The next morning, Rayyan carried out his routine as usual. He went down to the main hall of the headquarters and saw several of Rinthara’s men deep in discussion. Their faces were tense, likely still talking about the recent incident.
Rayyan tried to ignore the unease creeping inside him. He headed outside for some fresh air. But just as he was about to light a cigarette, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
Captain.
Rayyan answered calmly. “Yeah?”
“We’ve got an insider who will be working with you,” the Captain’s voice was serious. “This person has been in the syndicate for a long time and is ready to help us take down Rinthara from within.”
Rayyan pressed his lips together. “Who?”
“I can’t reveal that yet. But they’ll contact you soon. You just need to follow their plan.”
Rayyan was silent for a moment. Something felt off. If there had been an informant working with the police for so long, why were they only appearing now?
“I hope this isn’t a trap,” Rayyan finally said.
“It’s not. We’ve verified their identity. They genuinely want to bring Rinthara down.”
Rayyan gripped his phone tightly. His eyes drifted toward the headquarters in the distance, where Rinthara was likely busy with her affairs.
“Understood. I’ll wait.”
The call ended.
Rayyan took a deep breath. His thoughts were in turmoil.
Was this a sign that his mission was nearing its end?
Or… was it just the beginning of something even more complicated?
••••
That night, the atmosphere in Rinthara’s headquarters was tense and uncertain. Her men were busy securing their areas after the Chonburi incident. Yet, Rinthara could sense that something was wrong.
She sat in her office, staring at the computer screen filled with transaction reports. Her eyes were weary, her body still not fully recovered, but she couldn’t afford to rest.
Suddenly—there was a knock on the door.
One of her trusted men, Somchai, stepped in with a serious expression.
“Boss, I have something to show you.”
Rinthara raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
Somchai handed her a thick file. Rinthara took it cautiously and opened it. But the moment she read the first page, her heart pounded.
The file contained evidence of secret transactions carried out without her knowledge.
Someone within the syndicate had been selling critical information to the enemy. The details included:
The locations of their hideouts.
Weapon shipment lists altered without her approval.
The coordinates of her safe house!
“Damn it.” Rinthara clenched her fists, fury igniting in her chest.
She looked up at Somchai. “Who did this?”
Somchai bit his lip. “I’ve checked… and I think I know who’s behind it.”
He pressed a button on his phone, pulling up CCTV footage from one of the old storage rooms.
Rinthara froze.
In the video, Thanom—one of her most trusted lieutenants—was meeting with Rinrada!
They spoke in hushed tones, but the audio had captured a few crucial words:
“Rinthara is too powerful. If we want to bring her down, now’s the time.”
“I’ve given them all the locations. Once Rayyan takes her out, we can take everything.”
Rinthara’s blood boiled.
This betrayal hurt more than the wounds on her body. She had placed her trust in Thanom, and he had sold her out.
“Where is he now?” Rinthara’s voice was icy and sharp.
Somchai swallowed hard. “He’s at the back warehouse… probably talking to a few others.”
Rinthara stood abruptly. She would not let this traitor live.
“Take me there. Now.”
The back warehouse was dark and eerily quiet. A soft night breeze carried an unspoken tension through the air. Inside, Thanom was deep in conversation with a few others, unaware that a trap had been set for him.
From the upper level of the warehouse, Rinthara watched. Her gaze was cold, her lips pressed into a thin line. She would not let this betrayal go unpunished.
With a subtle hand signal, her men sprang into action.
In an instant, the warehouse doors were locked. The men with Thanom were ambushed, guns pressed to their heads.
Thanom froze, eyes widening. “What the hell?!”
Footsteps echoed slowly across the warehouse floor. Rinthara emerged from the shadows, her expression unreadable.
“You know what this is, Thanom.”
Thanom swallowed hard. “Boss… this is a misunderstanding—”
“A misunderstanding?” Rinthara mocked, pulling a file from her coat and tossing it onto the ground.
“Or is this what you call a misunderstanding?” Papers scattered, exposing his betrayal.
Thanom fell silent. He knew there was no point in denying it.
