THE MAFIA KING'S FORGOTTEN LOVE

THE MAN SHE SAVED Chapter One — The Stranger in the Rain Five years ago, Elena Rossi learned that some people enter your life for only one night. And some people never truly leave. She just hadn't known which kind of person he was. Not yet. --- The rain had been falling for almost three hours. Elena pulled her coat tighter around herself as she hurried down the nearly empty street, one hand holding her umbrella while the other clutched the small paper bag containing the groceries her mother had asked her to buy. She was halfway home when she heard something. A sound. Not loud. Not clear. Just a faint noise coming from the narrow alley beside an abandoned building. Elena stopped. Her heart immediately told her to keep walking. Her curiosity told her otherwise. She looked toward the alley. "Hello?" Nothing. She took one step closer. Then another. "Is someone there?" Lightning briefly illuminated the street. And that's when she saw him. A man was lying against the brick wall. His dark clothes were soaked from the rain, his head lowered, his breathing barely noticeable. Elena froze. She should have walked away. Instead, she dropped her umbrella. "Sir?" The man didn't answer. She moved closer. "Are you okay?" His head lifted slightly. Even in the darkness, she could see his eyes. Cold. Sharp. Dangerous. But beneath all of that was something else. Pain. He tried to stand. He failed. Elena caught his arm before he fell. "You're hurt." "I'm fine." His voice was rough. "You don't look fine." His eyes narrowed. "Leave." Elena stared at him. "Excuse me?" "I said leave." She should have listened. Instead, she glanced at him again. He was shivering. Whatever had happened to him, he clearly wasn't fine. "You need help." "I don't need anyone." "Well, you're currently sitting on the ground in the rain, so I'm going to disagree with you." For the first time, something almost resembling amusement crossed his face. Almost. Then his expression hardened again. "You don't know who I am." "No." "Then you should be afraid." Elena looked at him for a moment. "Should I?" He didn't answer. She sighed. "Can you stand?" "Yes." He tried. His knees nearly gave way. Elena caught him again. "Clearly." "Don't touch me." "Then stop falling." He stared at her. She stared back. Neither moved. Finally, Elena picked up her umbrella. "Come on." "Where?" "My house." His expression changed immediately. "No." "You need somewhere dry." "No." "You need medical attention." "No." "You need to stop saying no." His jaw tightened. "You don't understand what you're getting yourself into." "Probably not." She looked at him. "But I know what happens if I leave you here." Silence. The rain continued falling around them. Finally, the stranger looked away. "Fine." --- That was the first mistake Elena ever made. Or perhaps it was the first thing she did right. She never found out which. --- Five years later. Elena woke up before her alarm. She stared at the ceiling. For some reason, she had dreamed about the rain again. She hated those dreams. They always came without warning. A dark alley. A pair of cold eyes. A trembling hand. A voice telling her to leave. And always the same feeling when she woke up— Like she had forgotten something important. Elena sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Not today." She had more important things to worry about. Today was her first day at Moretti Holdings. Her first real job. Her chance to finally become independent. She got dressed quickly, grabbed her bag, and left her apartment. She had no idea that before the day ended, her entire life would change. --- Moretti Holdings stood in the center of the city like a monument. Glass walls. Black cars. Security guards at every entrance. People in expensive suits moving through the lobby without stopping. Elena stood outside for several seconds. "Okay." She took a breath. "You can do this." She walked inside. At the reception desk, she gave her name. "Elena Rossi." The receptionist typed something. Then looked up. "You're expected." Elena smiled nervously. "Thank you." The receptionist's expression suddenly became serious. "There's one thing you should know." Elena paused. "What?" The receptionist lowered her voice. "Mr. Moretti is here today." Elena frowned. "Who's Mr. Moretti?" The woman stared at her. "You don't know?" "No." The receptionist looked almost surprised. "Adrian Moretti." The name meant nothing to Elena. Not yet. "Is he the owner?" "He's the CEO." "Oh." "And he doesn't like mistakes." Elena swallowed. "Good to know." The receptionist hesitated. "One more thing." "Yes?" "Don't get his attention." Elena almost laughed. "Why would I?" The receptionist didn't answer. Instead, she simply looked toward the elevators. Elena followed her gaze. Several men in black suits were standing there. Then the elevator doors opened. Every conversation in the lobby stopped. A man stepped out. Tall. Impossibly calm. Dressed completely in black. His expression was unreadable. People moved aside without being asked. He didn't look at anyone. He didn't need to. Elena watched him walk across the lobby. Something inside her changed. Her breathing stopped. Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag. She didn't know why. She didn't know him. She had never seen him before. At least... That's what she told herself. The man passed her. For one brief second, his eyes met hers. Elena's heart slammed against her chest. Those eyes. She knew those eyes. The rain. The alley. The wounded stranger. Her lips parted. "No..." Adrian Moretti stopped. He turned slightly. His eyes returned to her. Elena immediately looked away. He studied her for another second. Then continued walking. One of the men beside him leaned closer. "Sir?" Adrian didn't answer. He simply glanced back at the woman standing near the reception desk. Something about her bothered him. He didn't know why. He had never seen her before. Yet her face had awakened a strange feeling he couldn't name. He hated feelings he couldn't name. "Find out who she is," he said quietly. The man nodded. "Yes, sir." Adrian disappeared into the private elevator. Elena remained frozen. Five years. Five years of remembering a stranger she had never expected to see again. And now he was standing in front of her. Except there was one problem. He hadn't recognized her. Not even a little. --- Hours later, Elena was still trying to convince herself that she had imagined the resemblance. It was impossible. The man from the alley had been younger. Different. Maybe she had simply been frightened that night, and her memory had changed over time. She opened the folder on her desk. "Focus." She forced herself to work. Unfortunately, the universe seemed determined not to let her. Her supervisor appeared beside her desk. "Elena." She looked up. "Yes?" "Mr. Moretti needs these documents in his office." Her stomach dropped. "Me?" "Yes." "Can't someone else—" "No." He placed the folder in front of her. "Take it upstairs." Elena stared at the folder. Then at the elevator. Then back at the folder. "Great." --- The elevator doors opened on the top floor. The hallway was silent. Too silent. Elena walked toward the large black door at the end. She knocked. "Come in." His voice. Her heart recognized it before her mind did. She entered. Adrian was standing beside the enormous windows overlooking the city. He didn't turn around. "Put it there." Elena placed the folder on his desk. She turned to leave. "Wait." She stopped. Adrian finally turned. His eyes settled on her. For several seconds, neither spoke. "Your name." Elena's heart raced. "Elena." "Full name." "Elena Rossi." Something flickered across his face. It was gone so quickly she almost missed it. "Rossi?" "Yes." He walked toward her. Not quickly. Not threateningly. But with the confidence of someone who was accustomed to people moving when he entered a room. He stopped a few feet away. "Have we met before?" Elena's heart nearly broke through her chest. She forced herself to smile. "No." A pause. "Are you sure?" "Yes." Adrian studied her. There was something about her answer he didn't believe. But he couldn't prove it. "Leave." Elena nodded. She reached for the door. Then his voice stopped her again. "Elena." She turned. Adrian looked at her. For one inexplicable moment, the room felt strangely familiar to him. Rain. Darkness. A woman's voice. You're going to be okay. His head suddenly hurt. He pressed two fingers against his temple. Elena noticed. "Are you okay?" Adrian looked at her sharply. The concern in her voice. That voice. Something deep inside his memory moved. But before he could grasp it, the feeling disappeared. "I'm fine." Elena nodded slowly. Then she left. The door closed behind her. Adrian remained completely still. He stared at the closed door. Then he looked down at his hand. He didn't understand why his fingers were trembling. He hadn't remembered the girl. But somewhere inside him... Something had. --- Downstairs, Elena stepped into the elevator. She released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Five years," she whispered. She closed her eyes. "How could you forget me?" The elevator doors began to close. But before they completely shut, a hand stopped them. Elena's eyes widened. Adrian stood outside. Neither of them spoke. Then he stepped inside. The doors closed. The elevator began descending. Silence. Elena stared at the numbers above the door. Adrian stood behind her. Neither knew what to say. Then— The elevator suddenly jerked. The lights went out. Elena gasped. Her balance disappeared. Before she could fall, a strong hand caught her wrist. She froze. So did he. The darkness surrounded them. Adrian's grip remained firm. And then, from somewhere deep inside his forgotten memories, a girl's voice whispered through his mind. Don't be afraid. His eyes widened. Elena looked toward him. Neither of them could see the other's face. But Adrian suddenly asked the question that would change everything. "Have I..." His voice was barely above a whisper. "...met you before?" Elena closed her eyes. She knew the answer. She had been waiting five years to hear him ask. But she wasn't ready to tell him. "Maybe," she whispered. The elevator lights came back on. Adrian looked directly into her eyes. And for the first time in five years— he remembered the rain.