****

Liam stood in front of the mirror and straightened his tie slowly while studying his reflection.

The suit Tatiana bought for him fit surprisingly well. The dark fabric sat neatly over his shoulders and chest while the white shirt beneath it gave him a clean and sharp look. He adjusted the collar slightly and pulled the tie knot tighter until it sat perfectly under his throat.

For a moment he just stood there looking at himself.

Then a small grin appeared on his face.

"Well," he said quietly to his reflection, "I look good."

He tilted his head slightly as if inspecting the final result. His hair was still a little rough from not cutting it for a while but after the shower it looked cleaner and slightly pushed back which somehow added a natural charm to his appearance.

Liam reached for the watch resting on the table and fastened it around his wrist. The metal strap clicked into place and he gave it a small adjustment so it sat comfortably.

Everything looked ready.

Just as he was about to leave the room his eyes suddenly shifted toward the wall beside him.

That wall separated his room from Tatiana’s.

For a brief second a thought crossed his mind.

He had just discovered that strange new ability which allowed him to see through walls. Earlier it happened by accident but now he knew it existed.

Which meant he could technically use it again.

His gaze stayed on the wall for a few seconds.

Tatiana was inside that room changing into the gown she bought for the party.

Curiosity naturally tried to creep into his mind.

He imagined what she might look like now. The red hair, the slim waist, the curves that had briefly caught his attention earlier when the system accidentally activated that strange vision.

It would be very easy.

Just a quick look.

No one would know.

Liam stared at the wall for a moment longer before suddenly shaking his head.

"No."

He turned away immediately.

"The first time was a mistake."

He exhaled quietly.

"The second time would be wrong."

With that thought settled he walked toward the door and stepped out of the room.

The hallway light was soft and calm as he moved across it.

Tatiana’s room was directly opposite the guest room she had given him. Liam stopped in front of her door and raised his hand before knocking gently.

The sound was soft but clear.

"I’m afraid we don’t have much time," he said through the door.

Inside the room he immediately heard movement.

Then Tatiana’s voice answered him.

It sounded rushed and slightly breathless like she was still in the middle of getting ready.

"I’m sorry," she said quickly. "Just give me a minute. I’ll be done soon."

Liam nodded even though she could not see him.

"Okay."

He stepped away from the door and walked back into the sitting room.

The suit felt comfortable on him as he moved and the quiet house gave him a few moments to breathe before everything started tonight.

His phone was lying on the table where he left it earlier.

Liam picked it up and stared at the screen for a moment.

There was someone he wanted to talk to before the mission started.

He scrolled through the contacts briefly and tapped a number.

The call began ringing.

After a short moment the receiver picked up.

The moment the line connected Liam’s face lit up slightly.

"Hey Ann," he said.

For half a second there was silence on the other side.

Then suddenly the call switched.

The screen changed.

FaceTime.

Ann’s face appeared instantly on the display.

The moment Liam saw her his smile grew a little wider.

Ann looked exactly the same as he remembered. Her long dark hair framed her beautiful face and her deep eyes sparkled the moment she saw him on the screen.

Her reaction was immediate.

Her expression lit up like a child who had just seen someone she loved after a long time.

"My baby!"

Her voice came out excited and full of warmth.

"I miss you so much."

She leaned closer to the camera slightly as if trying to get closer to him through the screen.

"Let me come to Russia!"

Liam laughed softly.

He could not help it.

Ann always had this effect on him.

He held the phone slightly higher while leaning back against the couch.

"My love," he said gently, "I miss you too."

His tone softened a little as he looked at her.

"I just wanted to check on you."

Then his expression shifted slightly.

"I have a mission tonight."

Ann’s excitement calmed a little as she listened.

But Liam continued before she could say anything else.

"And I’ve been thinking about something."

His voice remained calm but serious now.

"I think it’s time for all of you to come here."

Ann blinked.

Liam continued speaking.

"You. Kelly. Seo Yeon. Lilith. Dickson. Vanessa."

He listed their names one after another.

"You can all come."

For a moment Ann simply stared at him.

Then her brows slowly furrowed in confusion.

"I thought you said it would be safer for us here," she said.

Liam shook his head slightly.

"That was before."

He ran a hand through his hair as he explained.

"Things have changed."

His tone carried more seriousness now.

"I need your help here."

He looked directly into the camera.

"I’ll fill you in when you get here."

Ann’s eyes widened immediately.

She leaned closer to the phone again.

"Wait."

Her voice sounded surprised.

"So you mean we should actually come?"

Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of excitement and disbelief.

"For real?"

Liam nodded slowly as he looked at Ann through the screen.

"Yeah," he said calmly. "I’m not lying. I want you guys to come here. I need you."

