Love in his luxury world

The glass shattered before she could stop herself. Linna Rivera didn’t even remember deciding to run one second she was sprinting down the marble hallway, her breath sharp and uneven, the next she crashed straight through the revolving glass door of the five-star hotel, the impact sending a loud crack through the polished silence. Guests screamed. Security guards shouted. Someone dropped a tray of champagne, the glasses exploding against the floor like tiny bombs. But Linna didn’t stop. She couldn’t stop. Not when two men in black suits were chasing her, their footsteps heavy and fast behind her. “Stop her!” one of them yelled. Her heart pounded wildly as she pushed forward into the grand lobby, her worn shoes slipping slightly on the glossy floor. Everything around her felt too bright, too expensive, too out of place for someone like her. Crystal chandeliers glittered above. Rich guests stared in shock. This wasn’t her world but somehow, she had just run straight into the center of it. She turned sharply, nearly colliding with a waiter, and that was when it happened. She slammed into someone solid. The force of it knocked the breath out of her lungs. Strong hands caught her before she could fall, steadying her. For a moment, everything slowed. Linna looked up and froze. The man holding her didn’t look like anyone she had ever met. He was tall, sharp-featured, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit that probably cost more than her entire wardrobe. His dark eyes locked onto hers, calm but intense, like he was already trying to figure her out. “Watch where you’re going,” he said quietly. His voice was low, controlled, but there was something dangerous beneath it. “I…I’m sorry,” Linna stammered, trying to pull away. But his grip tightened slightly. “Someone’s chasing you,” he said, not as a question. Before she could answer, the two men burst into the lobby. Their eyes scanned the room and landed on her instantly. “There she is!” Linna’s stomach dropped. She turned back to the stranger, panic flooding her voice. “Please… I need help.” For a brief second, he studied her, as if weighing a decision that could change everything. Then, without another word, he pulled her closer to him and turned, positioning his body between her and the approaching men. “She’s with me,” he said calmly. The men slowed, exchanging glances. One of them stepped forward. “Sir, that girl doesn’t belong here. She’s involved in something serious.” The man’s expression didn’t change. “And you think chasing her through my hotel is appropriate?” My hotel. The words hit Linna like a shockwave. She looked up at him again, this time seeing him differently. Not just a stranger but someone powerful. Someone important. The man in front of them hesitated. “We’re just doing our job.” “And I’m doing mine,” the stranger replied coldly. “Leave. Now.” There was something in his tone that made it clear he wasn’t asking. The two men exchanged one last look before stepping back reluctantly. “This isn’t over,” one of them muttered before turning away. The moment they disappeared, Linna let out a shaky breath. “You can let go now,” she said softly. But he didn’t. Instead, he studied her again, his gaze sharper now. “Who are they?” She hesitated. “I… I don’t know.” “That’s a lie,” he said simply. Linna swallowed. Of course he didn’t believe her. Why would he? She looked like trouble. She was trouble. “Thank you for helping me,” she said quickly, trying to step back again. “But I should go…” “Not yet.” His voice stopped her completely. Before she could react, security guards approached. “Sir, is everything alright?” one of them asked. “Yes,” the man replied smoothly. “Escort those men out and make sure they don’t come back.” “Of course, Mr. Cross.” Linna’s heart skipped. Cross. As in Sebastian Cross the billionaire everyone talked about. The one who owned half the city. The one who never got involved in anything that didn’t benefit him. And yet, he had just helped her. The guards left, and silence settled between them again. Linna felt suddenly exposed under his gaze. “You’re shaking,” Sebastian said quietly. “I’m fine,” she insisted. “You’re not,” he replied. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then he surprised her again. “Come with me.” Her eyes widened. “What?” “You’re not safe out there,” he said. “And I don’t like unanswered questions.” “I can’t just follow a stranger,” she said, even though she already knew who he was. “I’m not a stranger,” he replied calmly. “I’m the only reason you’re not being dragged out of this building right now.” That shut her up. A few minutes later, Linna found herself inside a private elevator, rising higher and higher into a world she had never imagined stepping into. The silence between them was thick. She could feel his presence beside her steady, controlled, watching. “Why did you run into my hotel?” he asked suddenly. “I didn’t plan to,” she admitted. “Then what did you plan?” She hesitated. “To get away.” The elevator doors opened into a luxurious penthouse suite. Linna stepped out slowly, her eyes widening at the space. Floor-to-ceiling windows. Expensive furniture. Everything was perfect. Untouchable. Just like him. Sebastian walked past her and poured himself a drink. “Start talking,” he said. She wrapped her arms around herself. “I told you I don’t know who they are.” “And I told you I don’t believe you,” he replied. Before she could respond, her phone buzzed in her pocket. Both of them froze. Slowly, she pulled it out. An unknown number. Her hands trembled as she answered. “Hello?” A distorted voice spoke on the other end. “You made a mistake running, Linna.” Her blood went cold. “We warned you not to open that file.” Linna’s breath caught. Sebastian’s eyes narrowed as he watched her reaction. “What file?” he asked sharply once she ended the call. She shook her head, panic flooding her again. “I didn’t mean to I thought it was just a normal job I didn’t know…” “What did you see?” he demanded. She looked up at him, fear and realization crashing together. “I think… I saw something I wasn’t supposed to.” Silence filled the room. Sebastian stared at her, his mind already racing. This wasn’t random. This wasn’t coincidence. This was something bigger. Something dangerous. Then his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and his expression changed. “Who is it?” Linna asked nervously. He didn’t answer immediately. When he finally spoke, his voice was colder than before. “It’s my head of security,” he said. “And?” Sebastian looked at her, his eyes dark with something she couldn’t read. “They just traced the people chasing you,” he said slowly. Her heart pounded. “Who are they?” He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “They’re connected to my company.” Linna’s world tilted. “That’s not possible,” she said weakly. “That’s not the worst part,” Sebastian added. Fear gripped her. “What do you mean?” He held her gaze, his words hitting like a final blow. “The file you opened… came from inside my system.” Everything went silent. Linna realized two things at once. She hadn’t run into this hotel by accident. And the man standing in front of her wasn’t just her savior. He might be the reason she was being hunted. Her breath came out in a whisper. “What if I can’t trust you?” Sebastian didn’t look surprised. Instead, he gave a slow, unreadable smile. “Then you’re already in more danger than you think.”