Chapter 1
1741 Words
The first gunshot shattered the night.
It came without warning.
Run.
That was the only thought in my head.
I ran.
My legs burned as I lifted the hem of my long floral dress, the fabric tangling around my ankles. My lungs screamed for air, but I didn’t stop.
They wouldn’t let me go.
Another gunshot cracked through the darkness.
I stumbled, nearly falling, then pushed forward into the bushes, branches scratching against my skin.
I dropped low, crouching behind thick shrubs, pressing my body into the damp earth.
Footsteps.
Voices.
“Where is she?” one of the men growled. His silhouette moved under the faint streetlight, a gun glinting in his hand.
“She was here. I saw the grass move,” another replied, stepping closer.
Closer.
Too close.
My heart pounded so hard I was certain they could hear it.
Don’t breathe.
I covered my mouth with trembling fingers, forcing myself to stay silent.
Even the smallest sound could get me killed.
The grass shifted beside me.
A shadow stopped right in front of the bush.
“Got you.”
A shadow loomed over me as a rough hand reached into the bushes to drag me out.
I closed my eyes.
This was it.
In that single suspended second, my mind betrayed me.
Dad.
Adrian.
Grandma.
The company.
The last argument I had with my father before storming out.
The things I never got to fix.
Tears slid down my cheeks as I surrendered to the inevitable.
“Come here.”
Suddenly, a strong arm wrapped around my waist and yanked me sideways.
“What—?”
There was no time to finish.
Another gunshot exploded behind us.
“Get them!” someone shouted.
The stranger pulled me into a narrow gap between two broken concrete walls, hidden by overgrown vines.
“Stay down,” he whispered.
I looked up at him.
His thick dark curls caught my attention first.
Before I noticed his other features.
His face was completely masked, only his dark eyes visible — sharp, focused, glowing faintly in the night.
My heart pounded violently against my ribs. I clutched the fabric of my gown in trembling fists.
Footsteps thundered past.
“Where are they?” the leader demanded.
“They disappeared, sir—”
Crack.
The leader struck the man hard across the head.
“Useless i***t. If they disappeared from your sight, then find them!” he snarled. “Lose them, and you lose your life. Is that clear?”
“Yes, sir!” they answered in unison.
“Good. Spread out.”
Their footsteps scattered.
I could barely breathe.
Tears continued to fall silently as the reality sank in.
I was trapped.
If I ran — I might die.
If I stayed — I might die.
But the stranger beside me…
He wasn’t panicking.
He was calm.
Controlled.
Watching.
Who was he?
Police?
Or something else entirely?
Lost in my thoughts, I finally whispered,
“Who exactly are you—”
Gunfire shattered the air again.
“Over here!” one of them shouted.
“I can see her dress!” another yelled.
“Get them!” the leader ordered.
My mind went blank.
“Run!” the stranger commanded.
He grabbed my hand tightly, and we bolted.
A few hours ago, I was arguing with my brother about company funds and going bankrupt. A few hours ago, I was furious at Dad for defending him as we had lots of deadline projects.
And now?
Now I was sprinting for my life in the middle of the night.
Life really is the most unpredictable mission.
We ran until my lungs burned.
“Stop—!” he suddenly warned.
But it was too late.
I stumbled forward, nearly falling over the edge.
When I looked up, my stomach dropped.
A cliff.
Dark. Endless. Merciless.
“Dead end,” I muttered, bending over as I struggled to breathe.
My pulse roared in my ears.
“I can’t believe this is how I die,” I laughed weakly.
He didn’t react.
Didn’t blink.
Didn’t panic.
Just stood there.
Strange.
That was the only word that described him.
“Without getting my dream Dior bag… without traveling the world… I’m about to—”
“Well, well, well.”
The gang leader stepped out from the shadows, his voice almost amused.
“Look what we have here.”
He swung the gun lazily in his hand.
Figures emerged from every direction.
Left.
Right.
Behind us.
We were surrounded.
Nowhere to run.
Nowhere to hide.
Only the cliff at our backs.
“What exactly do you want from me?” I asked desperately.
“If I’m going to die, at least tell me why. What did I do? What was my offense?”
The man burst into laughter.
“She thinks she still has the privilege to ask questions,” he mocked.
“Well, since you’re so desperate… tell your i***t brother not to interfere in our business again. Is that clear?”
My heart skipped.
