Episode 1: The Cost of Power
Abel Luna's Manhattan Penthouse
3:42 a.m.
The city never slept, and neither did Abel.
His penthouse windows framed the skyline like a live oil painting—cold, infinite, untouchable. Just like him.
He stood by the glass wall, shirtless, a whiskey glass in one hand, while Manhattan blinked beneath his feet. His tailored slacks hung low on his hips, the only sign that he'd interrupted sleep, or perhaps, an escape from it.
His phone buzzed.
Harrison (Assistant):
"Board meeting confirmed. Tokyo wants LunaTech's new prototype first. Dendelion's application flagged for rejection."
Abel didn't respond. He took another sip and walked back to the leather couch. A brunette woman—barely out of her party dress—lay tangled in silk sheets, her lips parted in exhausted sleep.
He didn't remember her name.
Didn't care to.
He only wanted silence.
Revenge had a taste, and it was never sweet.
---
Lower Brooklyn – A Cold Studio Apartment
Evan Dendelion hadn't eaten all day. Again.
She stared at the blinking cursor on her old laptop as if it were judging her—mocking her unfinished application to LunaTech's exclusive incubator program. She had submitted it three weeks ago. No response.
But then, people like her didn't get into places like that.
Her hands trembled slightly. Not from fear—she was too used to disappointment—but from exhaustion.
The silence in the apartment was thick, broken only by the ticking of a cracked wall clock and the distant groan of the boiler. A half-cooked bowl of noodles sat forgotten on her desk.
She was tired.
Tired of being brave. Tired of smiling through setbacks.
But she couldn't stop.
Because if she stopped… she'd drown.
---
LunaTech Tower – Downtown Manhattan
The LunaTech headquarters was more fortress than office. Built of glass and steel, it loomed with sharp edges and ruthless ambition—much like the man who owned it.
Abel Luna stepped into the executive boardroom without a word, his presence instantly shifting the air.
"Gentlemen," he said coolly, his voice low and exact. "We'll proceed with Tokyo first. Boston's shipment can wait."
"But sir—" someone started.
Abel didn't blink. "Do you want to explain our priorities to the shareholders yourself?"
The room fell silent.
He leaned against the edge of the polished table, arms crossed. "Our tech is a weapon. We don't sell weapons to anyone who blinks first."
That was how he operated. Unforgiving. Sharp. Efficient.
But beneath the control, a darker truth festered.
He hadn't built this empire alone.
It had once belonged to the Dendelions.
Specifically, her father.
And Abel Luna hadn't forgotten.
---
Flashback – 10 Years Ago
Abel, eighteen, standing at the edge of the Dendelion estate, dressed in rags. His mother—sick, dying, dismissed like garbage after working 20 years as the Dendelion family's housemaid—was denied severance. Denied dignity.
And Evan's father?
He had laughed. Tossed a single dollar bill at Abel's feet and said, "Earn it, boy. That's all you people are good for."
That moment ignited the fire.
So when Mr. Dendelion lost everything five years later in a failed crypto scandal… Abel bought the company at auction.
Tore down its name. Erased the legacy.
But one Dendelion still remained.
He hadn't expected her to apply for LunaTech. Not Evan. The daughter.
Sweet. Quiet. Untouched.
He hadn't seen her in years. Not since they were teenagers—when she used to leave oranges at the servant's door, her small hands trembling with guilt her father never had.
He should've ignored her application. Should've deleted it.
But he didn't.
Instead, he marked her name with a red tag: Watchlist.
---
Evan's Apartment – Midnight
She stared at the email notification:
> LunaTech Incubator: Status Update – Interview Invitation
Her breath caught.
Tears stung her eyes. Her fingers shook as she clicked it open.
> "You are invited to a private evening interview at LunaTech Tower. Please arrive dressed professionally. Do not be late."
She whispered into the empty room, "Thank you…"
She didn't know why she'd been selected, or how, but she wasn't about to question a miracle.
---
Two Nights Later – LunaTech Tower, Executive Lounge
The lights were low. Jazz hummed softly through hidden speakers. It wasn't a typical interview room—it was more like a luxury suite in a five-star hotel.
Evan stepped inside, her secondhand heels clicking nervously. She wore her best blouse, hair pulled into a neat bun, eyes wide with caution.
Then she saw him.
Standing by the window, framed by city lights, in a dark three-piece suit and quiet authority: Abel Luna.
Her heart stalled.
He turned.
She gasped.
"Y-You're…" she whispered.
"Mr. Luna," he said smoothly, eyes locking on hers. "CEO. Host. And apparently, your interview panel."
"But you—you knew my father…"
"I did," he replied, pouring himself a drink. "He was unforgettable."
Evan's face paled.
Abel approached slowly, his steps measured. "Tell me, Evan. What would you do to save your dream?"
She blinked. "I—I'd do anything."
The room thickened.
He offered her a glass of red wine. "Even spend the night with your enemy?"
Her breath caught. "Is this some kind of test?"
His lips curved coldly. "Call it… a preview."
---
Hours Later – The Guest Suite Upstairs
Evan sat on the edge of the bed, blanket wrapped tightly around her. Her lipstick was smudged. Her blouse was crumpled on the floor. Her heart was breaking.
It hadn't been forceful. She had said yes. But something inside her still felt… bruised.
He had kissed her like he wanted to destroy her.
And she had let him.
He hadn't spoken since.
He stood by the window, shirtless again, drink in hand—just like in her dreams. But this time, the man in her dreams had warmth.
This one had ice.
She cleared her throat. "Will I still get the internship?"
His gaze didn't flinch. "I never promised you anything."
Evan swallowed the lump in her throat.
Then she stood, gathering her things with trembling hands. "Thank you for the interview," she whispered.
She didn't look back as she walked out the door.
She didn't see the way Abel closed his eyes.
Or how he whispered her name once, like a wound reopening.
---
Two Months Later
Evan stood in her bathroom, hands over her mouth.
The pregnancy test blinked.
Positive.
Her knees buckled.
Her voice cracked with disbelief.
"No… no, no, no…"
She was alone. Again.
Except this time, she wasn't.
---
End of Episode 1
> Next Episode: Will Evan tell him? Or disappear into silence… again?