“Rinthara, listen to me—”
“I don’t need to listen to anything.” Rinthara pulled out her gun, aiming it at his head.
Thanom immediately dropped to his knees, pleading. “Boss, please! I had no choice! Rinrada threatened me!”
“And you think I’ll believe that?” Rinthara stepped closer, her voice dripping with venom. “Your betrayal nearly got me killed.”
She pulled the trigger.
BANG!
The first shot shattered Thanom’s kneecap. He screamed in agony.
BANG!
The second bullet tore through his shoulder. Blood splattered across the floor.
Thanom writhed, his cries filling the warehouse. But Rinthara’s face remained void of emotion.
“I hate traitors.”
Without hesitation, she aimed at his head and—
BANG!
The final shot ended Thanom’s life. His body crumpled lifelessly to the floor.
Just outside the warehouse, Rayyan stood frozen.
He had seen everything—how Rinthara executed Thanom without mercy.
Thanom wasn’t just an informant to Rayyan. Even though they had only just met, Rayyan had considered Thanom a friend. Someone he thought he could trust.
And now, Thanom was dead.
Rayyan stepped forward, his face tense. “Rinthara!”
Rinthara turned, her gaze still sharp, her pistol still smoking.
“Why did you kill him?!” Rayyan’s voice was loud, filled with anger.
Rinthara scoffed, slipping her gun back into its holster. “Don’t tell me you don’t understand why.”
Rayyan marched closer, his eyes burning with frustration.
“He was my friend!”
“And he was my traitor.” Rinthara’s voice was like a blade. “I don’t let traitors live.”
Rayyan slammed his fist against a metal table, struggling to contain his emotions.
“You really have no heart, do you?!”
Rinthara chuckled darkly. “Don’t be naive, Rayyan.” She stepped closer, their faces just inches apart.
“In our world… if you let a traitor live, you’ll be the one who dies.”
Rayyan clenched his fists.
And at that moment, he realized something.
Rinthara and him…
They weren’t from the same world.
They would never stand on the same side.
And that was the moment Rayyan finally made a decision that would change everything.
Rayyan stood there, his breath heavy. Blood still stained the warehouse floor where Thanom had died moments ago. His hands trembled.
He couldn’t believe it. Rinthara hadn’t even given Thanom a chance to explain.
Now, all he could do was stare at Thanom’s lifeless body.
“He… he just wanted to survive…” Rayyan whispered, but his words were swallowed by the silence.
But the nightmare wasn’t over yet.
The sound of footsteps echoed outside the warehouse.
Rayyan turned and saw Rinthara’s men dragging someone inside.
Han.
Rayyan’s eyes widened in shock.
Han was dragged in like an animal. His clothes were torn, his face battered and covered in blood. Deep wounds marked his body—evidence of brutal torture.
“Han!” Rayyan almost rushed forward, but Rinthara’s men quickly stopped him.
Han lifted his face, his eyes barely open. His lips were bleeding, but he still tried to smile.
"You're still here, Rayyan..." his voice was weak.
Rayyan struggled against the grip of Rinthara’s men, but Rinthara only stood there, her expression cold.
"Do you know what his crime was, Rayyan?" Rinthara’s voice was sharp.
Rayyan glared at her with hatred. "His only crime… was wanting to change this world."
Rinthara let out a small scoff. "And he chose the wrong way."
She pulled a knife from her belt. "I won’t let someone who tried to kill me stay alive."
Rayyan froze.
He knew Han wanted to kill Rinthara. But wasn’t that justified?
Wouldn’t the world be better off without Rinthara?
Rinthara was ruthless. The world she built was filled with nothing but blood and death.
Han fought for something better.
But look at him now…
Han was crawling on the floor in pain, awaiting his own death.
“Rinthara, enough!” Rayyan shouted, his eyes wet with anger and frustration.
Rinthara turned to him, but her face remained cold. “This isn’t your business, Rayyan.”
"He’s my friend!"
Rinthara chuckled. "And he betrayed me."
Rayyan gritted his teeth, but he knew there was nothing he could do.
He couldn’t save Han.
