Siana lay on her bed, her phone screen glowing as she admired the picture she had taken with Cade Civil. There was a small sense of pride in her chest, knowing she had been bold enough to use the intimidating Devillian Giordano to get that moment with her childhood crush. She glanced over at Ashleen, who was lying beside her, scrolling through her social media pictures from the launch party.

"Can you believe it?" Siana said, a little smug. "I actually managed to talk to Cade Civil, thanks to that... beast."

Ashleen snickered, not looking up from her phone. "That intimidating beast is probably into you," she said teasingly, her voice full of excitement. "I mean, come on, did you see the way he was looking at you?"

Siana rolled her eyes dramatically, flicking Ashleen on the forehead. “Please. Don’t even joke about that,” she said, shaking her head. “Devillian Giordano is the last person I’d ever be with. He’s rude, cold, and—ugh! Did you see how he treated Cade Civil? He called him over like he was a dog, just by flicking his fingers. That’s no way to treat someone like Cade. He’s a respected actor, for crying out loud!”

Ashleen burst into laughter, clearly entertained by Siana’s rant. “Well, Devillian’s not exactly known for his charming personality,” she teased, wiggling her eyebrows. “But that doesn’t mean he’s not into you.”

“Yeah, well,” Siana huffed, turning her phone off and tossing it onto the bed, “even if he is—which I highly doubt—I don’t care. I could never be with someone like him. He doesn’t treat people right, and I don’t care how powerful or ‘Greek god-like’ you think he is.”

Ashleen grinned. “You say that now, but let’s see what happens. Devillian’s the type to get what he wants.”

Siana scoffed, folding her arms behind her head. “Not this time. I’m not interested, and I won’t let anyone manipulate me—even if they are some untouchable, ruthless businessman.”

But even as she said the words, a strange discomfort lingered in her mind. There was something unsettling about how easily Devillian had commanded Cade’s attention with just a flick of his fingers. That kind of power, that casual dominance—it bothered her. And though she would never admit it, part of her was a little scared of what it meant that someone like him had shown even the slightest interest in her.

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Devillian stepped out of the shower, his muscular frame gleaming with water droplets as they slid down his stone-like body. His expression was unreadable, as cold and indifferent as ever. Without missing a beat, he grabbed the gun from the table, aiming effortlessly toward the curtains. The sound of a single shot echoed through the room, followed by a dull thud as a man collapsed behind the fabric. The assassin's eyes were still wide open, lifeless, as a perfect headshot ended his mission before it even started.

Devillian's jaw tightened in annoyance, the sight of blood staining his otherwise immaculate room irritating him more than usual. He wasn't in the mood for this. Not today.

The door burst open as his men stormed inside, their faces pale with fear. They froze under the intensity of his gaze, trembling under the weight of their failure.

"Did I pay you to sleep?" Devillian's voice was low, deadly calm, but it carried a sharp edge that made his men stiffen. His eyes flicked toward the lifeless body on the floor. "What were you doing outside? How the fuck did he get in?"

The men exchanged nervous glances, their fear palpable as they fumbled for an explanation. None of them dared to speak.

Devillian’s cold stare bore into them, a silent warning that their incompetence would not be tolerated. "Clean this mess up," he ordered, his voice like ice. "And make sure it doesn’t happen again."

His men scrambled into action, knowing full well the consequences of disappointing the most dangerous man in the underworld. Devillian wiped the gun calmly and placed it back on the table, his annoyance simmering beneath the surface. He didn’t have time for these distractions. Not when he had much more important things to focus on.

Devillian sat on the edge of his bed, his broad shoulders tense as he leaned back, resting his head against the headboard. His eyes were closed, but his mind was anything but calm. The recent attempt on his life was already fading from his thoughts—it wasn’t the first, and it wouldn’t be the last. But the quiet of the room did little to soothe the storm within him.

His jaw clenched as he exhaled deeply, his body still radiating an aura of dark intensity. He hated moments like these—moments of stillness that gave him too much time to think. He didn’t need rest; he needed control. Control over everything and everyone. Yet, lately, something—no, someone—had been slipping through his defenses.

The brief thought of Siana crossed his mind, and despite himself, a flicker of irritation mingled with something unfamiliar. He didn’t like how she lingered in his thoughts. A clumsy, ordinary girl who had somehow managed to disrupt the careful balance of his existence.

