The sound of typing filled the dim apartment.Lines of code streamed across the screen, lighting up Luna Crest's sharp eyes like tiny constellations.
She moved fast — precise, confident, like a pianist who played fire instead of music.Each keystroke was a strike against the world that had wronged her.
Behind her, the window blinds rattled as wind slipped through the cracks.And somewhere in the shadows, Adrian Vance watched silently.
The Present
"You're quiet," Luna said, not looking up. "Usually, men get nervous when I start digging into their enemies."
"I'm not most men," Adrian replied.
Luna smirked. "No. You're definitely not."
She clicked once, twice — and a string of encrypted files opened. Names, transaction IDs, and hidden accounts tied to the Moore family scrolled before them.
"Here's what I found," she said, tapping the screen. "Your ex-fiancée's family has been moving money offshore for years. They're prepping for something — probably another acquisition attempt."
Adrian leaned closer, his eyes narrowing. "And they're using the Vance name to do it."
"Exactly."
For a moment, silence filled the space — broken only by the hum of her computers.
Then Luna turned in her chair, her violet eyes locking onto his."Before we go any further, I need to know something."
"What?"
"Why are you doing this?"
Adrian studied her face — sharp, calm, hiding pain beneath the mask of logic.She reminded him of himself more than she realized.
"I lost everything because I trusted the wrong people," he said softly. "Now I'm just… taking it back."
Her gaze didn't waver. "And what happens when you have it all again?"
He smiled faintly. "Then I decide who deserves to keep it."
Luna looked away, pretending to scoff, but a small smile curved her lips. "Dangerous words, Mr. Vance."
Flashback: Luna Crest
Years ago — before the name "Luna Crest" became an underground legend — she'd been Alyssa Renard, a university prodigy in data security.She'd lived with her older brother, Elias, who worked at a government cybersecurity firm.
Then one night, Elias was framed for leaking classified files.He vanished. No trial, no body, no explanation.The only clue was a single encrypted message — signed with a symbol: M Industries.
The Moore family's private conglomerate.
When the system erased her brother's name, Luna erased her own.She became a ghost — hacking, stealing, surviving — until she found a lead buried inside Vance Group's old archives.
And now, the man standing behind her — Adrian Vance — held the missing piece of the puzzle.
Back to the Present
"So," Luna said finally, shutting the laptop. "If we're doing this, we're doing it my way."
Adrian raised an eyebrow. "Your way?"
"I dig. You strike. No questions asked, no emotions involved."
He stepped closer, his presence calm but commanding. "Emotions aren't the problem, Luna. Lies are."
Her jaw tightened. "Then we'll get along just fine."
A message notification blinked on her monitor.[Unknown Sender]: You shouldn't be digging into the Moores, Luna. Some graves are meant to stay closed.]
Luna's fingers froze on the keyboard.Adrian leaned in, reading the message, and his eyes darkened.
"Looks like someone noticed us," he said.
Luna smirked, cracking her knuckles. "Then let's make them regret it."
The air between them shifted — part danger, part electricity.Two ghosts from different pasts, both with reasons to burn the same empire.
As the lights dimmed and Luna's screens flared to life again, Adrian reached for his phone.He dialed a number he hadn't used in years.
"Vance Holdings," a woman's voice answered.
"This is Adrian," he said. "I'm back."
Outside, lightning streaked across the skyline.The city trembled — unaware that two predators had just joined forces.
And somewhere in the distance, Elena Moore woke from uneasy sleep, shivering for reasons she couldn't explain.
The storm had begun.