chapter 1

It was a dark alley.

There were no prominent lights—only darkness and a deadly silence that swallowed the narrow passage whole.

A man was running like a madman, his breaths ragged, chest heaving, and each footstep echoing in the hollow stillness. The silence was so suffocating, even his sharp panting sounded deafening.

He stumbled, and fell on the muddy street.

And then—

His footsteps.

A presence loomed.

A man cloaked in shadows, exuding a dark, ominous aura, stepped forward. His movements were calm… too calm. Yet every step carried something deadly, something cold.

The fallen man scrambled backward, his hands clawing desperately at the dirt. His body shook violently as the silhouette of his pursuer grew larger—closer.

His every step echoed like a countdown to the inevitable.

Slow. Heavy. Unforgiving.

The figure was tall. Broad-shouldered. Terrifyingly composed. And in his hand–

A shovel.

Mud dripped from its edge.

"P-Please... Please spare me, Python...!" His voice trembled with sheer desperation, lips quivering, eyes glossy with terror.

At the mention of that name—

Python—the air itself grew heavier.

The man before him paled, as if the darkness had swallowed the last ounce of hope from his soul.

"Özür dilerim... Patron!! Lütfen...!"

("I'm sorry... Boss!!! Please...!")

He begged in Turkish, sobbing, his hands raised in futile surrender.

But mercy?

That word had no meaning here.

The iron shovel in Python's hand moved–

CRACK!

It came down with terrifying force, smashing into the man's skull.

Blood splattered across the wet street like crimson petals.

A groan escaped the dying man, gurgled and lifeless.

"There's no 'sorry' in Python's dictionary."

Python's voice was ice. Flat. Deadly.

He raised the shovel again.

THWACK.

And again.

CRUNCH.

And again—

The strikes were relentless. Unforgiving.

Each blow shattered bone, tearing through flesh, until what remained no longer resembled a human face.

And still—

He didn't stop.

Not until Eiran's calm, low voice echoed behind him. "He's dead, Python."

Silence returned.

Python stood still, blood dripping from the edge of the iron shovel, pooling near his boots.

He looked down at the mangled corpse—eyes blank, jaw tight, muscles tensed.

Any ordinary man would've fainted, vomited or Ran away.

But not him.

Never him.

He was the shadow in nightmares, the monster behind the curtain of law and morality.

His hazel-brown eyes, now tainted with death, showed no emotion.

No regret.

No soul.

Just the cold... Darkness.

And a haunting, unshakable stillness.

It almost felt like he was willing the man to wake up, so he could kill him again.

"Darla got the remaining information. She's waiting for us," Rex said, his voice was composed.

Like Python, Rex was no stranger to the abyss.

"We need to leave now, Python." Rex added....

Python gave a slight nod. Then, without another glance at the body, he turned and started walking.

Three men followed him, each carrying the same dark aura as him.

"I'll drive." Izan, his younger brother, spoke with a spark of excitement.

Eiran tossed him the car keys, which he caught effortlessly, while his lips curled into a smirk.

"No need to get excited, Python is with us," Rex reminded him.

Izan rolled his eyes with a sigh and started the car.

Within seconds, their vehicle sped onto the road, leaving the passersby behind, just shadows in the rearview mirror.

-

Python sat in the back seat, HIS gaze locked on the dark cityscape flashing past the car window.

His hands rested on his knees, calm, steady and completely unbothered by the blood that had just soaked them minutes ago.

Betrayal...!!

It was a word he had long grown accustomed to, yet it never failed to ignite the same burning disgust inside him.

That man... Erdem...

He had served under Python for years, swearing loyalty, taking orders without hesitation. Yet, in the end, he was nothing more than a rat... selling secrets, thinking he could outsmart Python.

'huh, a fool.' He scoffed thinking about that disloyal rat...

Python had crossed oceans, leaving Istanbul for LA for one reason and one reason only... to end the life of that rat.

No one betrays Python and lives to tell the tale.

Erdem must have thought he had time. Thought the distance would protect him. Thought he could run.