And in an instant, Rinthara’s knife plunged downward—
Straight into Han’s heart.
Han didn’t scream. He only gave a small smile.
"You know, Rayyan…" his voice was weak, blood filling his mouth.
"This world… has no hope."
His eyes grew heavy, but he still looked at Rayyan.
"You still have a choice…"
And finally, Han’s breath stopped.
Rayyan couldn’t hold back his tears. He fell to his knees beside Han’s lifeless body, crying silently.
Rinthara sighed and wiped the blood off her hands. "Get rid of the body."
Her men nodded and began dragging Han’s corpse away.
Rayyan could only watch.
Inside him, a realization was forming.
Rinthara’s world was no longer a place for him.
Han was right.
This world should be free of Rinthara.
And Rayyan knew… there was only one way to make that happen.
He would make sure Rinthara was taken down.
The warehouse fell into silence after Han took his last breath. The only sounds were Rayyan’s heavy breathing and the blood still dripping onto the floor.
Rinthara wiped the blood from her hands with a blank expression.
She felt no regret.
She felt no guilt.
She didn’t care.
But Rayyan did.
He stood up, his jaw clenched, his eyes filled with an anger he could no longer hide. He clenched his fists, trying to contain the hatred suffocating his chest.
"What makes you any different from an animal, Rinthara?" his voice was cold, laced with venom.
Rinthara lifted her gaze, her face still calm, but her eyes dimmed.
"I don’t need to be human if it makes me weak."
Rayyan let out a bitter laugh. “So you’re proud of all this?”
He gestured toward Han’s body, still lying there.
"You’re proud of being a murderer?"
Rinthara crossed her arms, unfazed.
"If I didn’t kill him, he would’ve killed me first."
Rayyan shook his head and stepped closer. “Do you think everything can be solved by killing?”
"In my world, yes."
"That’s why your world is cruel."
"And yet, you’re still here, Rayyan."
Slowly, Rinthara smirked.
"You could have left, right?"
"Maybe I was stupid for not leaving sooner."
"Maybe."
Rayyan stared at her for a long time. His eyes searched her face—
But all he saw was a woman who had lost her emotions.
Or maybe, Rinthara had died in this world a long time ago, and only her body remained.
She was ruthless.
And she wouldn’t change.
Rayyan understood that now.
There was no other way.
He had to destroy this world.
And that meant destroying Rinthara, too.
Rayyan chuckled, but the sound was hollow.
“Han believed you could change.”
"His mistake was believing in something impossible."
Rayyan’s stare darkened.
"You really have no heart, do you?"
Rinthara stepped closer, her smile full of danger.
"You knew who I was from the start, Rayyan."
"Yeah, and I regret it."
Rinthara’s eyes narrowed.
"Regret?" her voice was rough, but still full of strength.
"I regret ever knowing you."
In a flash, Rinthara struck his chest, shoving him backward.
Rayyan nearly stumbled but quickly regained his footing.
Their eyes met in a dangerous psychological war.
"If you hate me so much, why are you still here?" Rinthara’s voice was sharp, laced with poison.
"Maybe I want to see you fall with my own eyes."
Rinthara’s smirk faded.
She stepped closer, her eyes darkening.
"You think I’m going to lose?"
Rayyan wasn’t afraid.
He stepped closer, until only a breath separated them.
"You will lose, Rinthara. And I’ll make sure of it."
Rinthara laughed, but her laughter was ice-cold. "Do you really think you can go against me, Rayyan?"
Rayyan didn’t answer. He only stared at her, eyes full of unwavering determination.
This time, he wasn’t hesitating.
Rayyan took a deep breath.
He had made his decision.
Before, he came into this world to take Rinthara down.
But he got lost along the way.
He almost believed Rinthara wasn’t his enemy.
But Han’s death reminded him of the real truth.
Rinthara was his enemy.
And this time, he wouldn’t let his emotions blind him again.
He would make sure the police came, and that Rinthara was arrested.
With his own hands.
Rinthara had no idea—
That Rayyan was now the trap that would destroy her.
Rayyan gave a small smile.
He would end everything.
Soon.