Knock! Knock!
The sizzling sound of onions frying filled the tiny kitchen of the Brooklyn home. Mrs. Celeste, in her apron stained from hours of meal prepping, hummed softly as she stirred the sauce. The savory aroma of tomatoes, peppers, and spices swirled in the air. It was one of those evenings when everything seemed just a little too quiet.
Then came a knock.
"Knock! Knock!"
Mrs. Celeste froze, her hand still clutching the wooden spoon. Her heart dropped. Not again.
Wiping her palms on her apron, she moved slowly to the door, her slippers shuffling against the tiled floor. She opened the door just a little—enough to peek.
A tall man in a sleek black suit stood there, holding a cream-colored envelope. His dark sunglasses masked his expression, but the grimness of his presence was unmistakable.
"Please," he said curtly, extending the envelope. "This is a letter from Mr. Eduard."
Her hands trembled slightly as she reached for it.
"He says this is your final warning," the man continued before she could shut the door. His voice was sharp, threatening. "Pay the money. Or when Mr. Eduard comes here himself, you won't like it."
Mrs. Celeste's throat went dry. She nodded silently, her lips sealed in fear, and slowly turned back into the house. She placed the envelope gently on the couch, as if it were a ticking bomb.
Just then, the bathroom door creaked open.
"Was that one of Eduard's guards again?" her husband, Mr. Xavier Brooklyn, asked, water dripping from his hair.
She nodded without a word. Her eyes spoke volumes.
Meanwhile, across town, a completely different world was spinning.
Hazel Brooklyn laughed brightly as she walked through the sprawling mall, arms full of shopping bags. Graduation was around the corner, and she and her best friends, Kara and Liana, were fully indulging in a pre-celebration spree.
"I can't wait to be done with school and find my own place," Hazel said, adjusting the straps of her sundress. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Yh, we all want to leave our parents' house," Liana agreed with a dreamy sigh.
Hazel smiled faintly. She wasn't even sure who her real parents were. All she knew was that she had been adopted by the Brooklyn family as a baby. Every time she asked about her past, Mr. Xavier and Mrs. Celeste would change the subject or shut her down entirely.
It hurt. But she had stopped asking.
"Honestly, Hazel, you could get your own place right now if you wanted. I mean, you're dating the almighty Xander Valentini!" Kara squealed.
Hazel rolled her eyes playfully. "Shh! Keep your voice down!"
Xander Valentini was no ordinary boyfriend. He was the only son of the ultra-wealthy Valentini family—a business empire that ruled all the Valentini Enterprises.Handsome, powerful, and magnetic, Xander was the kind of man who made heads turn wherever he went. He was the CEO of Valenti Enterprises, and Hazel... Hazel was just a hardworking girl who had landed an internship at his company. Their story had started as a workplace coincidence, but quickly bloomed into something unexpected.
"Only you, Hazel, can be a literal goddess at work and still keep the richest man in town wrapped around your finger," Kara teased.
Hazel blushed. "It's still a secret, remember? No one knows, and I want it to stay that way."
"Why?" Liana asked. "You could ask for a house, money, anything—"
"I'm not dating him for his money," Hazel said firmly. "And I don't like asking boyfriends for money."
The girls laughed, their bond warm and easy. Hazel glanced down at her bags and sighed. "I went broke because of this planned shopping."
Kara grinned. "Then ask him for a little help. He'd give you a gold mine if you asked."
Hazel shook her head. "I'm good."
They exited the mall near the school campus, chatting and laughing, when the low hum of an engine stole their attention. A sleek Porsche Rolls-Royce pulled up near the curb. It glinted under the sun like a jewel.
Students turned.
Teachers looked.
Everyone stared.
Hazel's breath hitched.
Even from afar, she could see his signature shades through the tinted window. The car door hadn't opened yet. But her phone buzzed.
Xander: Come outside.
He hadn't seen her yet in the crowd.
Girls were already pointing at the car.
"Girl, you better go before the crowd becomes more." Liana said.
Hazel panicked. "I need a mask. A disguise. Something! I don't want people to know it's me!"
"You're dating Xander freaking Valentini. It's gonna come out eventually," Kara whispered, dragging her forward.
But before Hazel could take a step...
The door of the luxury car opened, and out stepped none other than Xander Valentini himself. He was dressed in a tailored black suit that hugged his broad frame perfectly. His jet-black hair was slicked back, and dark shades covered his eyes. The aura he exuded was dangerous and divine.
"Girl,he is out" Kara whispered, nudging Hazel. "You better go."
"Seriously, girl," Liana added. "Even the teachers are whispering. If you don't go now, you'll make it worse."
Hazel adjusted her dress and tried to hide behind her shopping bags, but it was hopeless. The moment Xander looked up and spotted her, his entire face softened.
And then he smiled.
Students gasped.
He started walking toward her.
Hazel's heart pounded. Her legs felt like jelly.
"Act normal," she whispered to herself. "Act like you didn't just catch the attention of the entire world."
Kara and Liana backed away discreetly, giving her space.
"Hazel," Xander's voice called gently.