The night after the bar incident was sleepless.
Nova tossed on her bed, the image of that haunting man in black Jericho, burned behind her eyelids. His silence, his stillness, the way his piercing gaze had followed her as she walked out of that VIP lounge... it unsettled her in ways she couldn't name. And why couldn't she stop thinking about him?
She sat up, groaning and running a hand through her tangled hair. Her apartment was quiet, save for the distant sound of cars buzzing outside her window. Lina had passed out in the next room, too exhausted or maybe too tipsy, to care.
Nova grabbed her phone and opened her messages. There was a text from Lina:
Lina: "You've officially declared war on the hottest man in the city. Proud of you, psycho queen 💅💥"
Nova rolled her eyes and tossed the phone aside.
Jericho.
His name rang with power and something dark. Something cold. She didn't want to admit it, but that name alone was enough to give her chills.
Meanwhile…
In a luxurious high-rise that overlooked the glowing heart of Arensville, Jericho sat at the edge of his bed, shirtless, holding the necklace in his palm.
It sparkled under the chandelier light, a sleek obsidian chain with a teardrop-shaped gem.
He stared at it silently, his thoughts elsewhere.
Behind him, Ethan leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.
"You're really thinking about her?" Ethan asked with a slight sneer. "The girl who dumped your drink on the floor?"
"She's different," Jericho murmured, not taking his eyes off the necklace.
"She's reckless," Ethan corrected. "And you've got other things to focus on. We got the stone. We leave in two days. Our mission's done."
Jericho's lips pressed into a hard line. "That stone wasn't easy to get. We still don't know why the Seer Woman ran here in the first place."
"She was hiding," Ethan replied. "Maybe from our father. Maybe from her guilt. Either way, we've got the stone now. Once we return to Auroria, everything will fall into place."
Jericho didn't answer. He clutched the necklace tighter and stood, walking to the window. "She reminds me of someone," he said lowly. "But I can't place it." Ethan snorted and walked away.
The Next Morning…
Nova woke up late to the sound of buzzing. She reached for her phone and blinked at the screen. Unknown number.
She answered groggily.
Hello?
"Nova Bianchi?"
"Who's asking?"
"This is Carter Nguyen, secretary of the A-Boys' estate. Mr. Jericho requests your presence for lunch today. 2PM. He's sending a car." Nova sat up straight.
What? "It's not a request," Carter added before the line went dead.
Lina nearly fell off the couch when Nova told her.
"You're going?!" she screamed, towel half-wrapped around her head. what choice do I have? I don't even know how they got my number. Girl. You poured wine on his floor. He probably had the CIA run a background check. l'm not afraid of him, Nova mumbled. But her heart told a different story.
2PM, Sharp.
The black car arrived on time, sleek and shiny like a predator waiting to pounce. The chauffeur opened the door without a word.
Nova got in, her hands trembling slightly. The drive was quiet.
When they reached the mansion no, palace, Nova's breath caught. She had seen rich homes, but nothing compared to this. Marble lions, massive columns, gold-plated windows. Inside, it smelled of leather and danger. Carter met her at the door. "This way." She followed him through a hallway that stretched like it belonged in a dream. When they reached the dining room, her breath hitched.
Jericho stood at the far end, wearing a silk black shirt, his long fingers wrapped around a wine glass. "Nova," he said. Her name on his lips was a quiet thunder.
She stepped in, unsure if she was angry… or intrigued. "I'm not here to apologize," she said. He tilted his head. "Neither am I."
Their eyes locked.
The air between them shifted.
Something more than tension. Something impossible to ignore. And this was just the beginning. The silence thickened, the only sound in the grand dining room was the faint ticking of an antique clock and the delicate clink of Jericho's glass against the marble table.
Nova stood still near the entrance, her heart pounding. She didn't know whether it was fear, adrenaline, or that maddening curiosity pulling her further into his world.
He gestured smoothly. "Sit." It wasn't a suggestion. It was the kind of word that expected obedience.
Nova hesitated, but eventually walked toward the long table and took the seat across from him. The chairs were velvet and gold-trimmed, regal, expensive. So was everything here. Even the damn wine in his glass looked imported from another galaxy.
Jericho studied her quietly, eyes unwavering. Those dark irises held something unreadable, like he already knew her and was trying to remember how.
"You're braver than most," he said at last. "Most people wouldn't storm into my space and live to tell the tale."
