Jasmin gave Ziaisko a mysterious smile. Her voice no longer held any excitement; instead, there was a strange sense of tranquility. In a calm voice, she said:
"But Victor... it is only natural that he resembles you. I know now that Victor is your cousin. When the blood is of the same lineage, the features are bound to match. But it is that very blood that is now conspiring against one another."
Jasmin did not linger. She had learned what she needed to know. The long-standing wall of misunderstanding between Dmitriy and Ziaisko was now trembling. She began to walk slowly out of the warehouse.
Outside, night had fallen. Suddenly, Jasmin began to hum a Russian song. Her voice carried a melody that was both melancholic and triumphant. The lyrics seemed to mirror the struggle between the dark past of her heart and her future. Then, humming the Russian tune, she walked away.
Ji-Han realized that Jasmin wanted to be alone. Without a word, he headed toward his car and drove away.
Jasmin walked to her own regal Mercedes parked in front of the warehouse. Not Ziaisko's Bentley—today, she would return in her own favorite car. As the engine roared to life, Jasmin sped onto the deserted night road.
As she sat in her Mercedes, she felt a strange sense of mania. All the mysteries of the road were now within her grasp. She turned up an intense Russian track on the car's audio system. The beats and the heavy bass created an otherworldly atmosphere inside the vehicle.
The road was completely empty, so she began to drive at a lethal speed. As the Mercedes tore through the highway like the wind, Jasmin laughed out loud. This was no ordinary laugh; it was the demonic joy of overcoming adversity and uncovering the schemes of a cunning man like Victor. Jasmin was no longer just a pawn on the chessboard; she was now the player.
Suddenly, a call appeared on the dashboard screen. She connected with an old friend. Laughing, Jasmin spoke to her friend through the car's speakers.
"Friend, do you see? Blood never lies," Jasmin said, glancing at the screen with a smile. "Dmitriy and Ziaisko are twin brothers, and Victor is their own cousin! The whole family is a living mystery. I have sown the first seed of their reconciliation."
From the other end, her friend warned, "Jessi, Dmitriy hasn't calmed down yet. Be careful."
Jasmin pressed the accelerator even harder and said, "Dmitriy loves me, and Ziaisko trusts me now. And Victor? He thinks I'm still blindly following his lead. Tonight is just the beginning, my friend. Tonight, the Red Phantom will show her true form!"
The rhythm of the Russian song and Jasmin's indomitable speed turned the deserted road into a thrilling battlefield. As the Mercedes flew down the highway at 120 mph, the glass shook from the bass. Jasmin was lost in her strange euphoria. But at that moment, something happened in the middle of the road that was beyond imagination.
The road was completely vacant, flanked by dense forests. Suddenly, Jasmin saw a pair of massive, blinding lights heading straight for her from the horizon. The light was so intense it blinded her. Within seconds, the Mercedes began to shake under immense air pressure.
A black combat helicopter swept down low and hovered directly in the middle of the road, blocking her path. The rotation of the blades kicked up a storm of dust. It was a terrifying attempt to stop her in her tracks.
Jasmin didn't flinch for a second. She smiled with unwavering courage. "You want to play? Then let's go!" She shifted gears instantly. As the helicopter hovered inches above her, Jasmin sent her Mercedes into a sharp drift, sliding from one edge of the road to the other. Smoke billowed from the tires as they screeched against the pavement.
She accelerated even more, intending to bypass the helicopter. Just then, the helicopter rose a few feet and began flying parallel to her car.
The Moment of Peak Tension:
The helicopter's sliding door opened. An armed commando stood there, aiming directly at Jasmin. But Jasmin opened her sunroof. Holding the steering wheel with one hand, she raised her pistol with the other. The Russian song was still blaring.
As the helicopter ascended slightly, Jasmin let go of the wheel for a split second and made a triumphant gesture toward the sky. The helicopter was now directly above her car, like a giant hawk chasing its prey. With the whistling wind and the roar of engines, the highway turned into a living war zone.
Jasmin laughed into the phone, telling her friend, "They are watching me from the sky, and I am outrunning the wind on the road. Did Dmitriy send them, or was it Victor? Whoever it is, it's impossible to stop the Red Phantom today!"
But now, it wasn't just a helicopter from the sky. In the middle of the road, four pitch-black SUVs stood as a barricade. The vehicles were positioned such that there was no way out. The helicopter remained stationary overhead, its searchlight pinned directly on Jasmin.
Jasmin remained unperturbed. She calmly slammed the brakes and brought the car to a halt. The silence of the surroundings was broken only by the thrumming of the helicopter blades. A group of armed men in black suits emerged from the SUVs and surrounded her car.
The door of the Mercedes opened slowly. Jasmin stepped out. In her mud-stained white dress, she looked like a terrifyingly beautiful warrior. She pulled a lighter from her pocket and lit a cigarette.
The faint sound of the Russian song still drifted from the open car door. Jasmin took a deep drag, exhaled the smoke, and flashed a demonic smile at the armed men. There was no fear in her eyes, only disdain. She threw her arms out wide and screamed— "Come on!"
Her defiant challenge sent a jolt of tension through the air. Everyone—from the men in the helicopter to those by the SUVs—was stunned by her indomitable spirit. Jasmin knew that whether these were Dmitriy's men or Victor's, the Red Phantom hadn't come here to bow down to anyone.
As she stood there with the cigarette in hand, the doors of the black cars opened one by one. Jasmin expected Dmitriy or Ziaisko, but when she saw who stepped out, her hand froze.
Dmitriy and Ziaisko emerged first, but behind them were two people who left Jasmin stunned: her two old friends—Margaret and Zain Kha!
