Iron City never truly slept.
Skyscrapers glowed like artificial stars, shining arrogantly over a city built on ambition, blood, and betrayal. Here, power wasn't about intelligence—it was about who was cruel enough to survive.
And that night, on the top floor of a black-glass tower, a man stood silently before a massive window.
His name was Arlo.
Thirty-two years old. Calm—too calm for a man who had just signed a multi-trillion-dollar deal. His tailored black suit fit perfectly, his jaw sharp, his dark eyes cold. The eyes of someone who had seen too many betrayals to still believe in mercy.
Behind him, a man lounged lazily on a leather couch.
"If all CEOs were as tense as you, stress levels would become a national crisis," the man said, chewing gum loudly.
Arlo didn't turn around."Raka. Can you shut up for five minutes?"
Raka grinned. "Nope. Born this way."
Raka was Arlo's assistant. His childhood friend. A man with a lazy smile, sharp tongue, and lethal combat skills that never matched his playful attitude. People often underestimated him.
Until they saw him break bones without blinking.
"The Sagara Group is pushing their stocks," Raka continued, glancing at his tablet. "They're getting close to us."
That name made Arlo turn.
The Sagara Family.
Old rivals.Equal enemies.
"Let them," Arlo said coldly. "As long as they play by the rules."
Raka scoffed. "The underground never follows rules."
A faint smile curved Arlo's lips."I make the rules."
Across the city, inside a luxurious modern-classic mansion, a woman sat by her bedroom window holding a cup of tea gone cold.
Her name was Aleena Sagara.
Thirty years old. Gentle features, warm eyes, and a sincere smile—far too soft for a city like this. Her long hair fell naturally over her shoulders, dressed simply in pastel satin pajamas.
She had just finished a video call with her parents.
"Don't forget to eat properly, Leena," her mother had said."And don't work too hard. Life isn't just about the office," her father added with a laugh.
Aleena smiled at the memory.
They were coming home tomorrow. Their private jet was ready.She was waiting.
She didn't know…that would be their last conversation.
Morning arrived with a sound no one ever wanted to hear.
Crying.Shouting.And one sentence that shattered everything.
"MISS… THE PLANE… IT CRASHED."
The cup slipped from Aleena's hand, shattering against the marble floor.Her legs gave out.
"What…?" her voice barely escaped. "What do you mean?"
Her parents' personal assistant—a middle-aged man named Herman—knelt before her, his face pale.
"The plane crashed into the sea, Miss. There were no survivors."
The words cut deep.Sharp.Merciless.
Aleena screamed.
Her hands trembled, chest tightening, tears spilling uncontrollably. The world she knew collapsed in a single morning.
The funeral was grand.Too grand.
Executives, officials, people in expensive suits—everyone came with flowers and carefully crafted expressions. They bowed respectfully, but their eyes calculated everything.
Aleena stood before two black gravestones.
Behind her stood a woman in a fitted black suit, her gaze sharp and alert.
Her name was Naomi.
Aleena's best friend since college. Fierce, blunt, and always on guard. Her hand instinctively hovered near her waist—a fighter's habit.
"If anything feels off, tell me," Naomi whispered. "I don't like today's atmosphere."
Aleena nodded weakly.
She didn't realize that day, a crown of power had fallen onto her head—and blood would soon follow.
That night, in the main boardroom of the Sagara Group, Aleena sat in the chairman's seat.
A seat that was never meant to be hers.
Herman stood before a massive screen."Starting today, according to the will, all assets are under Miss Aleena Sagara's control."
Silence filled the room.
"Including," Herman took a deep breath, "the special business divisions."
Aleena frowned. "Special divisions?"
The lights dimmed. The screen displayed data that froze her blood.
Weapons.Illegal trade.Underground networks.And… a criminal gang.
"What… is this?" her voice trembled.
"This," Herman said seriously, "is the world your parents built. A world they never told you about."
Nausea rose in Aleena's chest.
Only one name echoed in her mind.
Arlo.
The family's sworn enemy.That ruthless CEO.
If anyone could do something like this…it had to be him.
At the same time, high above Iron City, Arlo received a report.
"The Sagara family's plane crashed," Raka said quietly.
Arlo was silent for a long time.
"Someone's moving behind the scenes," he muttered.
And for the first time in years…Arlo realized the game had become truly dangerous.
