Supervillain Idol System: My Sidekick Is A Yandere-Chapter 544: A New - (Part 6)

Don and Lily reached the front of the vehicle and leaned back against the hood, then sat on it fully, metal creaking faintly under his weight. He crossed his arms and looked past her, eyes drifting over the damage to the building.

"How did this happen?" he asked.

Lily mirrored him without thinking—arms crossing, coat shifting as she adjusted it tighter around herself. She looked back at the broken entrance, the warped frame, the shattered glass littering the pavement.

"I was talking with the contractor," she said. "Interior work. They were supposed to start tomorrow." Her jaw tightened. "Then we got attacked. Men were masked, but I’m almost certain Johnny’s behind it."

Don raised a brow.

He hadn’t bothered digging too deep into the city’s underbelly. His focus had been split too many ways, and the Deadly Damsels weren’t even operational yet. There hadn’t been a need.

"Why are you so sure?" he asked.

Lily clicked her tongue, clear and annoyed. "It’s his style. Let you think everything’s fine, then bite you in the ass. Sends a message." Her hand curled into a fist at her side. "That fucker just pulled back weeks of work and thousands down the drain."

The anger wasn’t staged. It sat heavy in her voice, raw and unpolished.

Don felt the loss, distantly. He didn’t like bleeding money—but it didn’t hit him the way it hit her.

"A hunch isn’t enough to get the police on him," he said. "Do you have evidence?"

Her frown deepened. "No. Besides, I wasn’t planning on involving the police. It’s bad for business."

"That’s not good enough," Don replied. "You’re not involving the police, and you don’t have proof."

"What good is proof when dealing with people like Johnny?" Lily snapped, cutting him off. "He won’t listen to reason. He already denied compensation. Money and negotiation failed—so how do you plan on dealing with him?"

Don exhaled through his nose.

"First," he said, "I want to confirm it’s actually him. Once I do, I’m sure we can work something out."

That did it.

Lily’s anger spiked—not because of what he said, but how he said it. Calm. Even. Like this was a scheduling problem, not her life’s work sitting half-ruined behind them.

She opened her mouth—

Then stopped.

Her jaw clenched. She swallowed hard instead.

Don saw it. He didn’t comment.

"Where’s Ash?" he asked.

Lily let out a breath and turned back toward him. "Hospital. She got injured trying to fight them off. Nothing major, but..." Her mouth twisted. "She’s not licensed to use her powers. I’m sure she’ll be arrested afterward."

Don sighed.

"I’m really starting to question your management of this whole project," he said. "Why was she the only security on site? Even if this place isn’t operational, there should’ve been protection for the assets."

Lily snapped.

"You think it’s easy!?" she shouted.

The officer looked over immediately.

She caught herself, lowered her voice, and continued through clenched teeth. "I don’t know what kind of business you’re trying to run, but you need to understand something. This area is a den for running product. This location? Prime."

She gestured sharply at the street. "Whether you want a clean operation or not, you’re going to have to deal with the bastards fighting over territory."

Her eyes locked onto his.

"You might be some big-shot talent," she said, voice shaking now, "but to them you’re just a kid way over his head."

She didn’t stop herself. She didn’t soften it.

Don didn’t fully understand the situation. Not yet. She might’ve been right.

"We’ll see about that," he said.

He stood.

Lily took an unconscious step back as his shadow fell over her, his presence filling the space without effort.

"Deal with the cop," Don added, already turning away. "I’ll handle the rest."

She hesitated—then walked off toward the officer.

Don crossed the damaged threshold of the Deadly Damsels and stepped inside.

The interior was dark. Dust hung in the air. Broken glass crunched under his boots as he moved deeper, surveying the wreckage in silence.

He pulled his phone out and brought it to his ear.

Winter picked up almost immediately.

"Hey, Winter," he said. "I need you to do something for me."

———

Less than an hour later, Winter arrived.

She stepped through the fractured entrance without hesitation, attire untouched by ash or glass, posture unchanged despite the ruin around her.

The Deadly Damsels smelled of burned wiring and treated wood. The first floor had held—walls scorched, fixtures ruined, but the structure remained intact.

The main office hadn’t been so lucky.

Don was already there.

He wasn’t in Lily’s chair. He hadn’t even touched it. Instead, he leaned back against the front of her desk, one boot braced against a fallen drawer, arms folded as he stared at the cracked window overlooking the street.

Winter stopped a few feet in front of him.

"So?" Don asked.

Winter inclined her head slightly. "I was able to trace the attackers’ movements," she said. "City cameras first. Then supplementary footage from Gary’s drones."

She raised one hand, fingers moving in a short, precise pattern. A translucent display unfolded between them, hovering just above desk height.

"The getaway vehicles were abandoned at a fishery northeast of the city," she continued. "Further investigation suggests the location is a front."

Don tilted his head. "Why?"

"The registered owner is a shell corporation based overseas," Winter replied. "Kronenberg Maritime Verwaltungs GmbH. German. No active employees. No legitimate trade filings. The fishery reports revenue inconsistent with local output." Her eyes lifted to him. "In short, it exists to move things without being noticed."

She flicked her wrist. The display shifted—maps, timestamps, drone stills.

"Gary has already redirected additional drones to the site," Winter added. "We should have confirmation of secondary activity soon."

Don nodded once. "And Johnny?"

"That was simpler," Winter said.

He looked at her then. "How so?"

"I searched for indirect indicators," she explained. "Associates." Another gesture—and the display changed again.

A single image filled the projection.

A young woman sprawled on a neonlit terrace, skin bronzed, hair loose, wearing a bikini that cost more than most people’s rent. A drink sat just out of frame. The caption scrolled beneath her smiling face:

Villa days at J’s🥂 no stress, just vibes 💋

Don let out a breath that almost counted as a laugh.

"That was easier than I thought," he said.

The office door creaked open—and Lily stepped in.

She shrugged her coat off as she walked, irritation written plainly across her face. "The cop’s gone," she said. "For now. More’ll be back soon to investigate the cause." She scoffed. "Insurance is going to be a pain in the ass."

She shook it off and hung her coat on a wall rack that had somehow stayed upright through everything.

Then she looked between them. "Look. I can call Johnny and set up a meet—"

"No need."

Don pushed off the desk and straightened.

"I’ll handle Johnny," he said. "You go make sure Ash isn’t in too much trouble. Grease the wheels if you have to."

He walked past her without slowing.

Winter followed immediately. As she did, she reached into the fold of her maid attire and withdrew a thick stack of bills. She pressed it into Lily’s hands without ceremony.

Lily stared at the money, then up at their retreating backs. "Wait," she said. "What do you mean you’ll handle Johnny?"

Neither answered.

The door shut behind them—leaving the office hollow again.

Lily exhaled hard, turned back to the desk, and slammed the stack of cash down on its surface.

"What a fucking mess," she muttered.