Chapter 1: Ordinary Days, Extraordinary Love
In the bustling city of Eldoria, where skyscrapers pierced the clouds and the hum of traffic never ceased, lived Alex Harlan. At 32, he was your average office drone—tall, with broad shoulders honed from his youthful days in martial arts training, and a handsome face that turned heads without him noticing. His dark hair was always neatly combed, and his blue eyes held a quiet intensity that spoke of a man who had once dreamed of more than spreadsheets and meetings. But life had settled him into a routine: wake up at 6 AM, jog around the block, kiss his wife goodbye, and head to his job as a financial analyst at a mid-tier firm.
His wife, Elena, was the light of his world. Petite, with cascading auburn hair and emerald eyes that sparkled like hidden gems, she was a freelance graphic designer—or so she claimed. They had met five years ago at a coffee shop, where she had "accidentally" spilled her latte on him. Apologies turned into laughter, laughter into dates, and before he knew it, they were married in a small, intimate ceremony. Elena was everything he could want: loving, attentive, and fiercely devoted. Sometimes a bit too devoted.
"Darling, you don't have to wait up for me every night," Alex would say with a chuckle when he'd come home late from overtime, finding her perched on the couch with a book, her gaze sharp and unyielding until he was safely in her arms.
"But what if something happens to you out there?" she'd reply, her voice a soft melody laced with an edge he couldn't quite place. "The world is full of dangers. I need to know you're mine—safe and sound."
Strange things happened around Elena, though. Once, a coworker had flirted a little too aggressively with Alex at a company party. The next day, the guy called in sick with a mysterious injury. "Slipped on ice," he muttered over the phone, but it was summer. Another time, Alex found a small scar on Elena's shoulder that hadn't been there before. "Just a kitchen accident," she said, brushing it off with a kiss. He didn't push; he trusted her. After all, their love was perfect.