Leia had never planned to come to the city. She preferred small towns, quiet mornings, and reading romance novels under the sun. But when her cousin begged her to help out at her club for a few nights, Leia said yes.
Just for a while, she thought.
That night, she wore a borrowed dress, too short and too tight, and served drinks with a trembling smile. He saw her first from the VIP booth, sitting in the shadows like a king in disguise.
Cold eyes, sharp suit, and a presence that made everyone else disappear.
He mistook her for a working girl.
"Come here," he said softly, his voice darker than the club's music.
Leia blinked in confusion. "Me?"
He smirked. "Don’t play shy. I’ll pay triple."
She ran.
He didn’t follow. But he never forgot her.
---
The second time was days later. Leia had gotten a part-time job at an upscale café, trying to earn money without having to deal with nightclubs again.
He walked in like a storm—surrounded by silent men in black. He didn’t notice her at first. Not until she walked over with a tray of espresso and placed it gently in front of him.
Their eyes met.
His brow lifted. "You again."
"I'm not who you think I am," she muttered.
He leaned back, watching her like she was the most interesting puzzle he'd ever seen. "A girl who works the club at night and serves coffee by day?"
His smile was dangerous. "You're not just anyone, sweetheart."
She walked away. Again.
---
The third time sealed her fate.
Leia took another temporary job—this time on a luxury cruise, helping with a private event. She wore a uniform and kept her head low.
But when she walked past his table with a tray of champagne, he rose from his seat.
"You’re following me now?"
She froze. "I work here."
He stepped closer, eyes narrowing. "You work everywhere I go? What are you, an agent?"
Leia looked at him, her lips parting in disbelief. "You’re paranoid."
He didn’t laugh.
Instead, he cornered her at the end of the night. Not with a threat. But with a whisper. "You're either the most coincidental woman alive… or the most dangerous."
She stared at him, heart thudding.
"And what if I’m just a girl who keeps bumping into the wrong man?"
He smiled, for the first time—slow and wolfish. "Then, darling… were fated."