For a brief second Ann just stared at him.

Then her eyes lit up so brightly it almost looked unreal. The excitement in them was so intense Liam could practically imagine tiny stars shining inside those dark pupils. Her whole face changed instantly, that natural charm of hers becoming even more alive.

She looked like someone who had just been given the best news in the world.

"Then that’s it," she said quickly. "I’ll go break the news to the others."

She leaned a little closer to the screen.

"We’ll all come tomorrow."

Liam’s eyes widened immediately.

"Heyyy," he said quickly, lifting a hand like he was trying to stop her through the screen. "What do you mean tomorrow?"

He leaned forward slightly.

"Will the rest be comfortable with it?"

Ann raised one eyebrow slowly.

Her expression turned slightly annoyed as if the question itself was unnecessary.

"They better be comfortable," she said flatly.

The way she said it carried a very clear message.

If Liam wanted them there then nobody in that group was going to complain.

Ann then softened again and looked directly into Liam’s eyes through the screen.

Her voice dropped slightly, becoming warm again.

"Bye my love," she said. "Go do what you have to do."

A small smile appeared on her lips.

"I’ll see you soon."

Liam could not help smiling back.

"I love you."

Ann’s expression melted immediately.

"I love you too."

The call ended.

The screen went dark again.

Liam lowered the phone slowly and placed it back on the table in front of him.

He had already decided earlier that he was not going to take it with him tonight. The mission required full focus and fewer distractions. Besides, with the system connected to him, he barely needed the phone most of the time anyway.

The house returned to silence.

For a moment Liam just sat there thinking.

Ann and the others would arrive tomorrow.

That meant things were about to get a lot more serious.

But for tonight the plan remained the same. He and Tatiana would enter the Shadow Lounge and find the boss behind the operation.

He leaned back slightly on the couch and waited.

Minutes passed.

Five minutes.

Then seven.

Then ten.

Just as Liam began wondering if Tatiana had run into some problem inside the room, the door across the hallway finally opened.

The sound immediately caught his attention.

His head turned naturally toward the hallway.

Tatiana stepped out of the room.

And for a moment Liam completely froze.

He did not move.

He did not blink.

He simply stared.

The sight in front of him stunned him more than he expected.

Tatiana’s red hair fell down around her shoulders in thick soft waves that glowed faintly under the warm light of the room. The fiery color of it stood out sharply against the dark elegance of the dress she was wearing.

The gown itself was black.

Deep black.

Smooth and elegant.

But woven into the design were faint touches of dark red that ran subtly along the fabric like thin streaks of flame, almost matching the color of her hair. It gave the entire dress a dangerous and seductive feeling as if it had been made specifically for her.

The gown clung to her body perfectly.

It wrapped tightly around her upper body, shaping itself over the soft curves of her chest. The neckline dipped just low enough to show the swell of her breasts, the fabric hugging them so closely that every step she took caused a gentle bounce beneath the dress.

Not exaggerated.

Just enough movement to make it impossible to ignore.

The way the top of the gown held them up pushed them together slightly, creating a tempting curve that naturally drew attention.

Liam swallowed quietly.

Then his eyes moved lower.

The dress narrowed beautifully at her waist, hugging the slim line of her body before flowing down along her hips.

And those hips...

They were impossible to ignore.

Her waist was narrow and feminine but her lower body carried a fullness that gave her shape an incredibly seductive balance.

The gown followed every inch of that shape.

Her hips pushed against the fabric and the curve of her backside stretched the dress just enough that the outline of it could almost be seen even from the front. The swell of her ass was so pronounced that from Liam’s angle he could literally see the way it rounded behind her even without turning around.

It gave her walk a natural sway.

Not forced.

Not exaggerated.

Just the soft movement of a woman whose body carried real curves.

Each step she took made the lower part of the gown shift gently around her thighs while her hips rolled with a smooth rhythm.

Then there were the heels.

Bright red.

Sharp.

Elegant.

The thin heels lifted her height slightly and made her legs look even longer. The color matched perfectly with the red tones in her dress and the fiery glow of her hair.

The shoes clicked softly against the floor as she walked.

The sound was calm but strangely hypnotic.

For a moment Liam simply stood there staring at her.

His brain almost refused to process the full image.

Tatiana had always been beautiful.

But dressed like this she looked completely different.

Like someone who belonged in the center of luxury with every eye in the room locked on her.

She noticed his stare almost immediately.

Tatiana stopped walking.

Her eyebrow lifted slightly as she looked at him.

"Well?" she said slowly.

There was a hint of amusement in her voice.

Liam finally blinked and cleared his throat lightly.

But even then his eyes still lingered on her figure for another second before he managed to speak.