After cutting the call with Jasmine, Dmitri grew quiet. His eyes were now like two shards of ice. He was no longer emotional; he was simply a ruthless mafia boss. The extreme maneuver he had made by holding Jasmine's 'heartbeat' hostage now needed execution.
Dmitri picked up a satellite phone from his table—it was his most secure means of communication, used only to contact a handful of high-ranking mafia leaders.
He dialed a number. After a few rings, a heavy, deep voice came from the other end. This voice echoed Russia's old power. This was Viktor, the head of the international mafia network, Dmitri's superior.
"Who is it?" Viktor asked curtly.
Dmitri stood up, his voice now filled with extreme deference.
"It's me, Bhaiya," Dmitri said. In the mafia world, the address 'Bhaiya' (Brother) conveyed his deep loyalty and respect for Viktor.
"What is the meaning of Dmitri calling so late? Is there very bad news from Moscow?" Viktor's voice held a slight annoyance.
"Not bad, Bhaiya. It's very big news," Dmitri said. "I have found a way to permanently dismantle the 'spy' and their network."
Viktor's voice immediately sharpened. "Are you talking about your model? Jasmine? I thought you lost her due to emotion."
"I did not lose her due to emotion, Bhaiya," Dmitri laughed. "I tamed her. Jasmine was their weakness, and I am now turning that weakness into my greatest strength."
Dmitri took a deep breath, then unveiled his final plan.
"I have decided to marry Jasmine, Bhaiya. The wedding will take place in Moscow's oldest Cathedral within two months. This will not just be a wedding. It will be a 'union.'"
A long silence from Viktor on the other end. Dmitri knew this decision would shock Viktor.
"Are you out of your mind, Dmitri?" Viktor finally spoke. "She is a spy's accomplice. This will endanger all of us!"
"Not danger, Bhaiya, but security," Dmitri insisted. "With Jasmine as my wife, Ji-han and his Korean spies cannot directly strike our base. They will now worry about their weakness. And this wedding will be the most secure location to gather all your international associates."
Dmitri made his real request, his eyes shining.
"I want you to invite all your main associates to this wedding, Bhaiya. I want this wedding to be a historic demonstration of our network's power. Jasmine will be right beside me. No more files will be released. I am certain that everyone who attends this wedding will do so without worry, because they will believe we have won."
Viktor pondered for a moment. Then, his cold, mafia-like approval sounded.
"You have courage, Dmitri. Though it is madness, this maneuver might work. If you can truly control Jasmine, then it will be a major victory for us. Very well. I support your wedding. And I will ensure that all our international partners are present. This is the best opportunity to bring them all under one roof."
A smile of triumph bloomed on Dmitri's face. "Thank you, Bhaiya."
This call confirmed the strategic suspicions of Ji-han and the NIS Commander. Dmitri's wedding was now not just a ceremony—it was a massive gathering of international mafiosos, which would turn into a huge trap for the NIS and CIA. Dmitri hung up the phone. A ruthless smile crossed his face. He had succeeded. His love, anger, and revenge—all interwoven—had now trapped Jasmine in a severe web.
On the other side, in the secret NIS base in Moscow, tension was high. Jasmine quickly placed her encrypted communicator on the table.
"Commander, Dmitri didn't just propose marriage to me," Jasmine said, her breathing fast. "He will use this wedding as a massive gathering to unite all his international associates, including mafia lords like Viktor. This is for us… it's a trap, but at the same time…"
"The greatest opportunity," the Commander leaned over the table. A calculated glint in his eyes. "So many high-value targets in one place. An opportunity to strike the heads of this mafia network together will not come again in our history."
The Commander quickly instructed his spy team: "Prepare everyone! This 'wedding' is no longer a personal feud. It is now an international operation. Jasmine's 'heartbeat key' and Dmitri's madness—both are now our most powerful weapons."
Jasmine turned to Ji-han. The pain of Dmitri's proposal and the bitterness of Ji-han's lack of emotion were still evident in her eyes.
"Ji-han," Jasmine said, her voice trembling. "Are you truly going to use me in this game? Can you put aside all your emotions and let me 'go back' to Dmitri?"