"Good," Nova said, voice level. "Then I guess I've made history." A corner of his lip quirked upward. "You did more than that. You made an impression." Nova crossed her arms. "If you're expecting an apology for ruining your party or spilling your overpriced liquor, you won't get it."
"I didn't ask for one," he said simply.
The door creaked open, and a servant rolled in a golden tray, placing covered dishes on the table between them. The aroma hit Nova's nose instantly, grilled steak, truffle potatoes, and what looked like glazed salmon. This wasn't lunch. It was a royal feast. "I don't recall ordering food," Nova murmured as the servant bowed and exited. "I had it made the moment I decided to call you."
She raised an eyebrow. "Decided? So, I'm just part of your to-do list today?" Jericho's gaze darkened with something unreadable. He leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. "No, Nova. You've moved far beyond a checklist."
She swallowed.
There it was again. That pull. That invisible thread tying her to him like fate had a hand in this encounter. He removed the cover on her plate and gestured. "Eat. You'll need your strength."
"For what?" she asked, more suspicious than hungry. His eyes glinted with something dangerous. "That depends. On how honest you're willing to be with me." Nova sat back, folding her arms tighter. I'm not hiding anything. "You are," he said calmly. "You hide behind those smart remarks and tough stares. But there's fear in your eyes… and something else. Something deeper." He leaned in further, voice like silk sliding over a blade. "Why did you come to Arensville?" Nova tensed.
"No reason," she lied.
His smile returned, slow and unsettling. "You're a terrible liar." The room felt warmer all of a sudden. Maybe it was the heat of his gaze. Maybe it was the way the chandelier flickered like it could sense the tension. "I should go," she said abruptly, rising to her feet. Jericho didn't stop her.
But his voice followed her like a ghost. "You won't be able to run forever, Nova. You'll come back." She paused, hand on the edge of the chair. Then, without another word, she turned and walked away.
Only when she was out of earshot did Jericho unclasp the necklace in his pocket and hold it up to the light. The obsidian gem shimmered and flashed.
"She's hiding something," he muttered.
And that meant… he needed to see her again.
Very soon.
Nova slammed the car door behind her with a frustrated grunt. The sleek black vehicle sped off without waiting for thanks, leaving her standing in front of her apartment building with her nerves fried and her skin buzzing from the weight of Jericho's words. She could still hear them.
"You won't be able to run forever, Nova…"
Who the hell did he think he was?
The scent of his cologne still lingered in her mind, something dangerously expensive with a hint of spice and smoke. She hated that she liked it. She hated that she'd noticed.
Storming up the stairs, Nova reached her apartment and flung the door open. Lina was halfway through a tub of cookie dough ice cream on the couch. She paused mid-bite. "Well?" Nova dropped her bag and collapsed beside her. "He's insane." Lina scoffed. "Hot-insane or jail-time-insane?"
"Both."
"Details. Now." Nova recounted the lunch. The food, the way he spoke to her, the suffocating tension that made it feel like she was one wrong word from falling into something she couldn't climb out of.
"And then he asked why I came to Arensville," Nova finished.
Lina blinked. Isn't that normal conversation? "Not the way he asked it. It was like… like he knew something."
Lina frowned. "Nova… there is a reason you left home and came here. You've never told me."
Nova looked away, lips tightening. Some scars weren't ready to be opened yet. "I'm going to shower," she said instead, standing up.
Lina didn't push. As soon as the bathroom door shut behind her, Nova let herself breathe.
She stripped off her clothes, turned the water on hot, and stepped under the spray. Her skin tingled, but not from the water. From the memory of his gaze.
Jericho.
He had looked at her like he was seeing through time. Through lies. Through her.
And it terrified her. But even more terrifying… was how much it excited her.
Meanwhile… Back in the A-Boys' Mansion
"You let her walk out?" Ethan barked, tossing a knife into a spinning block in the training room.
"She needed to," Jericho said, standing shirtless in front of a punching bag. He threw a hard punch. Then another. His knuckles turned red.
"She's important," he added.
"To what? Your ego?" Ethan threw another knife, nailing the bullseye.
"To me." Those words made Ethan pause.
Jericho grabbed a towel, wiping sweat from his face. "There's something about her. She's hiding it, but I can feel it."
"You think she's from Auroria?" Jericho didn't answer immediately.
