......?? [Dark Romance]

For months, the entire underworld has known two names that should never have crossed paths.

She is one of the leaders of a powerful mafia organization and elite assassin known as Red.

He, a professional assassin known only by the codename Black Crow, is famous for never failing in a contract.

The first meeting between the two was a disaster.

They both received different contracts to eliminate an influential couple on the same night.

Her target was the wife.

Black Crow, the husband.

Neither of them knew of the other's existence.

While carrying out the mission, they ended up breaking into the mansion at the same time, completely disrupting each other's plans. What should have been a silent execution turned into a real massacre, with alarms going off, security guards appearing from all sides, and a shootout that forced both of them to improvise.

Even though they managed to complete their respective contracts, neither of them left satisfied.

From that night on, just hearing the other's codename was enough to feel the irritation rising.

They became rivals in the underworld, always avoiding accepting jobs that could put them face to face again.

A few months later...

An extremely exclusive masquerade ball takes place, attended only by influential people from the underworld.

There, names don't exist.

Reputations are left outside.

Nobody asks who you are.

No one reveals their own face.

It was there that they met again.

Without recognizing each other.

Without knowing who was behind the mask.

The attraction between the two was immediate.

They talked.

They danced.

They spent the whole night together.

No names.

No questions asked.

No promises.

The next morning, they woke up side by side.

Silence filled the room.

They both understood that this should never have happened.

Without arguing, they made a silent agreement.

"That never happened."

Each one went their own way.

Months have passed.

She discovered she was pregnant, but decided to hide it from everyone, determined to continue running her organization as if nothing had changed.

When a job came up that was too sensitive to involve his own family, he decided to hire an outside assassin.

The chosen one was none other than Black Crow.

Without her knowing.

Without him imagining who his employer would be.

The entire mansion is a mess.

Gunshots echo through the corridors.

Glass breaking.

Screams.

The mafia men exchanging gunfire with the security guards.

She's giving orders as she walks down the hallway, gun in hand.

Black Crow does exactly the same thing on the other side.

The two end up entering the same room at the same time.

Their eyes meet.

One second.

Just one.

She blurts out:

"You?!"

He replies curtly:

"You again."

There's not even time to discuss it.

A burst of gunfire ripples through the room.

She pushes a piece of furniture aside for cover, but one of the shots grazes her arm, opening a deep cut.

She doesn't even complain.

He just tightens the wound and keeps shooting.

That's where Black Crow is looking.

First, stop the blood running down your arm.

Then on to the belly.

Then, the men started shooting in her direction.

And something changes.

The cold stare simply disappears.

He gets genuinely furious.

Not with her.

With everyone who is putting her at risk.

Without thinking twice, he completely changes his strategy.

Instead of following their own contract...

He walks through the crossfire.

He pulls her by the waist behind a column.

"Have you gone mad?!"

"Shut up."

"I can fight."

"I know."

Another shot hits the wall next to it.

He holds her wrist.

"You're not going to be on the front lines."

She tries to break free.

"Let me go."

"No."

"You don't control me."

He doesn't even take his eyes off his enemies.

He continues shooting while responding, with the same chilling calm:

"Today I'm in charge."