Chapter 27: Side Character x Mafia Boss (27)

Standing in front of the full-length mirror, Lyra smoothed down the skirts of her fresh outfit. It was a soft pastel tea-length dress made of delicate fabric, paired with tiny hand-stitched floral embroidery along the puff sleeves.

She turned side to side, admiring the soft reflection.

"Honestly..." Lyra murmured, running her fingers gently along her collarbone. "This original body is actually so pretty and fragile."

The original owner of this body had big, expressive dark eyes, pale clear skin, and a petite frame that made her look like a delicate glass doll that could shatter at the slightest touch.

[ Yeah, Host, ] the System chimed in casually. [ No wonder she died so miserably while saving the Female Lead in the original timeline! Fragile bodies really don’t handle high-speed mafia gunfights very well! ]

Remembering the brutal description of her character’s off-screen death, Lyra’s entire body shivered violently. She snapped her head toward the floating blue icon, glaring at it with burning heat.

"You really didn’t have to remind me of that traumatic piece of information right now!" she huffed, quickly grabbing her small handbag which obviously was given to her along with the clothes.

Leaving her quarters, Lyra walked down the grand driveway toward the front courtyard. parked right near the steps was a line of gleaming black cars, led by a custom bulletproof Maybach.

Inside the back seat of the Maybach, Alastair was already sitting, his long legs crossed, looking over a stack of documents.

Lyra paused, her brain calculating the proper servant etiquette. Obviously, a hostage-slash-maid doesn’t get to sit in the luxury king car with the big boss.

Nodding to herself, she bypassed his car entirely and began heading toward the trailing car filled with suited mafia guards.

Inside the Maybach, Alastair’s dark gaze tracked her through the tinted glass. Seeing her head straight toward a car full of young, broad-shouldered men, his sharp eyebrows furrowed into a deep scowl. An irritation surged in his chest.

How dare she even think about getting into a car with those men?

Before Lyra’s hand could touch the door handle of the guards’ vehicle, the door of the Maybach snapped open. Heavy, rapid footsteps echoed behind her, and a large hand clamped firmly around her wrist.

"Ah-!" Lyra squeaked as Alastair forcefully turned her around and pulled her toward his car, practically lifting her off her feet as he shoved her gently into the plush back seat beside his own spot.

"You will ride with me," Alastair said, his raspy voice leaving zero room for argument. He slammed the door shut, slid in beside her, and signaled the driver.

Lyra sat utterly stunned, her mouth opening and closing like a landed fish. Before her chaotic mind could even process what had just happened, the entire motorcade smoothly accelerated, speeding away from the massive gates of the estate.

Meanwhile, on the second-floor balcony...

Elena watched the convoy disappear down the winding mountain road, her hands clutching the icy stone railing so hard her knuckles turned white. Her heart pounding nervously.

She felt completely, utterly helpless.

Behind her in the doorway, two towering guards stood like silent statues, watching her every single move with absolute vigilance.

Elena let out a long, defeated sigh, her shoulders slumping. "...I wish Dad could just find me and save me," she muttered under her breath, her eyes brimming with reluctant tears.

She hated Victor Hart with every fiber of her being. He was a distant, cold father who had abandoned her years ago to protect his own illegal empire. Yet, looking at the dark, inescapable cage of the Voss estate, she realized her absent father was the only force powerful enough to break through this nightmare.

Inside the sleek interior of the Maybach... Lyra sat frozen, pressed so hard against the passenger door that she was practically glued to the window glass. She kept her head hung low, trying to make herself as small and invisible as humanly possible.

Directly beside her, Alastair was calmly typing away on a thin laptop, a dark silk tie loosened slightly at his throat. He looked utterly composed, yet the dark aura radiating from his body made the cold air conditioning feel ten times colder.

[ Host! Host! Host! ] the System kept whining continuously inside her mind, its digital voice spiraling into complete panic.

I can hear you, shut up! Lyra snapped back internally, keeping her face completely stiff.

[ What on earth is going on?! ] the System cried out, running continuous diagnostic loops over the car’s spatial layout. [ Something is seriously not right here! This Male Lead is giving me extremely weird, terrifying vibes! Why is he forcing you to sit next to him instead of leaving you with the servants?! ]

Uh... well, Host... even the System’s core processor seemed utterly stumped, floating in confused circles. [ My narrative logic models are glitching out! ]

Lyra rolled her dark eyes internally. Great, my futuristic guidance system is just as lost as I am.

After a tense, forty-minute drive through the city’s commercial district, the car pulled up to the private entrance of Voss Enterprises- a towering, eighty-story glass skyscraper that served as the legitimate front for Alastair’s global underworld syndicate.

