That afternoon, Naples was covered in the scent of the sea and the hustle and bustle of the harbor that never truly slept. The humid wind carried the salty fragrance from the Bay of Naples, and the sound of footsteps on the cobblestone streets rang loudly, piercing the silence that emerged amid the city's clamor.
Luciana traced the narrow alley of Via Toledo with light, yet heavy steps. Every breath she took was filled with grief that had not ended since the death of her fiancé in Jakarta. Her heart was utterly broken, leading her to decide to come to Italy, the country of her father's birth.
Luciana entered a small café, choosing a seat near the window. Outside, the twilight reflected off the wet street stones from the rain last night, creating a golden sheen that seemed to laugh at human sadness.
"Who killed Adrian?" she muttered inwardly.
She stared at a cup of cappuccino in front of her, the steam rising slowly into the air. Her slender hands gripped the cup tightly, as if restraining all the emotions towering in her chest. Her eyes were empty, staring out the window, yet her mind returned to Jakarta, to the figure of Adrian who had now become a bitter memory.
"Why must life be so cruel to us?" she murmured faintly. That voice drowned amidst the bustle of Naples that continued to move carelessly.
Suddenly, the café door creaked open loudly, drawing the attention of several patrons.
A handsome man strode in. A black suit adhered perfectly to his muscular body, his black hair neatly combed, his cold blue eyes seemingly piercing every soul that dared to look at him.
"Alessandro Romano," muttered one of the patrons. He froze in his seat.
That name made the people in Naples shiver. Especially since the death of his lover, Alessandro had become colder and more ruthless. He was constantly moving on the streets, looking for Giulia's killer.
The young master of the rich mafia family was the most feared figure in Italy. He would not hesitate to kill anyone he suspected. And for some reason, at this moment, he was in that small café.
Meanwhile, Luciana only glanced at him momentarily. She did not flinch or feel afraid at all. She returned her gaze to her cappuccino cup, seemingly uncaring about Alessandro's presence or the fearful muttering of the café patrons.
Alessandro, who was standing while looking around, finally stopped at Luciana's figure. There was something that made him interested, so he stepped closer to her.
His eyes stared at Luciana's face, who did not turn to him at all.
"Who is that woman? She seems new to this city," he muttered inwardly.
Alessandro's gaze was fixated on the face that seemed to store so many wounds. But the more he looked at her, the more his heart trembled violently, his pulse throbbing as if he recognized Luciana very closely.
"Why do I feel like this woman is so close to me?" he murmured.
Luciana, who realized Alessandro had been staring at her for a while, very bravely returned the man's gaze.
"Who is this man?" she asked inwardly.
Then she swept her gaze over all the patrons who were bowing their faces, not daring to look toward Alessandro.
Luciana frowned. "Why do they seem so afraid of this man?" she whispered.
She looked back at Alessandro, then lowered her gaze to examine the appearance of the cold man who made the café patrons look terrified. But not for Luciana; her body instead trembled subtly. Her heart beat faster, as if the man standing before her was not a stranger to her.
She sighed deeply, trying to calm the trembling and the frantic beating of her heart. "I don't know anyone in this country, except my father's family," she muttered inwardly.
"Is this table vacant?" Alessandro asked. His voice sounded cold and sharp, as if giving Luciana no option to refuse him.
Luciana sighed deeply. Actually, she didn't want the man to sit on that chair, but she had no other choice, considering the café was full.
"Please!" she said.
Without uttering a single word, Alessandro sat down on the chair. His eyes did not leave Luciana's face, examining her as if reading the sadness etched on that beautiful face. But he also saw something wild behind Luciana's gaze, like an untamable force of nature.
"You are not from around here." His voice sounded very calm, but behind that calmness was great curiosity.
"My father is from Naples, and I am here just to visit his family," Luciana answered with an indifferent tone.
Without Alessandro willing it, he suddenly showed a faint smile. A smile that resembled a predator who had just discovered something valuable.
"Naples is not too friendly for newcomers," he said.
Luciana leaned back on the chair, her eyes returning Alessandro's gaze. She sighed deeply, then pulled the two corners of her lips, displaying a faint smile that was barely visible.
"I know that, and I don't care. As long as that unfriendliness does not bother me."
Alessandro raised one of his eyebrows. He was struck by the courage of the woman sitting across from him. For the first time in his life, someone spoke with such an indifferent tone to him.
Not long after, he was surprised when he caught a flash in Luciana's eyes. "This woman..." he muttered inwardly.
Suddenly, something stirred in his heart. Alessandro's chest felt tight, his breath hitched, and his fingers unconsciously clenched on the table. His jaw hardened, as if holding back a roar that wanted to escape his throat. His heart was beating wildly, his pulse throbbing, as if his body recognized something his mind could not explain.
There was a strong energy in this woman, something different from everyone he had ever met.
"I feel this again," he muttered inwardly.
Coinciding with that, suddenly outside, the rain began to fall, soaking the streets of Naples. The streetlights reflected a sparkle in the puddles, creating a magical atmosphere that seemed to mark the beginning of their destined encounter.
Luciana sipped her coffee, her mind filled with questions. "Why do I feel like this? Why is my heart pounding so fast? Why is this turmoil still refusing to leave? Those eyes seem to suck me in like a magnet. And those eyes, where have I seen them?"
The atmosphere in the café suddenly went silent. Their two pairs of eyes locked, as if time had stopped. Something trembled in each of their chests. A familiar, wild, and electrifying energy, even though they did not know where it came from. That energy reminded both of the white tiger spirit that always haunted their dreams.
Then they were startled and simultaneously turned toward the door when a loud sound was heard.
"Brakk!"