Rain poured heavily that night.
Iron City seemed to mourn alongside her, washing the streets with grief and rage no human could fully express. Reflections of city lights shimmered across the wet asphalt like wounds that refused to heal.
Aleena sat alone inside her father's office.
The room still smelled of expensive wood and black coffee. Everything was perfectly arranged—too perfect, as if its owner might return at any moment. A massive mahogany desk. Shelves full of documents. And a black leather chair that now felt like a cursed throne.
Aleena hugged herself.
Silence.
Too much silence.
Her trembling fingers brushed against a framed family photo. Her father. Her mother. Herself. Smiling on a beach. Warm. Happy. A life that now felt unreal.
"Dad… Mom…" she whispered.
Tears fell silently. No loud sobs—just a quiet ache that squeezed her chest until breathing hurt.
A soft knock echoed.
"Leena," Naomi's voice came through the door. "I'm coming in."
Naomi entered without waiting. The moment she saw Aleena, her expression shifted. She hurried forward and knelt, gripping Aleena's hands tightly.
"You're not alone," Naomi said firmly, gently. "Listen to me. Whatever happens, I'm here."
Aleena nodded weakly.
"I'm scared, Nai…" her voice cracked. "I don't understand their world. It's not mine."
Naomi tightened her grip."You're allowed to be scared. But you're not allowed to break."
Aleena closed her eyes.
And for the first time since her parents' death, she realized something terrifying—
She wasn't given time to grieve.
The next day, an emergency meeting was held.
Dozens of men and women in expensive suits filled the boardroom. But this wasn't an ordinary corporate meeting. Their gazes were sharp. Too sharp. Several unfamiliar figures stood at the corners—broad-shouldered, expressionless, hands hidden beneath their jackets.
They weren't executives.
They were underworld figures.
Aleena sat in the chairman's seat. Naomi stood behind her, straight as a living shield.
Herman opened the meeting with a heavy voice."Effective immediately, Miss Aleena Sagara is the rightful leader of the Sagara Group."
Some applauded.Others merely exchanged glances.
A large man with a scar across his cheek stood up."With all due respect, Miss," he said coldly, "we've served under your father for years. This world is brutal. Are you… capable?"
Silence fell.
Aleena swallowed. Her hands were cold. Her heartbeat thundered.
Naomi was about to step forward, but Aleena raised her hand slightly—stopping her.
Aleena stood.
Her frame was slender. Her voice trembled for a second—but her eyes didn't.
"I may not fully understand your world," she said slowly. "But I am not stupid. And I will not run."
She looked at each face in the room.
"If you were loyal to my family… then you're loyal to me. If not—the door is open."
The room fell silent.
The man stared at her for a long moment, then sat back down without a word.
Naomi exhaled quietly.
Only then did Aleena realize—her palms were soaked with sweat.
Elsewhere, inside Arlo's hidden headquarters beneath his corporate tower, the atmosphere was tense.
A massive screen displayed CCTV footage of the plane crash. Blurry. Incomplete. Too clean.
"This wasn't an accident," Raka muttered, pointing at the screen. "Footage cuts. Data wiped."
Arlo sat with arms crossed, expression unreadable.
"And announced too quickly," Arlo added. "Someone's covering tracks."
Raka smirked faintly. "And everyone's gonna blame you."
"Let them," Arlo replied calmly. "I'm used to it."
But deep inside, something stirred.
The name Aleena Sagara echoed in his mind.
A woman he had never met. His enemy's daughter. The new queen of a fallen empire.
"She'll become a target," Arlo said quietly.
"What are you planning?" Raka asked.
Arlo stood, eyes cold and sharp."Prepare our people. This city is about to bleed."
Night fell again.
Aleena stood on her balcony, staring at the glowing city below—a city that now felt hostile and unfamiliar.
Naomi approached, draping a jacket over Aleena's shoulders.
"Double security from now on," Naomi said. "I don't trust anyone."
Aleena nodded.
Inside her chest, a small flame began to burn.
The grief was still there.The fear still pressed heavily.
But now… there was resolve.
If this world was cruel,then she would learn how to survive it.
Unbeknownst to her, eyes watched her from afar.
And somewhere else in Iron City, a man named Arlo stared at the city's power map—and without knowing why, their fates began to draw closer.