Chapter 4 : The Boss’s Eyes

Mark :~

People feared me. That was the rule of this city. When I spoke, men obeyed. When I gave an order, no one questioned it. That’s why I had survived this long. That’s why I was still standing while others were buried deep in the ground.

So why did I take in a poor boy like Smith?

It wasn’t because of his skills—he had none. His hands were soft, his body weak. He wasn’t trained to fight, didn’t know how to shoot, and clearly had never spilled blood.

But when he stood in front of me for the first time, trembling but refusing to look away, I noticed something.

Loyalty.

Or maybe desperation strong enough to turn into loyalty.

That boy was willing to do anything, not because he wanted power, but because he wanted to protect the people he loved. That kind of desperation couldn’t be faked. And I needed someone like that.

I didn’t trust easily. My men were useful, but most of them worked for money, for greed, or for fear. They would follow me today, but betray me tomorrow if the price was right.

But Smith… he was different. He wasn’t here for money alone. He was here because he had no choice. Because he couldn’t afford to fail.

That made him valuable.

Still, I wasn’t about to hand him a gun and let him play soldier. A boy like him would get himself killed in a day. No—I wanted him close. I wanted to watch him, study him. I wanted to see if he would break… or survive.

That’s why I made him my personal servant.

Let the others think I was being soft, wasting time. I didn’t care. Keeping him at my side was the best way to test him. To see who he really was.

Besides… there was something about his eyes.

Most people looked at me with fear, like prey staring at a predator. But his eyes, even when he was terrified, carried something else. A spark. Quiet, stubborn, unyielding.

I wanted to see how long that spark would last.

---

That night, I sat in my study, sipping wine, while outside the villa grew silent. I knew Smith was upstairs, probably confused, probably cursing me under his breath for giving him such a “low” job.

A small smile touched my lips. Let him think that.

The real test had only just begun.

—

Smith :~ The first morning in Mark’s villa felt like waking up in another world.

The bed was too soft, the room too clean, and the bathroom looked like something from a five-star hotel. I almost forgot where I was — until I opened the door and saw two guards standing in the hallway, watching me like hawks.

Right. This wasn’t a dream. I was living in a mafia boss’s house.

One of the guards spoke. “Boss is in the dining room. You’ll serve him breakfast.”

My heart dropped. “M–me? Serve him?”

The guard didn’t answer, just stared until I nodded and followed.

---

The dining room was huge, with tall windows and a long table that could fit at least twenty people. But of course, only one person sat there.

Mark.

He looked perfect as always, dressed neatly in a crisp shirt, sipping black coffee as if he owned not just this house, but the whole world. His eyes lifted when I entered, and instantly I felt like I had stepped into a lion’s cage.

“Late,” he said calmly, without even glancing at the clock.

“I—sorry, Boss,” I stammered, bowing slightly. My ears burned.

A maid handed me a tray with toast, eggs, and juice. My hands shook as I carried it across the room. I felt his eyes on me the whole way, and it was torture.

Don’t drop it. Don’t drop it. Don’t drop it.

I set the tray down carefully in front of him. For a moment, I thought I had survived.

Then he looked up at me and said, “Sit.”

I blinked. “SS-Sit?”

He gestured at the chair across from him. “Do you need me to repeat myself?”

“No, Boss.” I sat down quickly, my heart hammering.

He ate in silence, cutting his toast neatly. I just sat there, not touching anything, feeling like I was under interrogation even though he hadn’t asked me a question.

Finally, he spoke. “You’ve never worked as a servant before.”

“No, Boss.”

“Clearly.” His eyes flicked to my hands. “You nearly dropped the tray.”

I bit my lip, embarrassed. Why did he even hire me for this? He has a whole staff already.

After a moment, he leaned back, sipping his coffee. “But you didn’t run. That’s something.”

I frowned slightly. “Run?”

“Most people can’t stand being this close to me,” he said simply, as if stating a fact. His eyes locked on mine. “But you’re still here.”

My chest tightened. I didn’t know what to say. Was that a compliment? Or a warning?

I looked away, muttering under my breath, “What a pain in the ass…”

Unfortunately, he heard it.

“What was that?” Mark asked, his voice low.

My face went red. “NN-nothing, Boss! I said… pass the glass!”

His eyebrow lifted slightly, and for a terrifying moment, I thought he’d kill me right there.

But then—just for a second—I saw it. The corner of his mouth tilted upward, almost like he was holding back a laugh.

Almost.

“Clumsy. But amusing,” he said at last. Then he returned to his food, dismissing me with a single glance.

I sat there, still burning with embarrassment. First day, and I already made a fool of myself.

This was going to be harder than I thought.

—

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