Chapter 1 - The Stranger I Chose to Save Me
A woman grabbed a stranger’s arm in the middle of the street, whispering: "Please pretend you know me."
When Mafia boss Adrian Vale stepped out of his black car, he discovered a broken high heel and a torn identification card near his feet.
Four words were scratched into the back:
"Do not trust him."
Adrian suddenly realized she was not running from danger.
She was running toward him.
The rain had been falling since six o'clock.
By the time Norah Hayes reached the third block, she could barely feel her feet anymore.
One of her heels had broken ten minutes earlier, but stopping was not an option.
She had learned that lesson the hard way.
The city around her blurred behind a curtain of rain. Streetlights reflected on the wet pavement, turning the road into a mirror of gold and black. Cars passed by, people rushed beneath umbrellas, and everyone continued living their ordinary lives.
Nobody noticed the woman running for her life.
Nobody noticed the fear in her eyes.
Nobody noticed the man following her.
Except Adrian Vale.
Norah didn't know his name yet.
She didn't know he controlled half of the city's underground business.
She didn't know powerful men lowered their voices when they spoke about him.
She only knew one thing.
The man standing outside the black luxury car was the only person close enough to reach.
And she needed someone.
Anyone.
Her lungs burned as she crossed the street.
The footsteps behind her became louder.
Slow.
Patient.
Certain.
He wasn't running after her.
That scared her more.
Because it meant he already believed she had nowhere to go.
Norah looked over her shoulder for half a second.
The hooded man was still there.
Same distance.
Same calm expression.
Like he knew exactly how this would end.
She turned forward and saw the tall man standing near the entrance of a private building.
Black suit.
Cold expression.
Expensive watch.
Everyone around him seemed to move differently.
People stepped aside without being asked.
Security guards straightened their backs when he passed.
Norah didn't know who he was.
But something about him told her he was dangerous.
Maybe dangerous enough to stop another dangerous man.
She didn't think.
She just ran.
Adrian Vale had spent the last twenty years learning one simple rule.
Never let strangers get close.
Especially strangers who appeared suddenly.
Especially strangers who looked terrified.
So when the blonde woman rushed toward him through the rain and grabbed his arm, his first instinct was to remove her hand.
Until he saw her face.
Not because she was beautiful.
Because she looked like someone who had already accepted she might not survive the night.
"Please pretend you know me."
Her voice was barely louder than the rain.
Adrian looked down at her hand wrapped around his sleeve.
Then at her face.
"What?"
Norah swallowed.
She looked behind him.
The fear returned instantly.
"Please."
Adrian followed her eyes.
At first, he saw nothing.
Just a crowded street.
Just rain.
Just strangers walking.
Then he noticed the man across the road.
A hood pulled low.
Standing still.
Watching.
Adrian's expression changed.
Only slightly.
Most people would not have noticed.
But his security team would have.
The dangerous calm had appeared.
The calm that came before someone made a mistake.
Norah felt his body become still.
She whispered:
"He's been following me for almost an hour."
Adrian looked at her.
"Who is he?"
"I don't know."
"Why is he following you?"
Norah hesitated.
That hesitation told Adrian more than any answer could.
Because people who were truly innocent usually answered quickly.
People hiding something searched for the safest lie.
And Norah was trying desperately not to lie.
"I found something."
Adrian stared at her.
"What?"
She looked around.
The street suddenly felt too open.
Too many eyes.
Too many places someone could be watching from.
"I can't tell you here."
The hooded man started walking across the street.
Slowly.
Directly toward them.
Adrian noticed.
Norah noticed.
The difference was that Adrian didn't look afraid.
He stepped slightly forward.
Blocking her.
A small movement.
But a very clear message.
Norah stared at his back.
She didn't know why.
But for the first time that night, she felt like she could breathe.
The hooded man stopped several feet away.
His eyes moved from Norah to Adrian.
A strange silence formed between them.
Then the man smiled.
"You really don't know who you're protecting."
Adrian's face remained emotionless.
"Walk away."
The man laughed quietly.
"You have no idea what she did."
Norah's fingers tightened around Adrian's sleeve.
"I didn't do anything."
The hooded man looked at her.
"You know that's not true."
Adrian turned slightly.
"Who sent you?"
The man's smile disappeared.
That was the moment Adrian knew.
He had asked the right question.
Because the man didn't answer.
He simply looked away.
Like he had revealed too much.
Adrian had dealt with criminals, politicians, businessmen, and killers.
They all had one thing in common.
They were afraid of losing something.
And this man was afraid of someone finding out something.
Adrian reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his phone.
One message.
That was all it took.
Within seconds, two security vehicles appeared at the end of the street.
The hooded man noticed.
For the first time, his confidence disappeared.
He stepped back.
"This isn't over."
Then he disappeared into the rain.
Norah watched him leave.
Her entire body shook.
Adrian turned toward her.
"Start talking."
She looked at him.
"I can't."
His eyes narrowed.
"Then why did you choose me?"
Norah stayed silent.
Because she didn't have an answer.
She had chosen him without knowing who he was.
Without knowing his reputation.
Without knowing that the man standing in front of her was someone even powerful people feared.
She only knew that when she looked into his eyes, she saw something she hadn't seen all night.
A chance.
Adrian noticed the small white handbag hanging from her shoulder.
It was damaged.
The strap had been torn.
Something inside had fallen partially out.
A folded piece of paper.
Norah quickly grabbed it.
Too quickly.
Adrian saw.
"What is that?"
"Nothing."
Another lie.
A small one.
But still a lie.
Adrian looked at her carefully.
"Everyone who says nothing usually has something."
Norah looked away.
The rain continued falling around them.
Finally, she whispered:
"My sister disappeared three years ago."
Adrian said nothing.
"I found proof that she didn't leave voluntarily."
She looked down at the paper in her hand.
"And someone killed to keep me from finding it."
For the first time that night, Adrian became interested.
Not because of the danger.
Because of the name she mentioned next.
"The person who covered it up..."
Norah's voice shook.
"...works for you."
The street suddenly felt silent.
Adrian stared at her.
"Who?"
Norah looked at him.
"I don't know if I can trust you."
A normal man would have been offended.
Adrian wasn't normal.
He understood fear.
Fear kept people alive.
"Then don't trust me."
He stepped closer.
"But understand this."
His voice was calm.
"The person following you knew exactly where you would run."
Norah froze.
Adrian looked toward the direction where the man had disappeared.
"Which means someone knew you were coming here before you did."
Norah's face went pale.
"What does that mean?"
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
Because he had already reached the same conclusion.
Someone had planned this.
Someone wanted Norah to find him.
And someone wanted to see what he would do.
Adrian turned toward the private building entrance.
"You're coming with me."
Norah hesitated.
"Why?"
He looked back at her.
"Because whoever is hunting you already knows where you are."
A security guard opened the door.
Norah followed him inside.
But before the door closed, Adrian noticed something on the ground near where she had been standing.
A broken piece of plastic.
A small identification card.
He picked it up.
The front was damaged.
The name was barely visible.
NORAH HAYES.
Adrian turned it over.
There were scratches on the back.
Not random scratches.
Words.
Four words.
"DO NOT TRUST HIM."
Adrian stared at the message.
Then slowly looked toward Norah.
Because the handwriting wasn't old.
It was fresh.
Someone had written it tonight.
And then Adrian's phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
May you like
One message.
You let her inside. Now ask her who she really is.