Jasmin blinked, making sure she wasn't seeing things. Zain Kha and Margaret? Here? What were they doing with Ziaisko and Dmitriy?
Jasmin stood shocked. She let out a puff of smoke and gave a mocking laugh. Looking at Margaret and Zain Kha, she said in a sharp tone—
"Oh, I see! You? What are Alia's ex-boyfriends doing here? So, you've joined this game too?"
A strange silence fell over the scene. Zain Kha and Margaret didn't answer; they simply stared at Jasmin with steady, firm gazes. Jasmin knew the bitterness of their past relationship with Alia, but she never imagined they would join forces with Dmitriy and Ziaisko to block her path.
Jasmin realized the scheme was deeper than she thought. The twin brothers stood side-by-side, calm, as if Jasmin's earlier revelation about them being twins had erased their enmity and united them.
Jasmin dropped the cigarette butt and crushed it under her heel. She laughed and looked at Ziaisko. "Ziaisko, you said I was your ally. Then what is the meaning of this ambush? You even found Margaret and Zain Kha?"
Margaret took a step forward. "Jessi, we aren't here to fight. We're here to tell you a truth that Alia hid from you."
Seeing Jasmin's fearless form, all four—Dmitriy, Ziaisko, Margaret, and Zain Kha—were taken aback. It was clear from her voice that she wasn't afraid of their trap; she was enjoying the situation.
Jasmin blew out a final cloud of smoke and said mockingly, "Fools! Do you think I'm still worried about Alia and Victor? I know everything. Victor and Alia—their chapter ended long ago. They are busy with their conspiracies in Korea. Forget those old stories. This game doesn't belong to them anymore. This chapter belongs to us five. Before, there were four of you; now I've joined, making us five!"
With those words, Jasmin spun around with lightning speed. Before her was the massive, towering wall of the bridge. Without a moment's hesitation, she climbed onto the ledge. Below lay the dark, turbulent waters from which return was nearly impossible.
Dmitriy screamed, "Jessi, no!"
Ziaisko reached out to stop her, but Jasmin was already beyond their reach. She stood on the railing, looking up at the dark sky with her arms spread wide. Her white dress fluttered in the wind like a true 'Red Phantom.'
"Goodbye, friends! See you in the next chapter!"
Jasmin jumped forward, laughing loudly. The sound of her laughter echoed through the air around the bridge. Dmitriy and Ziaisko rushed to the edge, but only the roar of the dark water could be heard below.
Jasmin knew there was water below. This risk was the greatest thrill of her life. She vanished into the depths, but her mysterious laughter left a new sense of dread and excitement in the hearts of the four men. They realized that far from controlling her, understanding Jasmin was beyond the reach of ordinary men. Three Months Later — A Peaceful Night
Three months had passed. A soft, silvery moonlight filtered through the window of a luxurious bedroom, casting a gentle glow over the silk-covered bed. The atmosphere in the room was exceptionally calm and warm. Dmitri was lost in a deep sleep. Looking at his tranquil face, it was impossible to tell that he was once one of Russia's most terrifying mafia bosses.
Dmitri remained in a profound slumber, one hand draped over Jasmine as if even in sleep, he was guarding her for fear of losing her again. Jasmine was still awake. A thin silk sheet covered only half of her body; she wore no clothes. They had been in each other's deep embrace just moments ago, and the lingering essence of that intimate encounter still hung in the air.
Propped up on one elbow, Jasmine gazed at Dmitri's sleeping face. Her mind drifted back to that night three months ago—the leap from the bridge, the crushing depth of the water, and the raw desperation in Dmitri's voice when he finally found her. Dmitri had brought her back from Korea, rescuing her from the dark chapters of her own life.
She slowly ran her fingers through Dmitri's hair. She realized now that there were things in this world greater than revenge. Yet, the mysterious "Red Phantom" glint in her eyes had not vanished. She knew that Ziyaisko, Margaret, and Zain Kha were likely still embroiled in some conspiracy.
In his sleep, Dmitri murmured Jasmine's name. Jasmine smiled tenderly and huddled closer to him. In these three months, she had evolved from being a mere spy to an inseparable part of Dmitri's life.
Looking out at the dark sky through the window, she thought to herself, "The game isn't over yet, Dmitri. But tonight belongs only to us."
Under the soft moonlight, Dmitri's face took on a magical, ethereal quality. Jasmine leaned down slowly, her loose hair cascading over his shoulders and onto the pillow.
Then, Jasmine kissed Dmitri on the forehead—a deep, lingering, and affectionate kiss.
After the kiss, she rested her forehead against his, staying still for a long moment. She could feel his warm breath against her skin. In this deep sleep, Dmitri was completely disarmed; the fearsome mafia boss was now sleeping simply as a lover.
Dmitri stirred slightly in his sleep and pulled Jasmine even closer to him. Jasmine rested her head on his chest with a soft smile. She knew that outside, enemies and conspiracies were still lurking, but beneath these sheets, in Dmitri's arms, she felt entirely safe.
Jasmine whispered into Dmitri's ear, "I'm not going anywhere, Dmitri. The Red Phantom is now a prisoner in your palace."
The clock in the room continued its steady ticking, but for the two of them, time seemed to have frozen in that single, perfect moment. Dmitri, still half-asleep, instinctively felt Jasmine's presence. He suddenly hugged Jasmine tightly, pulling her close with an intense sense of longing. Jasmine was surprised, her body tensing for a moment, but she said nothing.
She felt the heat of his skin and the rhythm of his heart, which reminded her of how intimate they had been just a short while ago. The memory of their deep connection still lingered in the air. Jasmine slowly relaxed, letting herself sink into his strong embrace. In that moment, she realized that to Dmitri, she was his entire world, and to her, his arms were her only sanctuary from her chaotic life as a spy.