Selene Maristelle doesn’t believe in coincidences. But when the same stranger from the café appears again, she realizes this is something far more dangerous than a fleeting glance.
---
Two days had passed since the incident at Café Amour. Selene had almost forgotten about the man in black—almost.
Nia Solenne
(grinning) You coming tonight?
Selene Maristelle
(raising a brow) Where?
Nia Solenne
(dramatic sigh) The opening of that new rooftop lounge, Celestine. Everyone’s going. Even the rich ones.
Selene Maristelle
(smirking) And you think I belong with the rich ones?
Nia Solenne
Please, you could outshine half of them. Come on, it’s just for fun.
Selene Maristelle
(hesitates) I don’t know…
Selene had never been a fan of crowded places. But Nia’s pleading look was hard to ignore.
---
That night, Selene gives in. Dressed in a sleek black dress—simple but striking—she follows Nia into the neon-lit entrance of Celestine. Music thrums through the air, a mix of soft chatter and clinking glasses filling the rooftop.
She barely takes two steps inside before she feels it.
That same presence.
Watching.
Waiting.
---
Lucian Vale
(leaning against the bar, eyes locked on her) You’re late.
Selene Maristelle
(freezing) …Excuse me?
He moves. Slow, deliberate. Close enough for her to catch the faint scent of expensive cologne—dark, woody, dangerous.
Lucian Vale
I expected to see you sooner.
Selene Maristelle
(coldly) And who exactly are you?
Lucian smirks. The kind of smirk that feels like a silent challenge.
Lucian Vale
Someone who doesn’t like being ignored.
Selene should walk away. She should tell him to leave her alone.But something about him—his presence, his words—makes it impossible to move.
And when Lucian Vale sets his sights on something, he never lets go.
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