Chapter 1 1

Rain fell across the city, drenching the streets and turning the wet streets to shine brightly revealing its beautiful lights.

Adrian Blackwell hardly noticed. His mind was filled with a lot of things he didn't have time for ,contracts, deadlines, people who had looked him down but even a mind like his couldn't prepare him for the battle that struck that night.

He was halfway to his car when a shadow moved too fast for him to catch. A sharp pain plunged in his side, and before he could react, a man pulled at him.

"Hey, step back." Adrian shouted, fighting to break free.

The man twisted his arm, and pain came up.

Adrian jammed his teeth. "You picked the wrong guy." He threw a punch, but another attacker came from behind.

Then a voice ,clear, commanding, cutting through the chaos,

"Back"

Adrian blinked, shocked.

She appeared out of nowhere, rain wetting her hair to her face. The lady moved with impossible precision, each move deliberate and calculated. She hit one attacker with a fast kick, then hit at the other, sending him flying.

Adrian could barely catch a glimpse of her face.

But he saw she had a small body stature, focused movements, and a shining necklace around her neck. Her face remained partially hidden due to the wet hair and also the scarf tied around her face.

"Are you okay?" she shouted, her voice calm but firm.

"Yeah," he gasped, breaking free from the second attacker. "Thanks but who are you?"

She didn't answer. She only moved, helping just long enough to give him space.

Adrian landed a kick that sent the second attacker sliding across the wet grounds , but before he could even catch his breath, she was gone,disappearing into the rain soaked night.

Adrian's gaze dropped to the ground.

There, lying on the ground, was the shining necklace she wore on her neck.

He bent down, cleaning off the rain drops and studying it.

Tiny writings, Beautiful design, something familiar about it he couldn't just place. He put it into his coat pocket.

"Wait," he called after her, but the street swallowed his words.

Her presence remained in his chest, a pull he didn't understand. Something about her ,the way she moved, her voice, that necklace pushed at him, demanding attention.

By the time he reached his car, the feelings had reduced slightly, leaving a strange, almost obsessive curiosity in its place.

"Who was she? Why had she saved him? And why did it feel like the night itself had changed because of her?" Those were questions racing in his mind. He entered his car and drove off still feeling pain.

Driving through the city, every shadow seemed suspicious, even passers by.

He didn't know her name,didn't even know her face,but he would find her. Somehow.

Hours later, back in his apartment, the rain had slowed to a drizzle, leaving mist forming around the buildings.

Adrian leaned against the balcony railing, the necklace still in his hand.

He traced the tiny writings, feeling the heaviness of it.

"What are you hiding?" he whispered, almost to himself. "Who are you?"

The phone buzzed on the table, dragging him out of his thoughts.

A message from Ethan, his younger brother.

"You okay? You sound like something exploded in your head."

Adrian typed back quickly, still looking at the necklace.

"I'm fine. Just something happened tonight. Someone saved me."

Ethan's reply came almost instantly,

"Saved you? who?"

"I don't know," Adrian replied , his hand moving over the screen. "I didn't even see her face."

Ethan's text made him laugh slightly despite the tension,

"Of course you didn't. You would probably punch the mystery girl in the face if she got in your way."

Adrian chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Maybe, or maybe she would kick me across the street."

The thought made him pause. She was indeed strong, precise, and fearless. And then she disappeared,just like that.

He sank into his chair, the city lights pouring long shadows across the room.

Sleep tried to come, but his mind refused to rest. Every detail of the night played in his head,the rain, the attackers, her movements, that necklace.

He opened the window slightly, letting the mist come in.

"Who are you?" he asked again, whispering into the night. The question felt more than curiosity now.

It felt urgent, necessary. He didn't know why, but he knew this was the start of something that would change everything.

His thoughts wandered to the past.

Henry Rodriguez. The man,whom he was told killed his father,shaping him into the ruthless man he had become.

And now, he couldn't stop the feeling that this woman, this stranger, was tied to it all somehow.

A soft knock at the door startled him. Ethan, ever the unexpected visitor, stepped in, shaking off the rain. "You are still awake?"

Adrian held up the necklace. "Can you explain this?"

Ethan frowned, peering at it. "Looks expensive but no. Can't explain who left it in the street during a rainstorm."

Adrian's eyes moved. "Someone did this intentionally. That attack wasn't just a mistake, and she was there like she was supposed to be there."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "You are obsessed already, huh?"

Adrian laughed, tension still filled in his chest. "Obsessed" is one word for it. I need to know who she is,why she saved me and what she wants."

"You think she is dangerous?" Ethan asked.

Adrian paused. "Not in the way you are thinking. Dangerous ,yes. But not the kind you can fight off. She is dangerous because I can't stop thinking about her."

Ethan shook his head, a smile forming at his lips. "Classic Adrian. Always chasing the impossible."

Adrian didn't answer. His mind was already racing ahead ,back to the street, back to the rain, back to the flash of her movement, the curve of her shoulders, the shine of that necklace.

He didn't know her name nor her face. Didn't even know if he would ever see her again. But he knew one thing with absolute certainty,she had changed the course of his life in a single night.

And somewhere, in the misty streets of Manhattan, a story had begun ,one he was determined to follow, no matter the cost.