Black Crown

The city felt different at night—quieter, heavier. Emily Brooks walked faster through the dim lane, her grip tightening on her bag. “Should’ve taken the main road,” she muttered. A sudden noise stopped her. Then a voice—cold, low. “Don’t move.” Her breath hitched as she turned. Two men stood in the shadows. One held a gun. Before she could react, footsteps echoed behind her. Slow. Controlled. “Step aside.” She turned—and froze. He stood there like he owned the darkness. Calm. Unbothered. Dangerous. “Leave,” he said. Emily frowned despite her racing heart. “Excuse me?” The man with the gun stepped closer. “This isn’t your business.” Fear crept in—but she didn’t step back. Then everything snapped into motion. A struggle. A fall. Silence. Emily stared. The stranger didn’t even look affected. “You saw too much,” he said, his gaze locking onto hers. Her pulse pounded—but she held it. “If you didn’t want a witness, you picked the wrong place.” A pause. Then—a faint smirk. “Interesting.” His voice dropped colder. “Careful. Curiosity gets people killed.” She didn’t reply this time. She just walked away. But she knew— This wasn’t over.