Ji-han's face was as hard as stone. For a moment, he forgot the commotion of the command room and only looked into Jasmine's eyes.
"Not go back, Jasmine," Ji-han said in a calm, but intense voice. He took her hand, feeling the cold touch of her locket in his palm. "We will be together. These two months are the test of our hardest time. You will be Dmitri's queen in public, and I will be your protector in the shadows."
"In the shadows?" Jasmine laughed bitterly. "You forget, Dmitri wants me close. He will probably keep me in Moscow, under his watchful eye. What can your shadow do there?"
Ji-han took Jasmine aside, where no one could hear them.
"Jasmine, do you remember the strategy of your 'heartbeat key'? You only gave Dmitri a 12-hour scare, but you told me and the Commander—you gave him a much bigger hint."
Ji-han looked directly into Jasmine's eyes.
"What is the secret meaning of your two-month plan? Where is your real weapon hidden? Where is that file that you don't want to give Dmitri? I need to know that master key to succeed in my mission, Jasmine."
Jasmine met his gaze. Her mysterious smile returned.
"My real weapon… is not in my love, Ji-han. It's in my modeling fame and my artistic recognition. But I won't tell you. This secret information will remain secure only in my heartbeat," Jasmine whispered. "If you truly want to protect me, then be by my side, not behind my master key."
Ji-han understood—Jasmine was asking him to trust her not just as a lover, but as a fellow spy who wants to keep her own secret move until the last moment. This game was no longer Dmitri's or Ji-han's; this game was Jasmine's.
Ji-han sighed and lightly kissed Jasmine's forehead.
"All right, Queen," Ji-han accepted. "I accept your condition. But I will monitor every wave of your heartbeat. Now, let's start—call Dmitri and tell him your 'yes.'" Jasmine suppressed her unease and anger and stood firm. The love for Ji-han and the intense hatred for Dmitri in her eyes forged a new resolve. She quickly picked up the phone and dialed Dmitri's number again.
The phone was picked up almost instantly by Dmitri. His voice held a suppressed thrill of victory.
"I knew it, enchantress. You would make the right decision for your spy," Dmitri said.
Jasmine's voice was cold, with no hesitation or weakness. She seemed to have started her role as the model-queen already.
"Listen, Dmitri," Jasmine said. "I agree. I will participate in your terrifying game. But I have some conditions."
Dmitri laughed. "Conditions? You are setting conditions with me, when your spy lover is in the palm of my hand?"
"I am not in your hand, Dmitri. I am the key to your game," Jasmine insisted. "And I am not agreeing to save my own life. I am agreeing because I want to break your arrogance. ListenJasmine's Conditions
Freedom: "Until the wedding, I will not back out of my modeling assignments. I will stay in my old apartment in London. You will not send anyone to guard me."
Publicity: "All wedding news, photoshoots, and publicity will be handled through my modeling agency, not your mafia style. I want my fame to reach its absolute peak. You will be the shield for my publicity."
Security: "On the wedding day, if I detect even the slightest abnormality in my heartbeat, you know what will happen. I want my key to be secured."
Dmitri remained silent. Jasmine's courage both captivated and infuriated him. He understood that even though Jasmine was falling into his trap, she would not prove herself weak.
"Very well, Jasmine. I accept your conditions. But your freedom is very important to me. You will also serve as a partner in my business deals in my absence. This will make your cover even stronger."
"I agree," Jasmine replied curtly.
"Good, Queen," Dmitri said. His voice was satisfied. "You have two months. Prepare yourself. May your heartbeat remain stable for me."
Jasmine did not say more. She quickly cut the call.
Putting down the phone, she looked at Ji-han, who hadn't taken his eyes off her.
"The conditions have been accepted," Jasmine said. Her eyes were still blazing. "Now my mission begins, Ji-han. I will seek out his weakness through the world of modeling. Are you ready? Will we be apart from each other for these two months?" Two months had passed. These two months were the hardest act of Jasmine's life. From the glamour ramps of London to the flashes of social media, she had exploited Dmitri's frantic proposal. She presented herself as the world's most sought-after model, and every photoshoot felt like a silent challenge to Dmitri.