PROLOGUE
861 Words
DISCLAIMER!!
This story is purely a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, businesses, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or real events is purely coincidental.
This book may contain themes of heartbreak, toxic relationships, emotional trauma, obsession, manipulation, and mature situations that may be sensitive to some readers.
Also, please keep in mind that I am not a professional writer. This story was written for fun, self-expression, and to share emotions and ideas with readers. There may be grammatical errors, clichés, or imperfections throughout the story, but I hope you’ll still enjoy the journey of the characters and the emotions behind every chapter.
Thank you for reading and supporting my work. ♡
— jenaisant
PROLOGUE
The city looked beautiful from rooftops.
That was the cruelest part about it.
From above, the streets glittered beneath the rain like rivers of gold. Expensive cars moved through intersections while neon lights painted the wet roads in red and blue. Somewhere below, people laughed inside warm restaurants, lovers held hands beneath umbrellas, and music spilled from bars crowded with people who still believed life was kind.
But none of that reached Mina Denvers.
She stood alone at the edge of her apartment rooftop, soaked completely by the storm.
Her fingers trembled around her phone.
Three unread messages glowed against the cracked screen.
“PAYMENT OVERDUE.!!”
“FINAL WARNING!!”
“WE KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE!!”
Mina closed her eyes briefly.
Debt collectors.
Hospital bills.
Loan interests.
Threats.
Everything Ethan left behind.
Her chest tightened painfully at the thought of him.
Ethan Wood.
The man who once kissed her forehead and promised:
“I’ll never let anything hurt you.”
Funny.
Because nobody destroyed her more completely than he did.
Mina laughed bitterly under her breath while rain dripped from her lashes. At twenty-two years old, she already felt exhausted by living.
She worked two jobs.
Skipped meals.
Ignored her own pain.
And still drowned deeper every month.
Meanwhile Ethan disappeared with another woman as if Mina meant nothing at all.
Her phone vibrated again.
This time—
his name appeared.
Ethan ❤️
The sight alone made her stomach twist violently.
For a moment she considered answering.
Then she remembered lipstick stains on his collar.
Late-night excuses.
The loans under her name.
The way he left without even apologizing.
Mina declined the call.
Almost immediately, a text arrived.
“Stop acting dramatic.”
“You know you can’t stay mad at me forever.”
Tears burned behind her eyes.
Not because she still loved him.
But because part of her once did enough to destroy herself for him.
The rooftop wind howled harder.
One step forward.
That was all it would take.
No more debt.
No more fear.
No more waking up wishing someone would save her.
Mina slowly stepped closer to the edge.
Then—
“Jumping would be a waste.”
A deep male voice cut through the storm.
Mina froze.
She turned sharply.
A man stood near the rooftop entrance beneath the flickering light.
Tall.
Broad shoulders.
Black coat darkened by rain.
And eyes so cold they almost looked unreal.
The stranger lit a cigarette slowly while watching her with unsettling calm.
“You followed me?” Mina whispered.
“Yes.”
Her heartbeat quickened immediately.
Any normal woman should’ve run.
But exhaustion had already drained most of her fear.
“Why?”
The stranger exhaled smoke into the rain.
“Because desperate people make dangerous decisions.”
Mina stared at him warily.
“Who are you?”
Instead of answering, he walked closer.
Close enough for her to notice how expensive his watch looked.
How controlled his expression remained.
How terrifyingly calm he seemed.
Then his gaze dropped briefly toward the messages glowing on her phone screen.
Debt warnings.
Understanding flickered across his face instantly.
“You owe people money,” he said quietly.
Mina’s jaw tightened.
“You don’t know anything about me.”
“No,” he admitted calmly.
“But I know that expression.”
His eyes met hers again.
“The kind people wear right before they give up.”
The honesty in his voice unsettled her.
Because for the first time in months—
someone looked at her like they truly saw how tired she was.
Rain soaked through her sweater while silence stretched heavily between them.
Then the stranger extended his hand toward her.
“Come down from there, Mina.”
Her breath caught sharply.
“…How do you know my name?”
A faint smile touched his lips.
“I know a lot about you.”
Fear crawled slowly through her chest now.
Not loud fear.
Worse.
The kind that whispers.
The stranger stepped closer beneath the storm.
“Adrian Vale,” he finally said.
The name meant nothing to Mina.
Yet something about him felt dangerous enough to remember forever.
Lightning flashed across the city skyline.
And somewhere beneath the rain—
Mina unknowingly took the first step toward the man who would either save her…
or ruin her even more beautifully than Ethan ever did.
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