y on her heart. Have faith in him? That didn't seem realistic. However, she found herself

to solve. Why would she be attractive to a man like Viktor Stavros? She was an unknown server from a little café on the

ler. He approached her, his tense posture gradually releasing. "With

as her thoughts raced through them. Adrian, wh

en he did speak, it was in a steady but tense tone. "Viktor has no mercy. He has amassed wealth by trampling on everyone in his path, even my close acquaintances. I have kept

as part of uncertainty and terror. But

it. Maya, he's dangerous. more perilous than you may think. And if his sights are

had always taken pride in her independence and self-care skills. This was a matter of life and death, not just a terrib

rage pass through her. "Now what? I'm just supposed to hide

at all. Maya, you're not going to run away. We must proceed with caution, but I promise n

to have faith in his ability to protect her from the impending storm. She wasn't

he had to make: "Why should I trust you?" You did not tell me abou

I ought to have informed you earlier. However, I believed I could manage it

ose to her and had always been wary and reserved. However, now that Adrian was so near

hroat, she muttered, "I don

I know you're afraid. Furthermore, I won't claim that this is simple. However, I'm ask

t his gaze, trying to find some indication that he was being honest. There were no

hoice decided. Alright. No

his face, Adrian let out

ose to him. The once-familiar city suddenly appeared foreign, with every shadow concealing a possible threat and every stranger potentially h

action was a simmering tension that none of them addressed. And yet, for fleeting, snatched moments, Maya felt pulled t

erving him as he went through a string of emails on his laptop. His face was shadowed by the fain

ating?" she gently inq

Adrian looked up. "I'm trying

arms over her chest. "Is it tru

h everything I've created if I don't. He has now

es hit, Maya shuddered. "And what occurs

ixed his attention on hers. "I'm not g