The city never slept, but that night, Elina felt as if it had paused, holding its breath for her.
She hurried through rain-slicked streets, hood up, backpack tight against her shoulders. The encounter from earlier, the man in the black coat, the eyes that had burned into her, refused to leave her mind. She kept replaying it: the cold amusement, the way he had stared at her like she was a puzzle, a curiosity that demanded attention.
Her steps quickened. She hated that he had unsettled her. Hated that a stranger, someone rich, powerful, untouchable, had gotten under her skin so easily.
She rounded a corner and ducked into a small café, shaking off the rain. The warmth hit her instantly: the smell of coffee, baked bread, the low hum of conversation. She took a seat near the window, watching the reflections of neon lights ripple across the wet cobblestones outside.
Her phone buzzed. A message from Liam: "Mom's meds arrived. Don't forget dinner. Be careful."
Elina exhaled. She touched the screen, fingers lingering, and then pocketed the phone. She didn't want to think about Alex Romanov. She didn't want to think about how his voice had sounded, smooth, precise, almost… dangerous, when he told his driver to find out who she was.
She sipped her coffee, trying to calm the storm inside her.
Meanwhile, several kilometers away, Alex Romanov sat in the back of a sleek, black sedan. The rain streaked the windows, but he didn't notice. His thoughts were fixed on the woman from earlier.
"Who is she?" he asked, not for the first time.
The driver, a tall man in a tailored suit, glanced nervously at him. "I've checked. No records in the city registry. No criminal record. No connections to known companies or schools. Just… a civilian."
Alex's lips curved slightly. "Interesting," he murmured. He leaned back, eyes narrowing. "She has fire."
The word echoed in his mind. Fire. Defiance. Someone who wouldn't bow. She hadn't flinched, hadn't begged, hadn't recognized him. That was unusual. Dangerous, even.
"Make sure she stays out of trouble," he said finally, his voice low. "And… keep tabs on her. Discreetly."
The driver nodded. Alex turned back to the window, rain blurring the city lights into streaks of gold and red. A small part of him, one he rarely acknowledged, thrilled at the thought of seeing her again.
Back at the café, Elina pulled her hood tighter around her face. She had no idea that somewhere in the city, the very man who had nearly killed her was watching. Not out of malice, at least, not entirely but curiosity. That curiosity, she didn't know, would grow into something dangerous, obsessive, and impossible to ignore.
She drained her coffee and stood, tossing a few coins onto the counter. The chill of the night returned immediately, rain soaking the edges of her jacket. She hurried toward the tram station, the hum of the city around her.
The next morning, Elina walked the streets as usual, a worn backpack on her shoulder and determination in her step. Her scholarship internship was set to begin, and while she was nervous, she couldn't let fear paralyze her. She had bills to pay, a mother to care for, and a younger brother who relied on her every day.
She had no idea that fate, or Alex Romanov, was waiting at the building she would soon enter.
Romanov Industries towered above the city like a monument to wealth and power. Glass and steel reflected the morning sun, a perfect façade of control. Elina stopped at the entrance, staring up. This is it. No turning back.
The receptionist greeted her with a polite smile and directed her to the elevators. As she rode up, her heart pounded, not from nerves, but from the distant memory of him. She scolded herself silently. It's just a man. Just a stranger. He won't matter here.
She stepped off the elevator on the designated floor and followed the signs to the orientation room. The hum of the office, the chatter of interns, the clacking of keyboards, it all made her feel small. She pressed herself against the wall, hoping to go unnoticed.
And then he walked in.
Alex Romanov.
Her breath caught. He moved with the confidence of a man who owned the city, the building, perhaps even the sky. His dark eyes scanned the room before landing squarely on her.
Recognition flared instantly.
He didn't look angry, not exactly. More… intrigued. A faint line of amusement tugged at his lips.
Elina froze, unsure whether to flee or stand her ground. She chose the latter.
Alex's eyes didn't waver. He studied her, and for a moment, it felt like the city had disappeared. The noise, the lights, the people, all of it faded. There was only him, and the way he looked at her like she was both a puzzle and a threat.
The orientation began, but Elina barely heard a word. Every glance Alex threw her way sent shivers down her spine. There was power in his presence, cold, commanding, and dangerous.
After the session, she tried to leave quietly, heart still hammering. She wanted to escape before he could speak to her, before the electricity in the air became unbearable.
"Miss Hart."
Her blood froze. He was behind her, voice smooth, controlled.
She turned. "Yes?" she managed, trying to mask her panic with calm.
"We meet again," he said, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly. Not a smile but a warning.
"Unfortunately," she replied, lifting her chin.
He took a step closer, the faint scent of expensive cologne mixing with the lingering rain on his coat. "Careful," he said. "You're in my building now."
Her stomach twisted. "Then maybe you should try behaving like a decent human being."
The silence that followed crackled with tension. People walked past, oblivious, but for Elina, the world had shrunk to the distance between them.
Alex Romanov tilted his head, studying her like she was both fascinating and infuriating. "Name," he said simply.
"Elina Hart."
Something unreadable flickered in his eyes, a mix of amusement, interest, and something darker.
"You'll do well to remember me," he said softly, turning to leave.
Elina swallowed hard, her chest tight. "I'll remember you," she muttered under her breath, though she wasn't sure if it was a threat, a promise, or a warning.
As he disappeared down the hall, the air seemed to clear slightly, but Elina could still feel the imprint of his gaze, the way it lingered, and the knowledge that this was far from over.
She didn't yet know that the man who intrigued and terrified her would become the center of her life, a protector, a tormentor, and, eventually, the one person she could neither trust nor resist.
Rain began to fall again outside the city. And somewhere, high above in a penthouse she hadn't yet glimpsed, Alex Romanov thought about her, the fire, the defiance, the dangerous spark of life that had dared to call him out.
A small, dark smile tugged at his lips.
Interesting. Very interesting.