Into the fire

Chapter 1. The strange occasion

Orion pov

The City sprawls beneath him an endless grid of light and shadow. Orion sits in a sleek minimalistic office with panoramic views of the city. It's late, well past midnight, but he's used to the silence,e, the solitude. It's when he is most alive. As the city hums below, he begins to speak, his voice deep, steady and laced with the kind of calm authority that commands attention.

"I suppose it all started when I realized the world doesn't change on its own. People like me, those with resources with power, are the ones who shape it. You might think I'm some kind of billionaire playboy living off tech profits but you'd be wrong."

People think they understand me. They think they know what I do and what drives me, but they don't, not really.

His gaze sharpens, a hint of something dangerous flashing behind his dark eyes.

“it's not about the money. Not really. Sure, tech innovation, the kind that changes the way we live, pays well, but I built my fortune to fund a different kind of mission, one that no one else was willing to take on."

He leans back in his chair his fingers drumming against the armest.

“I started in the tech world. Yes, I create breakthrough innovations, things that could change the world. But there were always those who wanted to control it, who saw these advancements as tools for power. I saw how easily the world could tip into chaos and how fragile the systems we depend on really are."

He pauses, letting the weight of his words hang in the air.“so I took a different path. I found a private security company. We do the jobs no one else can. High-risk operations security assets that the government won't touch dealing with threats that don't appear on any radar. We operate in the shadows."

“I saw something else, something tech couldn't fix the cracks in the system. The things no one talks about until they're too far gone.” “So I made a choice. ” he smirks slightly. “and that's how I got here. A man of two worlds. One where I innovate for a better future, another where I'm paid handsomely to protect it. You'll see it's all part of some strategy, control, power, and influence.”

Orion's voice softens just a touch, almost imperceptible.

“I didn't get here by saying nice but I didn't get here by being careless either. Every move is calculated every decision weighs on the future. And now I have everything I need and want, except for one thing.”

He gets up from his chair stopping back to face the skyline. His reflection stares back at him, sharp, unyielding, and yet there is a flicker of something else in his eyes, something that's not easily defined.

“you're probably wondering," his tone shifting. “What does any of this have to do with you? Why am I telling you all of this?”

The silence stretches for a moment. “Because," he whispers just for himself, “I've been playing this game for years,s, and I thought I'd all won, but it's only just begun. And now everything is about to change.”

Serena pov

The cafe is quiet this morning; the calm before the rush the soft hum of the soft hum of the espresso machine, and the occasional clink of a spoon are the only sounds filling the space. I sit at a coffee table crashing a mug of black coffee. The heat from the cup warmed my palms. The aroma of roasted beans lingers in the air, familiar and grounding.

This place is mine. Every corner, every creak of the wooden floor beneath my feet, it's my creation. Yet I'm not sure I feel the satisfaction I expected when I finally took ownership of this little shop. Sometimes, it feels like just another piece of the puzzle I'm trying to put together a way to survive. It's hard to be proud of something when you're constantly fighting to keep it afloat.

Owning a coffee shop is nothing like imagined. It's more than just brewing lattes and serving pastries. It is about the never-ending bills, the inventory orders that never seem to stop,, and the employees who depend on you to make this place work.

I don't have the luxury of a rich individual at the end of the day. This is my life this shop is what keeps the light on what keeps me going. I'm here even when I'm not.

Oh, how it all started.

I didn't always know I'd be running a Cafe. Hell, I didn't even know I could.

I was just a girl who needed something more, something to hold onto, something to give me the control I needed over my own life.

So when the opportunity came to buy this place, I didn't hesitate. I scraped together every penny, borrowed money from friends,, and took a chance.

The dreams I had when I first opened the cafe seem distant now. I wanted a place where people could escape the world for a little while, and there are moments when it feels that way.

The regulars who came in every morning, the quiet hours where I could just sit here and watch the world pass by. But more often than not it's a grind. It's a never-ending hustle.

I take another sip of my coffee the bitter warmth sinking into my chest. I wonder if I'm making the right choice and if I'm even doing enough. I'm not sure I'll make it through, but quitting isn't an option, at least not as yet. The doorbell above the cafe entrance rings signaling a customer. I glance up expecting another regular, someone who has been coming in for months.

But then I freeze. A man walks in. He is tall, his beautiful face screams dominance, the one who is in control of his presence, drawing attention to persons in the shop. He is muscular as a result of years of training, whether personal fitness or professional demands.

His body language speaks of discipline and power. He carries himself with an ease that makes it clear he doesn't need to exert force to dominate a room.

His face? Sharp jaws are strong too. His black hair cut short but with just enough length to give it a slightly tousled look.

He is wearing a well-fitted shirt and jeans with a leather jacket. He stands out. His eyes scanned the room with an intensity that was both unsettling and captivating. When his gaze landed on me, I felt a jolt in my chest. A wave of emotions hit all at once. My heart races, my breath catches my throat, and everything around me blurs. He walks so confidently, almost like he ownss the place. He approaches the counter with my employee trembling and uneasy.

“I'll take a black coffee," he says, his voice low and calm but with underlying authority that makes it impossible to ignore. After collecting and paying he walks up to my table but stops a few feet away. His dark eyes locked with mine. His presence is almost tangible pulling me in without a word.

Sitting at my table he asked "Name" I stared blankly without responding "You don't have one? Oh shall I give you one." he sipped his coffee "Serena"

"hmm hi Serena"

"hi"

The silence hangs between us. I don't know what, but there is something about him that makes me feel seen not as a business person but as me, Serena.

For a moment, I'm caught off guard, unsure of what to say or do. Then he got up gives me a small, unreadable smile as though he knew exactly what he was doing.

"I'll be seeing you, Serena," he says, his voice dropping lower, a hint of something in his tone that sends a shiver through me. And with that, he walks out, leaving me sitting there all alone again, but the space between us is still Charged. I watched him disappear through the door my heart still racing.

One thing is for sure: this is far from over.