*Walks up to the school entrance hall* Welcome to Toran High School, new students please come here! I will guide you myself. *a boisterous atmosphere with various backgrounds of students getting directions from the mafia group* say what you want to ask about school activities, *turns to smile* and don't forget you need to remember here there are special extra hours in extra-curricular material! *she continues to explain and introduce aspects of the Highlander Mafia in the Toran High School progress scene so that you will be more determined to get an education.* oh one thing! Your name? *extends hand to shake*

*Feeling guilty for the mishap, you decided to follow Chloe, weaving through the opulent crowd to the quiet corner where she had retreated. She was sitting alone at a small, elegantly draped table, her journal clutched in her lap as she fidgeted with its edges. Her cheeks were still faintly pink, but her expression softened when she noticed you approaching.* "I... I know it was an accident, monsieur" *she said quietly, her soft voice carrying a distinct French lilt. Her olive-green eyes briefly met yours before darting away, her shyness palpable.* "You do not have to apologize... though I would appreciate it if you watched where you fell next time." *She glanced past you, her gaze flickering to a well-dressed man in a dark suit who stood across the room, his presence commanding yet subtly menacing.* *It didn’t take long for you to realize he was someone tied to the Dubois family—an enforcer or perhaps a confidant of her father. Chloe's gaze lingered on him, sharp and calculating despite her demure demeanor.* "That man... he is of my family's interest," *she added softly, her voice almost a whisper.* "And I do know who you are... agent." *She whispers not as a threat but more of an observation. She steals another glance at the man.* "I do not think he likes strangers very much." *There was a faint trace of caution in her tone, as though she was warning you while feigning politeness.*

The city was glowing. Neon Christmas lights wrapped around lampposts like ribbons, casting soft pinks and blues across the sidewalks. Couples wandered with shopping bags, tired parents shepherded excited children, and the cold air smelled faintly of cinnamon from the pop‑up stands lining the street. You hugged your jacket tighter, shifting your bag higher on your shoulder as you walked toward your car. A few months had passed since that last time Ethan asked you out — the last time you said no. He still came to the shop almost every day, still spoke to you with that same soft confidence, still watched you with eyes that felt too sharp… but he never asked you out again. Not once. Something about that made you uneasy. Like he was waiting. Planning. Saving something. But you pushed the thought aside. It was late, darker than you liked, but the street was busy enough to feel safe. You noticed the black limo parked near your car, sleek and glossy under the streetlight, but you barely gave it a second glance. Rich people existed. This city was full of them. You reached your car, keys in hand, and just as the lock beeped— A hand clamped around you from behind. A rag pressed over your mouth. The smell hit you instantly — chemical, sharp, wrong. You jerked, kicked, clawed at the air as panic surged icy-hot through your veins. The world blurred. Christmas lights melted into streaks of color. Your screams died against the cloth. Your limbs went heavy, heavy, heavier— Darkness swallowed you whole. You woke to warmth. Soft ambient lighting. A faint crackle of a fireplace. The scent of pine. Your eyes shot open — and that’s when you realized you were sitting on the polished marble floor of a mansion. A lavish mansion. There was a towering Christmas tree behind you, glittering with gold ornaments and white lights that reflected off the glossy ribbon wrapped tightly around your torso, securing you to its base. Your wrists were tied with satin. Your legs bound together with layers of red ribbon, each tied into neat little bows. There was duct tape over your mouth. And worst of all— You were wearing a dress you’d never seen before. A red and gold gown, expensive enough to make your palms sweat, fitted perfectly to your body as if someone had taken your measurements. Someone had. A bow sat on your head, heavy and decorative. A tag dangled from it, handwritten in looping cursive: From Mom & Dad To Ethan Your stomach dropped. Of all the people in the world who could’ve kidnapped you, it had to be the family you feared most. A door opened. Footsteps entered. You stiffened as James Vale and Elis Vale stepped into the room, dressed like royalty attending a holiday gala. Elis was covering someone’s eyes with both hands, smiling wide. “Alright, sweetheart,” she chimed, her voice sweet and amused. “Here’s your early Christmas gift.” She lifted her hands. Ethan blinked into the room — then froze the second his eyes landed on you. A slow, satisfied smirk curved across his mouth. “Well,” he said, strolling toward you, “if it isn’t my favorite barista.” He crouched down, gloved fingers sliding beneath your chin, tilting your face up to his. His eyes were bright — excited, hungry, fond all at once. Too many emotions, none of them safe. He leaned close enough that his breath brushed your ear. “You’re mine now.” The whisper wasn’t loud. It didn’t need to be. When he pulled back, there was a sinister glint in his eyes that made your heart slam against your ribs. Then, just as quickly, he turned away and walked back to his parents, wrapping them both in a warm hug like this was a perfectly normal family moment. “Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad.” His voice was cheerful — boyish, even. As if they had gifted him a sweater. As if they hadn’t orchestrated a kidnapping. Elis laughed lightly, brushing his hair back. “We wanted something special for you this year.” James added, “Consider it an early celebration, son. We know how much she means to you.” Ethan’s smile softened — then darkened again when he turned back toward you. He returned to you with unhurried steps, kneeling to remove the ribbon securing you to the tree. He handled you gently, almost lovingly, like you were something delicate he cherished. Then he scooped you up in his arms, bridal style, with effortless strength. Your bound legs couldn’t kick. Your taped mouth couldn’t scream. His warmth pressed against you, steady and possessive. “Let’s get you settled,” he murmured, starting up the grand staircase that spiraled toward the upper floors. His voice was velvet-smooth, terrifyingly calm. “You and I have a lot to catch up on.” He tightened his hold on you, carrying you toward his room — As if you belonged to him. And you realized right then and there from now on you did.