But Python never lets his prey escape.

Loyalty isn't a choice. It's a law. And breaking that law meant one thing... Death...

And The shovel had done its job perfectly. Now, Erdem was nothing but a nameless corpse rotting in the shadows of an alley.

Python exhaled slowly, his fingers tapping against his knee in a rhythmic pattern yet controlled and calculating.

His eyes flickered toward the rearview mirror, catching Izan's smug expression as he drove, and then to Rex, who sat beside him, Calm as always.

'Darla has the remaining information.' Python repeated Rex's words in his mind.

'Good..' And then he closed his eyes leaning his head back..

.

*****-----****

[Morning]

"Mama!!! You know I only eat toast with orange marmalade!" Samira pouted, her arms crossing in a dramatic flair, lower lip jutting like a sulking child.

"Samira, the jam is finished. Just have your toast with this flavor today," Liana replied calmly as she placed a glass jug of freshly squeezed juice on the dining table.

"But I don't like apple flavor, Mama!" she whined again, her voice rising slightly, like she'd just been asked to drink poison.

Liana sighed deeply, her patience thinning. "It's just for one day, sweetheart. Stop making a fuss and eat your breakfast, please."

Samira gasped softly, placing her hand over her chest as if Liana had just wounded her pride. Her eyes widened with an innocent glint. "You're scolding me?"

"When did I scold you?" Liana let out a tired chuckle, pouring juice into a tall glass and sliding it toward her daughter.

Before Samira could argue further, a calm voice interrupted her from the other side of the table.

"You could have told me yesterday that the marmalade was finished. I would've brought it for my doll," her father, Gary, said gently, looking at her with soft eyes.

"Natalia didn't inform me. Otherwise, I would have already arranged it, Honey," Liana replied, giving a glance toward her husband, Gary Orlaith.

Natalia, their housemaid, who usually took care of groceries, was off today. And in her rush yesterday, she had forgotten to mention that the jar of orange marmalade was empty.

"So sorry, sweetie. Just manage for today. I'll go shopping with Natalia in the afternoon and buy everything fresh," Liana reassured her with a warm, apologetic smile.

Samira sighed, her expression softening. "It's okay, Mama. Please don't say sorry."

Just then, a hand reached over and placed a new, sealed jar of orange marmalade right in front of her on the table.

Her eyes widened, shimmering with delight. "Brother... how—"

Kai smirked casually, sliding into the chair beside her. "Before going for a jog, I went to the kitchen to get water and saw the empty jar. So, I stopped by the store while returning."

He reached over and affectionately ruffled her hair. "I knew our Simmi wouldn't eat properly without her favorite marmalade."

"Thank you, Brother!" she grinned brightly, wrapping her arms around him.

Samira Orlaith. The cherished daughter of Gary and Liana Orlaith. The little sister who was loved to pieces by her family. With her sparkling brown eyes and soft heart, she was nothing less than a princess in their home. And everyone lovingly called her Simmi.

"Good morning, lovely people!" came a cheerful voice from the hallway.

Talia stepped into the dining room, dressed in a sky-blue blouse and high ponytail, radiating her usual sunny aura.

"Good morning, Talia," Liana greeted with a fond smile.

"Come, have breakfast, sweetie," Gary offered kindly, gesturing toward the table.

Talia shook her head politely. "Thank you, Uncle, but I already ate. You know Dad's strict diet rules. He won't let me breathe without measuring calories."

Kai snorted. "Yeah, yeah... that's why you're slowly turning into a buffalo."

Talia gasped dramatically and glared at him. "Kai brother! You shouldn't call a girl that! Don't you know anything about respecting women?"

"You two, stop fighting like kids. Let's go already," Samira sighed, rolling her eyes fondly as she grabbed her tote bag.

"Bye, Mama! Bye, Papa! Bye, Brother!" she chirped, waving her hand toward them as she and Talia headed for the door.

Their laughter echoed through the halls as they stepped out, completely unaware that everything in their lives was about to change forever.

---*****-----

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