Chapter 1 – The Encounter

The rain in New York had a way of turning the streets into rivers of light. Reflections from passing cars shimmered across the wet pavement, the neon glow of skyscrapers painting the night in gold and crimson. Aria Vale pulled her trench coat tighter around her, her heels clicking against the slick sidewalk. She hated being late — especially for her first night at her new job.

The truth was, this wasn’t just any job. It was her first step into a life she had built for herself — far away from the suffocating control of her father’s mansion and the pre-arranged marriage she’d escaped just three months ago. No one here knew she was the only daughter of Jonathan Vale, the real estate magnate whose name was plastered on half the buildings in Manhattan. She was simply “Aria,” a woman who’d earned her spot as a junior event planner in one of the most prestigious corporate firms in the city.

She arrived at the hotel ballroom, pushing open the grand glass doors. The air was thick with the scent of polished wood, champagne, and expensive cologne. The annual shareholder gala was already in full swing — men in tailored suits, women in glittering gowns, conversations flowing in low, confident tones.

Aria made her way toward the registration desk, checking her name tag, when a sudden ripple moved through the crowd. Heads turned. Voices hushed.

She followed their gaze.

And then she saw him.

Elias Drake.

She had only heard his name before — the elusive, almost myth-like billionaire who owned Drake Enterprises, a global empire spanning from finance to luxury resorts. He was younger than she expected, maybe mid-thirties, with sharp, chiseled features and eyes so cold they seemed carved from steel. The perfectly tailored black suit hugged his tall, broad frame like it was made just for him — and knowing men like him, it probably was.

But it wasn’t just his looks that held the room hostage. It was the way he moved — calm, deliberate, a predator who knew no one could touch him.

Aria quickly looked away, but not fast enough. His eyes found hers.

She froze.

It was just a flicker — a few seconds at most — but in that moment she felt stripped bare. His gaze wasn’t casual; it was assessing, calculating… as though he’d just discovered something interesting and wasn’t about to let it go.

Her heart picked up speed.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of introductions and small talk. But more than once, she caught him watching her from across the room. Never smiling, never approaching… just watching.

As she was preparing to leave, she felt the air shift. A shadow fell over her shoulder.

“Leaving so soon?” His voice was deep, smooth — dangerous.

She turned to face him. “I… I’ve got an early morning tomorrow.”

He studied her for a moment, as if weighing her answer. “I don’t think we’ve met.”

“Aria,” she said, keeping her voice steady.

“Elias,” he replied — as if she didn’t already know. His lips curved ever so slightly, but his eyes stayed sharp. “I hope this isn’t the last time we talk.”

And with that, he stepped past her, leaving a faint trail of expensive cologne in his wake — and a feeling in her chest that this man was not someone you simply walked away from.

Aria didn’t know it yet, but Elias Drake wasn’t just interested.

He was a man who took what he wanted.

And he had just decided he wanted her.

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