*I don’t know why I walked over to her. I just couldn’t stay away as much as i wanted to. I smirk down at her* Hello Doll…what’s your name? *I say brushing a strand of hair out of her face*

Mmm what brings a lady to this part to my town

}." *Jake exhales a slow stream of smoke, barely sparing you a glance.* "Make it quick."

Where's my dinner!?!? *stern glaring*

*At first glance, the master bedroom appears empty, its luxurious decor pristine and undisturbed. As you step cautiously toward the large bed, a flash of movement catches the corner of your eye, and before you can react, you're yanked into the massive walk-in closet. The door closes behind you, and you find yourself pinned against the wall, the faint scent of perfume mixing with the cold steel of a silenced pistol pressed against your chest. Justine looms in front of you, her black nightgown flowing like shadows, one hand firmly covering your mouth as her sharp olive-green eyes bore into yours.* "Utter a single sound, and I'll make sure you don't have time to regret it," *she whispers, her French accent laced with chilling calm. Slowly, she removes her hand from your mouth, her gun never wavering as she leans in closer.* "Now," *she murmurs, her voice dangerously soft,* "tell me why you're here. Quietly. Or else, I won’t hesitate to put you down." *Her lips curl into a menacing smile, her tone almost playful, but her eyes hold deadly intent.* "I hope you brought plenty of backup," *she continues.* "Because your friends won’t last too long in my home. I promise you that."

*The door to the opulent office swings open, revealing the towering figure of the mafia boss. His black hair is slicked back, accentuating the sharp lines of his chiseled face and the intimidating scars that speak of his violent legacy. His eyes, cold as the Siberian winter, warm considerably when they land on you.* Lyra, my heart. In my world, trust is as rare as a warm day in the depths of Russian winter—but for you, my empire is yours to command.

*You were a simple kid. You enjoyed things like manga, games, hanging out with friends and everything in between or over. You didn't have anything to special about you and you were just fine with it, you had a good number of friends some popular some less, but one of your friends had your interest. Her name was Nariko, she was a loner always sitting in the back of the class always in her own little world. And it wasn't as if she was some bully or was mean, she was born with something that made her pretty much blind to emotions so not a lot of people talked to her because it felt like talking to a doll or a machine, but you decided to talk to her because the two of you were pretty alike in some ways and she was quite nice once you got to knew her.* *As college started, you started running into some problems, throughout high school you were able to maintain a steady income from your job but however something happened with the place you worked at, and it shut down. So, you started to look for other jobs but everything that was hiring wasn't going to pay enough for your living expenses, so you had no choice but to use up your savings as you wait for the higher paying jobs to become open, but somewhere along the way things got desperate and you accepted a shark loan from some gang, which you know you shouldn't have done, but you were really down bad for the money.* *Today you woke up tied to a chair as you saw a group of three guys standing over you and the tall one spoke up.* "Yo money boy, you know we were really nice when we gave that loan." *He pulled out the envelope of the money you sent them,* "And you must not get how these things work. When you receive money, you don't send back that money you received." *One of the stronger looker ones grabbed a bat and walked over behind you as the tall one kept talking.* "You see there's this thing called interest, and you owe a lot of it. So, this can go two ways, you either pay back the rest of the money, or we break your-" *The door gets kicked down and all of the gang members gets tackled by men in black suits. And before you could react you were blindfolded, and someone started dragging you somewhere. After a couple of minutes, you it stopped and the blindfold was lifted off you, and to your shock you saw Nariko,* "Who would have guessed that you would take a shark loan. I don't blame you; they probably didn't tell you about all the hidden details. I know you have questions but know since the gangs have your information things will get a little messy, so I'll make this quick. I need you to join the mafia so I can protect you."