The sound of shattering glass echoes through the penthouse as Qiu Dingjie's fist connects with the expensive whiskey decanter. The recruit cowers against the wall, blood trickling from his split lip where Dingjie had struck him earlier.

"You think I have time for your FUCKING mistakes?" Dingjie growls, advancing slowly, his movements predatory. His expensive suit remains impeccable despite the violence, only a single cufflink askew—a small sign of his unraveling control.

He grabs the man by the throat, slamming him against the wall with enough force to make the plaster crack. "Next time you botch a job, I won't be so lenient. Understand?"

The recruit nods frantically, gasping for air as Dingjie's fingers tighten around his windpipe. After a long, tension-filled moment, he releases him with a push, sending the man crumpling to the floor.

"Get out of my sight before I change my mind about letting you live," Dingjie says, straightening his cufflinks with cold precision.

Once alone, he storms to the bar and pours himself a double whiskey, drinking it in one swallow. His jaw tightens as he checks his watch—he's late. The thought of his wife waiting for him at home sends a surge of conflicting emotions through him: possessiveness, hunger, and an urgent need to claim what's his.

He grabs his coat and briefcase, already half-hard at the thought of what he'll do when he gets home. The drive across the city does nothing to calm him; if anything, the anticipation only makes him more dangerous. By the time he inserts his key in the lock, he's barely maintaining control—tonight, his wife won't be getting the gentle lover she sometimes sees. Tonight, she'll get the raw, unfiltered version of the man she married: a predator returning to his prey.