Chapter 2

In my previous life, that clean headshot solved everything.

The hostage was saved, the mayor treated me like family, and I was hailed as a hero.

That act earned me honors and a fast-track promotion—and became the very catalyst that dragged me straight to hell.

Sean couldn't stomach his wife outshining him.

Worse, I had ruined the precious reputation of his golden girl, Chloe, driving her into a breakdown.

So, he tossed me into the filthiest, deadliest cartel ring as an undercover pawn.

Then, at the crucial moment of the sting, he intentionally burned my cover.

I still remembered the smug, treacherous look in his eyes right before I went under the knife.

A shrill scream yanked me back to reality.

It was Chloe, panic finally leaking through her fragile facade.

"D-Don't move! I'm just trying to help you! You're making communication impossible—"

"Help me?"

The psycho let out a shrill, mocking cackle and dragged the knife down!

"Ahhh!"

A bloodcurdling shriek pierced the warehouse.

The next second, a severed, bloody finger bounced onto the concrete floor.

The mayor's son had lost the pinky on his left hand. His eyes rolled back into his head, teetering on the edge of passing out.

"You psycho! You absolute monster! How could you?!"

Chloe shrieked in horror, tears choking her words as she completely abandoned every shred of professional composure.

"I was helping you! Why won't you listen?!"

Her screeching only threw gasoline on the fire.

The muscles in the killer's face contorted wildly. Offended by her accusation, he raised the blood-slicked blade once more.

This time, right at the hostage's eye.

"Help me? Sending a bitch to talk down to me—you think this is a joke?! Watch me carve his eyeballs out right fucking now!"

Everyone's blood turned to ice.

Yet, the direct order to breach or fire from Commander Sean Vance never came.

"Chloe, fall back! Keep your head down!"

His top priority was shielding the very woman who was botching the entire rescue.

Mayor Adams' voice shattered through the radio, bordering on insanity.

"Sean Vance! My son's finger! Did you see that?! Shoot! Neutralize him right now!"

"Or I swear to God you're fired!"

Sean's heavy breathing rasped against his mic.

"Chloe, fall back to a safe distance immediately!"

Once again, he secured her safety first. Only then did he grind out an order through clenched teeth.

"Sniper team, stand by..."

"Sean!"

Chloe sobbed over the comms, dripping with hurt and stubborn conviction.

"They don't understand! This is classic trauma-induced PTSD!"

"Violence will only escalate the tragedy! What we need is empathy—a bridge of trust!"

"Agitating him will push him off the deep end!"

She seemed to have completely forgotten that her own words had just cost the boy a finger.

"They're all yelling at me... do you doubt my professional judgment too?"

She was actually whining to him in the middle of a tactical crisis.

Right then, Miller's panicked voice cut through the channel.

"Commander..."

"Recon just reported... there's an explosive signature around the target's feet!"