Ariella's hands trembled as she stared at the message glowing on her phone screen. The words "Your presence is requested at Blackwood Tower. Urgent." felt like a summons from another world, a world she had just barely brushed against.
Her mind raced with questions. Why would Damian Blackwood, the untouchable billionaire CEO, want to see her again? What could she possibly have that was so important to him? And most dangerously, was this some trap?
She glanced down at her threadbare hoodie and worn sneakers, then back at the towering skyscraper piercing the clouds beyond her window. The same building where yesterday's collision had set her heart and his world on a collision course of their own.
Taking a deep breath, she wiped the sweat from her brow and grabbed the sealed package—the one she had delivered yesterday, now strangely heavy with unspoken meaning. The streets of Avalen were buzzing with evening life as she made her way toward the shining monolith of Blackwood Enterprises. The sky threatened rain again, a soft drizzle beginning to fall.
Inside the elevator, Ariella's thoughts spiraled. She barely knew anything about the man who had reluctantly let her leave his office yesterday. The rumors were endless: a ruthless businessman, a cold heart encased in ice, a man who had sacrificed everything for power.
Yet, beneath those rumors, she had seen a flicker—a glimpse of vulnerability hidden deep behind his piercing gray eyes.
At the 108th floor, the elevator doors opened with a quiet chime. Damian stood there, leaning against the window, looking out over the city like a king surveying his kingdom. The golden ring on his finger shimmered faintly in the soft light, as if alive with anticipation.
He turned at the sound of her footsteps, his gaze locking onto hers with a mixture of curiosity and something more profound—something he was still struggling to understand.
"Why are you here?" Damian's voice was steady but carried an edge of uncertainty.
Ariella squared her shoulders, meeting his gaze without flinching. "You asked for me."
He nodded slowly, stepping aside to let her in. "Good. There's something I need to show you."
The office was vast and filled with artifacts that whispered of forgotten times—ancient tomes, relics carved with runes, and a large glass case that held a golden ring identical to the one on his finger.
"The woman who gave me this ring," Damian began, voice low, "said that if I ever fall in love, I will lose everything I've built."
Ariella's breath caught. "A curse?"
Damian's eyes darkened. "A curse that has ruled my life for over a decade."
She looked down, her fingers tightening around the package she still held. "And yet, you asked for me."
He stepped closer, the air between them charged with unspoken tension. "Because something about you feels different. You're not like anyone I've ever known."
Lightning flashed outside, illuminating the city in harsh white light. The storm had returned.
And with it, the first real threat to Damian's empire—and his heart.