"

"You've become bold."

"A little."

For just a moment, the fearsome Mafia Queen smiled—not the cold smile that terrified the underworld, but a gentle one reserved only for the people she loved.

None of them noticed, however, that from the shadows outside the warehouse, a masked figure had been watching the entire operation.

The stranger whispered into a phone,

"So... the Crimson Queen and the Ice Violet King are even stronger than the rumors."

"They've become a problem."

The call ended.

A new enemy had set their sights on the two legendary heirs.

End of Chapter 2

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