Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

The compound was sinking, slow but sure. People scattered, running for their lives. Irene found a spot to shelter from the rain, knowing the compound wouldn't hold much longer. The surrounding buildings were already being swallowed by the chaos. In the face of nature's wrath, humanity seemed so small. Leaning against a pillar, Irene didn't care if it might collapse on her, ending her life right there. She looked up, exhaling a puff of smoke, watching the rain and the churning mud with a wry smile. Jaired hadn't left either, gripping her wrist tightly. "Jaired, won't you go check on Ms. Alivia? Such a precious person, suffering so."

Jaired was drenched, rain and mud mixing on his skin. He crouched, pulling her into his arms. "Let's get out of here."

But Irene shrugged off his hand, smiling, "I'm not leaving. As long as this place stands, so do I."

"Are you out of your mind, Irene!" Jaired's cheek was slashed, bleeding, making him look quite the mess. Seeing Irene just sitting there made his eyes well up with tears. "Please," he begged. "Jaired, I begged you the same, ten years ago. You didn't listen."

Irene took another drag from her cigarette, her mind drifting back. Two decades ago, the Riddle family's matriarch was about to give birth in North America and ended up having conjoined twins. Such a rarity would have made headlines worldwide, potentially hindering the patriarch's career advancement.

Luckily, Irene's father knew a surgeon skilled and discreet enough for the job, a member of their organization. Separating the twins was risky; one was not expected to survive and was left on the operating table. The other, taken back to the Riddle family, was hailed as the young master.

The one left behind, Jaired, was miraculously saved and grew up trained as a secret weapon by the organization, known only by the code "001" indicating he was the ace up their sleeve. Irene and 001 trained together, enduring the world's harshest regimes. As her father's only daughter, she was expected to lead the organization with an iron fist, devoid of emotions.

At fifteen, on a mission, 001 encountered Jaired. Neither knew of their shared past, only feeling a strange connection upon seeing

each other's faces. Their secret net

meetings were unknown to all, even Irene, who harbored feelings for 001, knowing well she could never act on them as the organization's leader.

Jaired and 001 looked alike but lived contrasting lives; one in the shadows, the other in a world of privilege. They envied each other's lives, secretly swapping places to experience what the other had.

On her eighteenth birthday, Irene faced the tradition of selecting a male consort to rid her of any romantic notions, focusing solely on physical pleasure. But her heart yearned for 001, wishing to give herself to him. Yet it was Jaired who showed up that night, seeking thrill in the darkness.novelbin

Jaired had no interest in Irene,

remaining unmoved by her pleas, even when Colton and several consorts arrived, exposing Irene's vulnerability. Jaired's world lacked desire, so when 001 returned from his mission, he found Irene entangled with Colton and others, a sight that twisted their fates irreversibly.