The soft hum of city lights flickered through the hotel window as I stepped inside, my heels clicking rhythmically against the marble floor. My heart was pounding—not from fear, but from excitement. Tonight was supposed to be special. A night to celebrate love, promises, and everything I thought was real.
I had spent hours getting ready. The crimson silk dress I wore hugged my curves perfectly, and the faint scent of vanilla perfume lingered around me like a secret. I imagined Liam's face lighting up with surprise when he saw me. He'd been distant lately, distracted, but I told myself love just needed patience.
But then… I heard it.
Laughter.
A woman's laughter.
His voice—low, teasing, unmistakable.
The sound hit me like a slap. My fingers tightened around the door handle, hesitation clawing at my chest. No. It couldn't be. He told me he was working late.
My pulse thudded in my ears as I pushed the door open a little wider. The dim glow of the bedside lamp painted the room in gold and shadows, revealing tangled sheets, wine glasses on the floor, and the scattered trail of discarded clothes leading to the bed.
And there they were.
My boyfriend—no, my Liam—lying tangled in the arms of my best friend.
For a moment, I couldn't breathe. The scene in front of me didn't make sense. It felt like a nightmare that refused to fade. Her laugh echoed again, light and cruel, slicing through the silence like a blade.
My heart shattered.
"Aria," Liam's voice was smooth and steady, too calm for someone who'd just been caught. He didn't even flinch. "You shouldn't be here."
I stared at him, disbelief burning in my chest. "You—how could you?" My voice cracked, the words barely holding together.
My so-called best friend, Chloe, met my gaze with a smirk as she lazily draped the sheet over herself. "Oh, come on, Aria. Did you really think he'd stay loyal to someone as... plain as you?"
Her words were acid.
For a second, I stood frozen. Then something inside me broke—quietly, but completely. Without thinking, I turned and bolted. I didn't care about the stares from people in the hallway or the tears blurring my vision. I just needed to escape.
The cold night air hit me like a slap, cooling the fire in my veins but not the ache in my chest. I ran, my heels clacking against the wet pavement, my dress clinging to me as rain began to fall.
I didn't know where I was going. I didn't care. I just needed to run until I couldn't feel anymore.
But fate had other plans.
A sharp turn led me into a dimly lit alley, the sound of traffic fading behind me. I slowed down, gasping for air, pressing a trembling hand to my chest.
That was when I felt it.
A presence.
"Rough night?"
The deep, commanding voice froze me in place.
I turned around slowly.
A man leaned casually against a sleek black car parked near the shadows. The faint glow of a streetlight touched his face just enough for me to see the sharpness of his features—strong jawline, high cheekbones, dark hair perfectly slicked back. His suit was perfectly tailored, the kind of expensive you didn't find in regular stores.
But it wasn't his looks that made me tense—it was his aura. Power rolled off him in waves. Cold, dangerous, magnetic.
He studied me for a moment, eyes glinting with amusement. "You shouldn't wander alone in this part of town, sweetheart. It eats girls like you alive."
My breath caught. "Who are you?" I managed to whisper.
He took a step closer, the sound of his polished shoes echoing softly. "Someone who doesn't like seeing a beautiful woman cry."
I backed away a little, clutching my bag like a shield. "I'm fine. I don't need—"
"Help?" His voice dropped lower, almost teasing. "Oh, sweetheart… I think you do."
Something about his tone—dark yet protective—sent shivers down my spine. I should have been terrified, but instead I felt… curious. Drawn.
Before I could respond, another voice pierced the night.
"There she is!"
I turned sharply, my stomach dropping as three men emerged from the shadows. They looked rough—dirty jackets, cruel smiles, eyes filled with something that made my skin crawl.
Panic flared inside me. I had wandered too far.
One of them stepped forward, smirking. "Boss says she'll pay his debt one way or another."
My heart raced. "Debt? I don't owe anyone anything!"
The man sneered. "Your boyfriend does. Guess who he offered as collateral?"
Liam.
That bastard. He didn't just cheat—he sold me out.
I took a shaky step back, but before I could move again, the man beside the car—the stranger—shifted.
In an instant, he was in front of me.
Not blocking me. Protecting me.
He sighed softly, as if their presence was a minor inconvenience. "If you touch her," he said in a calm, icy voice, "you die."
The men froze.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" one of them spat.
The stranger's expression didn't change. He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a sleek black gun. His movements were smooth, controlled—like someone who had done this too many times before.
He aimed the weapon lazily, as if bored. "Adrian DeLuca."
The name fell from his lips like a death sentence.
My heart stopped.
Even I, someone who had no connection to the underworld, had heard that name whispered in fear. Adrian DeLuca—the cold, untouchable king of the city's criminal world. Ruthless. Unforgiving. A man who ruled the darkness with an iron hand.
And now… he was standing in front of me.
The men instantly faltered. One of them cursed under his breath. "Shit. We didn't know she was yours, Mr. DeLuca."
Adrian's lips curved into a faint smirk. "You know now."
The man who had spoken earlier hesitated. "Her boyfriend owes the boss a lot of money. She's his collateral."
Adrian's eyes darkened, but his tone remained soft. "And you thought taking her was a good idea?"
"Business is business," the thug muttered.
Adrian moved before I even saw him do it.
A deafening gunshot echoed through the alley.
The man screamed, falling to his knees as blood pooled around his leg. The other two men froze, faces pale with terror.
"Go back to your boss," Adrian said quietly. "Tell him if he so much as breathes in her direction again, I'll make sure he never breathes again."
They didn't need to be told twice. Dragging their injured friend, they stumbled away into the darkness, leaving only silence behind.
My whole body trembled. I turned to look at the man who had just saved me—Adrian DeLuca—the devil in a suit.
He holstered his gun calmly, as if nothing had happened, and looked down at me. His gaze softened just a fraction. "You shouldn't walk alone, Aria."
The sound of my name on his lips made my heart skip a beat.
"How do you—"
He smiled faintly. "I know everything worth knowing in this city."
For the first time that night, I didn't know whether to run or stay.
Because somehow, I knew—my life had just changed forever.