THE MAFIA HEIR’S OBSESSION

Chapter 1: The Stranger The rain had been falling for hours when Elena Rose pushed through the doors of the Silver Rose Café. She was exhausted. Her feet hurt, her uniform was damp from the walk to work, and her phone had already buzzed three times with messages from home. Her father wanted money. Again. Elena locked her phone and forced the frustration away. She couldn’t afford to lose this job. “Table six!” her manager shouted. “Coming.” She grabbed the tray and hurried across the crowded café. Tonight was unusually busy. Businessmen filled the tables, expensive watches flashing beneath the warm lights. Then the entrance opened. The entire atmosphere changed. Elena looked up. A man walked inside. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit. Two men followed behind him, but nobody seemed to notice them as much as they noticed him. He carried himself like someone accustomed to being obeyed. His dark eyes swept across the room. Then stopped on Elena. She froze. For several seconds, neither looked away. There was something unsettling about him. Something powerful. Dangerous. Elena quickly lowered her gaze and continued toward table six. “Excuse me.” The man’s deep voice stopped her. She turned. He was standing directly behind her. “What can I get you?” His eyes remained fixed on her face. “Whiskey.” “Which one?” “The most expensive.” Elena raised an eyebrow. “That’s not very specific.” For the first time, amusement appeared in his eyes. “Surprise me.” She almost smiled. “That’s a dangerous thing to ask a waitress.” He leaned slightly closer. “I’m beginning to think dangerous is exactly what I came here for.” Elena’s heart skipped. She quickly walked away. She didn’t know his name. She didn’t know that the stranger was Adrian Blackthorn, billionaire CEO and heir to the city’s most feared criminal dynasty. She didn’t know that men whispered his name in underground clubs. She didn’t know that enemies were already watching from the shadows. All Elena knew was that something about Adrian made her feel like she was standing too close to a fire. And when she glanced back, she discovered he was still watching her. His whiskey remained untouched. His attention never left her. That should have been her first warning. Instead, it became the beginning of everything.