“What did he do? And if he’s the problem, why are you after me instead of him?”
A slow, cruel smile spread across his face.
“Because,” he said, scanning me from head to toe, “you’re the price.”
His eyes lingered in a way that made my skin crawl.
“A very… valuable price.”
“Now get her.”
Before they could grab me, I was pulled firmly behind the masked stranger.
His arm moved slightly behind him — just enough to shield me.
A silent reassurance.
I wasn’t going to be touched.
The leader laughed loudly.
“Oh? The little boy wants to play hero?”
His smile vanished.
“You can play hero at home with your toys. Not here.”
One of the men lunged forward, throwing a punch.
The stranger caught his wrist mid-air.
Twist.
A sharp crack echoed as he bent the man’s arm unnaturally and drove his knee into his stomach.
The man screamed and collapsed.
My mouth fell open.
The leader’s expression darkened.
“You think you can fight me?” he spat, pulling out his gun.
Before he could aim, the stranger moved.
Fast.
He grabbed the gun, forced it upward, and a shot fired harmlessly into the night sky.
My heart nearly stopped.
He stepped closer to the leader.
“You talk too much,” he said quietly.
There was something terrifying about how calm he sounded.
He twisted the leader’s arm behind his back and delivered a brutal punch to his jaw.
Blood splattered.
The man fell to his knees.
“You idiots!” the leader shouted at his men through broken breaths.
“Are you just going to stand there and watch?”
“I’m your boss!”
But none of them moved.
Because the stranger wasn’t just fighting.
He was dominating.
“Go,” one of the men shoved the other.
“No, you go first!”
“Get out!” the stranger’s voice thundered through the woods.
The sound shook the trees. Birds burst from their nests, wings flapping wildly into the night.
The men scrambled over each other in panic, running blindly into the darkness.
Their leader lay on the ground, bleeding and furious.
“Stupid fools! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill all of you!”
“Sure you will,” I muttered under my breath, a small smile forming.
“Let’s go,” the stranger said, gripping my wrist and pulling me away.
“Wait,” I protested. “Now you can answer my questions. Who are you? What were you doing there? How did you even find me?”
No response.
“And… you have really nice curly hair,” I added, trying to lighten the mood.
Silence.
“Hello?” I waved a hand in front of his masked face. “Can you hear me, Mr. Hero?”
Nothing.
“Fine,” I huffed, crossing my arms.
We walked for what felt like forever until we reached the roadside.
Two black SUVs were parked ahead.
“Who drives cars out here at this hour?” I muttered.
He led me to one of them and opened the door.
He gave a small nod to the driver.
“Yes, sir,” the man replied respectfully.
Sir?
Before I could process that, I was guided into the back seat.
“Wait… am I being kidnapped?” My voice shook.
“Did you save me just to kidnap me yourself?”
No answer.
The car started moving.
“Let me go!” I pounded weakly on the door.
“My family won’t pay a dime! This kidnapping won’t work!”
The driver said nothing.
Two hours later, the familiar gates of my family home came into view.
I froze.
My house.
I wasn’t kidnapped.
I was brought home.
Relief hit so suddenly my body nearly gave out.
The gates opened.
When I stepped out, my legs buckled.
Everything felt distant.
Voices blurred together.
Hands caught me before I hit the ground.
“Megan! Baby, are you hurt?”
My father’s voice.
Strong. Furious. Terrified.
“I’ll make them pay,” he growled. “Where’s the medical team?”
I heard someone mention a car — someone who had helped me — but my mind felt foggy.
I was placed on a stretcher.
Matthew rushed forward, his face pale.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, tears in his eyes. “Using you as collateral was stupid. I’m so sorry.”
No matter how angry I was, he was still my brother.
Seeing him cry hurt more than the bruises.
“You almost got me killed,” I murmured weakly, pulling him into a fragile hug.
“I noticed people following me after our argument about the company,” I added quietly. “I just never imagined they’d use me to get to you.”
“I’ll fix this,” he promised hoarsely. “But the man who helped you… do you know who he was?”
I shook my head.
“No. I couldn’t see his face. Just… curly hair.”
My grandfather wrapped his arms around me gently.
“My poor girl. You suffered because of your brother’s mistakes.”
I closed my eyes.
Then my father’s phone vibrated.
He answered.
A pause.
His face changed.
“What?”
Another pause.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
- Writer