His hand tightened into a fist against the silk sheets, his dark energy pulsing through the room as he wrestled with the notion. He hated when things—or people—messed with his mind. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t seem to shake her from his thoughts.

The scent of her perfume. The touch of her hand. It gnawed at him.

His eyes remained closed, but his mind was anything but peaceful.

Devillian opened his eyes, his gaze dark and intense as he reached for the drawer on his bedside table. Slowly, deliberately, he pulled it open and retrieved a delicate bracelet—a small, almost insignificant piece of jewelry in contrast to his world of power and violence. He held it in his large hand, turning it over, his expression unreadable.

The bracelet had gotten stuck on his coat the night she kissed him on the cheek during that ridiculous dare. He hadn’t seen her face that night, but the scent she left behind had haunted him ever since.

He stared at the small piece of jewelry, a reminder of that brief, unexpected moment. It shouldn't mean anything to him. In his world, sentimentality was a weakness, an indulgence he could not afford. Yet, here he was, gripping this fragile thing that somehow felt heavier with the weight of unspoken thoughts.

The intensity in his eyes grew as he traced the contours of the bracelet. His mind raced, but his face remained as stoic as ever. Why couldn't he let it go? Why couldn't he let her go?

With a frustrated sigh, he placed the bracelet back into the drawer and slammed it shut, as if trying to bury the thoughts that came with it. But even as the drawer closed, the memory of that night, of her scent, lingered in the back of his mind, refusing to be ignored.

Devillian’s phone buzzed on the nightstand, breaking the tense silence. His sharp eyes flickered to the screen, his expression softening ever so slightly when he saw the caller ID. It was his little sister, one of the few people who could pull him out of his brooding thoughts.

He picked up the phone, holding it to his ear. “What is it?” he asked, his voice low but lacking the cold edge he used with everyone else.

"Brother! You sound grumpy," she teased, her cheerful voice immediately cutting through the darkness around him. "Are you busy being all mafia-bossy again?"

He couldn't help the faint smirk that tugged at the corner of his lips. "What do you need, Nina?"

"Can’t I just call my brother for no reason?" she replied with mock offense. "I miss you! We haven’t had dinner together in forever. You’re always working."

"I am working," he said, glancing at the closed drawer where the bracelet was now hidden. "But fine. Dinner soon. Is that all?"

Nina hesitated for a moment, her voice dropping slightly. "Actually… I heard some things. About an attack? You're okay, right?"

Devillian’s jaw clenched, but his tone remained calm. "It's nothing. Just business."

There was a pause on the other end. "Be careful, brother," she said softly, concern evident in her voice.

“I always am,” he replied, his voice softer than usual. “I’ll see you soon.”

After a few more exchanged words, he ended the call. The brief moment of warmth was gone, replaced by the familiar weight of his responsibilities. His sister was one of the few people who mattered to him, but even she couldn't reach the part of him that was now deeply entangled with thoughts of Siana.

He placed the phone down and leaned back again, his eyes darkening as they returned to the cold, calculating man he had always been.

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Siana sat in her lecture, half-listening as the teacher droned on about some complicated formula that barely made sense to her. She doodled absentmindedly in her notebook, her thoughts drifting to anything but the lesson in front of her. The mathematical symbols on the board looked more like alien hieroglyphs than anything she could comprehend.

Just as she was about to give in to complete boredom, the teacher’s tone changed, catching her attention. "Before I dismiss you all," he said, "I have an important announcement."

Siana perked up, blinking away her disinterest. The rest of the class shifted in their seats, curious as to what was coming.

"Today," the teacher continued, "we will be having visitors from one of the most influential companies in the country. A few high-ranking members will be here to interact with you all. This is an excellent opportunity, as they will be choosing five students to work under them."

Whispers immediately broke out among the students, excitement rippling through the room. Siana straightened in her chair, her previous boredom completely forgotten. Five students? Out of everyone? The idea of being chosen felt like an impossible dream, but still, her heart thudded with a mix of anxiety and curiosity.

Beside her, a few of her classmates were already buzzing with excitement, discussing their chances of being selected. Siana, on the other hand, felt a sinking sensation in her stomach. Sure, this was a huge opportunity, but the competition was going to be fierce. She wasn’t even sure if she could answer a single question if they asked anything related to what they were learning now.

She sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Just my luck," she muttered to herself. But a small part of her couldn’t help but wonder—what if she got chosen? Could this be her chance to break free from the ordinary and step into something bigger?