"She might be connected to it. Or to her. "Ethan stiffened. "Jericho…"
"I haven't forgotten the prophecy, Ethan. One born of Aurorian blood… hidden in plain sight."
Ethan scowled. "You think she's the missing one? The lost twin?"
Jericho looked up, his eyes like thunderclouds. "I don't know. But I intend to find out."
Later That Night…
Nova's sleep was restless. She tossed beneath her sheets, dreams swirling in images that made no sense, golden mirrors, voices calling her name, a man with fire in his hands…
She saw Jericho.
Standing in a field of blue light. He reached for her. When she woke up, she was drenched in sweat.
And the strange thing? Her window was wide open.
She hadn't opened it. And there was something resting on her windowsill. A black rose… with a silver ribbon tied around it, Her heart nearly stopped. She rushed to the window, looked out, no one.
Not a soul in sight. She picked up the rose. Under the ribbon was a note:
"We're not done yet. – J"
Nova stared at the black rose in her hand, the silver ribbon shimmering under her bedroom light.
"We're not done yet." J
She didn't know what infuriated her more, that Jericho had snuck into her apartment complex without being noticed, or that her heart skipped a beat at the gesture.
She tossed the rose onto her desk and paced the room, her mind in chaos.
What the hell is this guy? she muttered.
She grabbed her phone to call Lina, but stopped herself.
No. This wasn't something she could even explain to Lina without sounding completely unhinged.
Instead, she sat at the edge of her bed, pulled her knees to her chest, and stared out the window.
What was Jericho hiding?
And more importantly—why did it feel like she was hiding something too?
Meanwhile, in Auroria…
Far beyond Earth's reach, in a realm of sky-lit palaces and glowing rivers, the King of Auroria stood at the base of a mirrored chamber, watching the flame of prophecy flicker.
A shadowed figure approached from behind.
"She's close," the King said, his voice ancient and powerful. "The stone has returned to our realm. But the blood... the blood has not."
The figure bowed.
"And the girl?" the King asked.
"Still unaware. But Jericho's getting too close."
Good, the King said coldly. "Let him. Destiny has already started to bleed into their lives."
He turned toward the throne. If she remembers who she is... there will be no hiding her anymore.
Back in Arensville..
The next morning, Nova was sitting at her usual café spot, nursing a cold brew she didn't even want. She hadn't slept all night, and the image of the black rose haunted her.
She hadn't told Lina.
She hadn't told anyone.
Because deep down, she didn't want anyone to talk her out of what she already knew she was going to do.
She was going to see Jericho again.
Whether she liked it or not.
She didn't even realize someone had taken the seat across from her until a deep voice spoke.
"Still staring into space, I see."
Her spine went stiff, She looked up and there he was.
Jericho.
Wearing a white dress shirt today, collar open, sleeves rolled up. His black hair swept slightly back, framing the perfection of his face.
"Stalking me now?" she snapped.
"Stalking implies I'm hiding," he replied, resting his chin on his palm. "I want you to see me."
Nova blinked. "You're insane."
"Maybe."
"You broke into my apartment. "I left a flower."
"You trespassed!" He leaned forward, cutting off her breath.
"You looked beautiful in your sleep."
Her heart slammed in her chest.
"You're sick," she hissed, standing up.
But his next words made her freeze.
"I know about your birthmark. "Nova blinked. "W-what?"
The one behind your ear. Right side. Shaped like a crescent flame.
Her blood ran cold
Only her parents knew about that mark. Not even Lina knew.
She hadn't shown it to anyone.
"How.. how do you know that?"
Jericho stood, towering over her with a calm intensity that made her forget how to breathe. "Because I've seen it before," he said.
"On someone else."
He stepped closer.
Someone from a world you don't even know exists.
Nova backed up, nearly knocking over a chair.
"You're crazy," she muttered.
You're scared," he corrected. "But you've always known there was more, haven't you? Dreams you can't explain. Fears that don't belong to you. Memories that don't feel like your own. She shook her head. You need help. He tilted his head. No, Nova. You need answers.
Then he slipped something into her hand, a black stone,
glowing faintly with blue light.
When you're ready to know the truth… hold this under moonlight."
With that, he walked away, disappearing into the sunlight and city smoke like a ghost who had never been there.
Nova stood frozen, staring at the glowing stone.
Everything inside her whispered that nothing would ever be the same again.