The taxi hummed over the rainy streets of the city Selena Everhart had once called home. Neon lights reflected off puddles like shattered glass. Ten years ago, she had fled these streets in disgrace, her family's empire destroyed, her life shattered. Now, she was back.
Pulling her coat tighter, she stepped out in front of Blackthorn Tower, a sleek skyscraper piercing the clouds. The name "Damien Blackthorn" still burned in her memory. The man who had destroyed everything, or so she thought.
Selena's fingers brushed her phone. A message flashed:
"You shouldn't have come back…"
Her heartbeat stuttered. Only Damien would know she had returned so discreetly. She smiled faintly, masking the storm inside.
She entered the tower under the guise of a corporate intern. Cameras scanned her face. Security guards nodded. No one knew her true identity. Not yet.
As she reached the lobby, a tall, shadowy figure stepped out of the elevator. He exuded power, and Selena's breath caught. Damien Blackthorn, the man whose name had haunted her dreams, was closer than she had imagined, and he hadn't recognized her.
A faint smirk crossed her lips. This was the start of the game.
A hand gripped her shoulder from behind. Selena spun and froze. It was a face she hadn't seen in years. "Selena…?"