The moment they entered, Nani's feet carried him straight to the drawer.

He yanked it open.

Silence.

Then—

His breath caught.

His hands moved frantically, flipping through the papers. His pulse pounded harder with every second.

His voice came out as a whisper first.

"…The files are not here."

Then louder—sharp, filled with rising anger.

"The files are not here."

“Shit." Arthit muttered under his breath.

Nani's knuckles turned white as he clenched the edge of the desk, his jaw locked tight. Then, in a sudden explosion of frustration, he slammed his fist against the wooden surface with a loud thud.

"How the hell did this happen?" His voice was dangerously low, barely contained.

Arthit exhaled sharply. "Whoever did this… they know everything about you, man."

Nani clenched his fists. If someone had gotten in here, bypassed all his security, and left without triggering a single alert... This wasn't just a breach.

This was a message.

➙ Present time.

"Oh... I wish I could see that detective's face when he realizes the files were planted," Boom chuckled, leaning back on the couch with his now-cold coffee in hand. "Though, I have a feeling he'd still manage to escape our goons."

Aou frowned. "So, you're saying he's a serious threat?"

"Exactly. What else?" Boom took a sip of his coffee. "He's been digging for months now—he probably has solid information, just no proof yet."

"Whoever it is, they can't stand against me." Sky said, shrugging off his coat and placing it neatly on the nearest chair. He followed with his waistcoat, revealing his well-built physique—muscles defined to perfection, commanding attention without effort. As he draped the waistcoat over his coat, he loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt, exuding an air of quiet dominance.

Boom scoffed, shaking his head. "Don't be too overconfident."

Sky paused mid-step, then let out a slow, amused chuckle. He turned to face Boom with a smirk that didn't reach his eyes. "Overconfidence?" His voice was soft—too soft. "Now that's funny."

Aou shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Boom. Something about Sky's tone didn't sit right. It was the kind of voice that made you feel like you had already lost before even realizing you were in the game.

Sky let the silence stretch, enjoying the weight of it before finally speaking. "You really think this is overconfidence?" He took slow, deliberate steps toward the kitchen, opening the cabinet to pull out a coffee jar. "Tell me something." His voice was almost casual, but there was an unmistakable edge underneath. "Do you think I'd let things fall into place by chance?"

Boom frowned. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Sky hummed as he poured the coffee grounds into his cup. "You two did well, you know. Played your parts beautifully. I have to give you credit for that." He glanced at them with a smirk, stirring his coffee with a slow, almost lazy motion. "But let's get one thing straight." His eyes darkened.

"We didn't pull off the heist." He took a sip of coffee. "I orchestrated it."

Aou narrowed his eyes. "What?"

Sky leaned against the counter, swirling the coffee in his cup like it was the most interesting thing in the room.

"The security check? The real move."

"The goons at the detective's apartment? Mine."

"The planted evidence? Mine."

"The visitor logs and data access files? Also mine."

He took another sip, exhaling slowly as if savoring the moment.

"Every single move that detective made, every single thing he thought he discovered? I let him."

Boom stiffened. "You used us?"

Sky let out an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes.

"Used you? No, no, no." He shook his head with a smirk. "I positioned you. Like pieces on a board." He tapped his temple lightly. "You followed the script exactly as I wrote it."

Aou clenched his jaw. "And if we hadn't?"

Sky chuckled darkly. "That's the thing—you would have. Because I know you. You didn't even question it." His smirk widened, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "Because I made sure you wouldn't."

Boom exhaled sharply, realization dawning. "Shit."

"Oh, don't look so betrayed." Sky took another sip, his expression unreadable. "You had fun, didn't you? Watching that detective struggle, thinking he was finally onto something?" He tilted his head slightly. "Letting him believe he was getting closer?" His smirk sharpened into something cruel. "Because that's the best part." He placed the cup down with a soft clink and looked them both in the eyes.

"When a man thinks he's won, when he's standing at the finish line with his chest puffed out, thinking he's finally figured it all out…" Sky's fingers drummed against the counter in a slow, rhythmic motion.

"That's when you break him."

The room felt colder.

Aou let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "You're a fucking lunatic."

Sky smirked, tapping his temple again. "No." His voice was a whisper, but it cut through the silence like a blade.

"I'm just the only one who sees everything."