The moment the car stopped, two ranks of armed guards instantly snapped to attention, opening the doors.

Alastair stepped out first, adjusting his suit. He didn’t move forward. Instead, he waited until Lyra timidly scrambled out after him, looking around the grand underground lobby with wide eyes.

"Follow me," Alastair commanded softly, his hand lightly resting against the small of her back- a gesture so subtle yet possessive that it made the surrounding guards’ eyes widen in absolute horror.

As they entered the main glass elevator and rode up to the executive penthouse floor, the reactions of the staff were nothing short of hilarious.

Every single employee they passed froze dead in their tracks.

They looked at their fearsome, ruthless, bloodthirsty boss- a man who executed rivals without blinking- stepping out of the executive lift. And right beside him, practically walking in his shadow, was a cute, fragile little angel in a pastel floral dress, looking like a lost fairy who had accidentally wandered into a wolf’s lair.

Quiet, panicked whispers instantly broke out among the staff the moment the two walked past:

"Is... is that a hostage? I feel soo bad for her!"

"Oh my god, look at her small hands... she looks so cute!"

"Why would Boss bring such a sweet girl to this bloody place?!"

"I feel so terribly bad for her... she has no idea what kind of devil she’s standing next to!"

"Shh! Do you want your tongue cut off?! Keep your head down!"

Lyra could hear the faint hushed murmurs echoing off the polished marble walls. She blinked, feeling an overwhelming urge to turn around and clarify: Guys, don’t pity me, I’m literally just here for the free gourmet snacks and the front-row seats to the drama!

Alastair led her directly into his massive corner office. The room featured panoramic floor-to-ceiling views of the city skyline, a massive desk, and plush sofas.

"Sit," Alastair instructed, gesturing toward the soft couch near his desk.

Lyra happily obliged, sinking into the expensive cushion with a soft sigh.

For the next two hours, the office was surprisingly peaceful. Alastair worked silently at his desk, his grey eyes occasionally flicking over to ensure his little mouse was still safely tucked away on the sofa, quietly reading through a magazine he had instructed his secretary to bring her.

Suddenly, the phone sitting on Alastair’s desk rang out with a buzz.

Alastair picked it up, his face instantly hardening as a low, serious voice spoke through the receiver. His grey eyes narrowed into deadly dangerous frost instantly covering his handsome features.

"I understand," Alastair said coldly, slamming the phone back down onto its base.

He pressed the intercom button on his desk. Within three seconds, a impeccably dressed female senior assistant stepped into the room, bowing respectfully.

"Boss?"

Alastair stood up, grabbing his coat. He looked over at Lyra, his gaze softening just a fraction.

"I have an urgent emergency meeting to handle in the lower basement level," Alastair said, his raspy voice echoing in the quiet office. He looked at his female assistant. "Take her out to the executive lounge. Get her whatever pastries or drinks she wants. Keep her safe until I return."

"Understood, Boss," the female assistant replied crisping, offering Lyra a gentle, reassuring smile.

Lyra’s eyes lit up instantly at the word ’pastries.’ "Okay! Take your time, Boss!" she said cheerfully, hopping off the couch without an ounce of hesitation.

Alastair stared at her eager, bright smile, letting out a quiet, amused breath before turning and sweeping out of the office through a private side exit.

"This way, Miss," the female assistant said politely, holding the main double doors open for her.

Lyra happily stepped out into the grand, carpeted hallway, humming a light tune as she mentally prepared to devour every high-end dessert the executive lounge had to offer.

However, as they took a turn down the quiet, secure hallway toward the lounge, the double doors at the far end swung open.

A towering, terrifying man stepped into the corridor.

He was exceptionally broad-shouldered, wearing a charcoal suit that barely contained his muscular frame. A long scar ran down from his left eyebrow across his cheek, giving his icy eyes a dangerous, predatory edge. The dark aura radiating from him was heavy and instantly recognizable- he was clearly a high-ranking figure in the underworld.

As he walked past them, his cold gaze flicked downward, landing directly on Lyra’s petite figure.

For a single second, time seemed to slow down. His piercing eyes swept over her face with a strange intensity- glancing once at her soft features before turning away without a single word, his footsteps fading down the corridor.

Lyra froze in her tracks, a sudden, inexplicable chill running straight down her spine. Her heart did a strange flutter.

[ Host! ] the System gasped frantically in her mind. [ Did you see that guy’s aura?! He looks insanely dangerous! ]

Lyra rubbed her arms, watching the terrifying man vanish around the corner, her brows furrowing into a confused line.

"Yeah..." she muttered under her breath, a strange, uneasy feeling settling deep within her stomach. "Who on earth was that...?"