Chapter 1

The night was cold and eerily silent as Simon drove through the winding roads leading to his secluded mansion. The only sounds were the hum of the engine and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. Beside him, in the passenger seat, lay Crisha—unconscious, bruised, and wounded. Her naked body was covered with a coat, but you see the blood on her skin, and her face bore the marks of a brutal assault. Simon glanced at her periodically, his mind a whirlwind of confusion.

Who is she? Why does he feel like he knows her?

Simon’s thoughts kept circling back to these questions, but no answers came. He had found her in Mr. Alejandro’s mansion with no identification or explanation. The moment he saw her, something inside him had stirred—a faint recognition, like a memory just out of reach. He couldn't leave her there, not in that state, so he had brought her with him.

The mansion came into view, a stark, imposing structure hidden deep within the woods. It was large but unadorned, built for function rather than beauty. Simon preferred it that way. He had no use for luxury or ostentation. His life was about survival and power, not comfort.

He pulled up to the front entrance and cut the engine. For a moment, he just sat there, staring at Crisha's fragile form. She was breathing steadily now, a good sign. But the questions remained.

With a sigh, Simon got out of the car and moved to the passenger side. He carefully lifted Crisha into his arms, surprised by how light she felt. As he carried her inside, he was struck again by that strange sense of familiarity. But there was no time to dwell on it. She needed help.

The mansion's interior was just as sparse as its exterior—plain walls, minimal furniture, and no personal touches. Simon’s lifestyle didn’t allow for anything more. He carried Crisha up to the second floor, where the bedrooms were located, and laid her gently on the bed in one of the guest rooms.

Simon fetched a first aid kit and began to clean and bandage her wounds. He worked methodically, his hands steady despite the uncertainty gnawing at him. As he treated her injuries, he couldn’t help but study her face, trying to place where he might have seen her before. There was something hauntingly familiar about her, but every time he tried to pin it down, it slipped away like sand through his fingers.

Why he can’t remember? Have they met before? Or is it just his mind playing tricks on him?

When he was done, Simon sat back and watched her sleep. Her breathing was still steady, and her color was beginning to return. Satisfied that she was out of immediate danger, Simon left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

Downstairs, the mansion was beginning to come alive. Simon’s men were gathering in the main hall, a dozen or so rough-looking individuals, each armed to the teeth. They were loyal to Simon, bound to him by fear, respect, and the mutual understanding that their survival depended on his success.

Simon walked into the hall, his presence commanding immediate attention. The men straightened, their conversations dying down as they waited for his orders.

“Boss,” one of them, a tall, broad-shouldered man named Tristan, stepped forward. “We’ve secured the perimeter. No sign of anyone following you.”

Simon nodded. “Good. Keep it that way. I want patrols every hour. If anyone so much as breathes near this place, I want to know about it.”

“Yes, sir,” Tristan replied, turning to relay the orders to the others.

As the men moved to their positions, Simon’s mind drifted back to Crisha. He hadn’t mentioned her to his men yet, and he wasn’t sure if he should. There were too many unknowns, and too many risks. But he couldn’t ignore the possibility that she might be connected to something or someone dangerous.

“Boss, you alright?” Tristan asked, noticing Simon’s distracted expression.

Simon shook his head slightly, clearing his thoughts. “I’m fine. Just… dealing with something unexpected.”

Tristan raised an eyebrow but didn’t press the issue. He knew better than to pry into Simon’s affairs.

Just as Simon was about to dismiss the men, he heard a faint noise coming from the staircase. He turned sharply, his eyes narrowing as Crisha appeared at the top of the stairs. She was pale, her movements unsteady, but she was awake and very much aware of her surroundings.

The men noticed her too, their hands instinctively moving towards their guns. Simon held up a hand to stop them.

“Woman,” Simon called out, his voice firm but not unkind. “You shouldn’t be up. You’re still injured.”

Crisha clutched the railing for support, her eyes wide as she took in the scene below. She seemed disoriented, her gaze darting from one armed man to another before finally settling on Simon.

“Where am I?” she asked, her voice shaky. “Who are you and who are these men?”

Simon walked to the foot of the stairs, keeping his distance but making sure she could see him clearly.

“I should be the one asking you that. Who are you and why are you at Alejandro’s mansion?”

Crisha couldn’t respond. She couldn't reveal her true identity, especially after remembering how Simon effortlessly killed Mr. Alejandro's men. She knew she had every reason to fear this man. She felt that one wrong move might get her killed, especially with the men around her holding guns.

When Simon noticed that Crisha couldn’t speak, he decided to let it go. Perhaps the violence she experienced at the hands of Mr. Alejandro had left her unable to recount what had happened to her.

"Just let it go because you're safe here,” he said, trying to keep his tone calm.

Crisha looked around the mansion, her eyes filled with confusion.

“Why did you help me? You don’t even know me.”

"You needed it. Would you have preferred that I leave you there?"

“N-No.” Crisha replied, stammering.

"Stop asking questions. You should be thankful that I helped you."

She stared at him, her expression a mix of fear and suspicion. “But why… why am I here? Who are these men?”

Simon didn't know how to respond. He was thinking that Crisha might just be pretending to know nothing to gather information from him.

Simon hesitated, unsure of how much to tell her.

Before Simon could answer, one of the men stepped forward, a smirk on his face. “She’s cute, boss. Where’d you find her? Maybe she’s one of those damsels in distress, huh?”

Simon shot him a cold glare, silencing him instantly. He turned back to Crisha, who was now visibly trembling.

“It’s okay. They’re with me. You’re safe here.”

She was clearly terrified, and he couldn’t blame her. He was a stranger, surrounded by armed men in a mansion that looked more like a fortress.

“I know it’s hard for you to trust, but I need you to trust me. I don’t know why you were out there, but I’m going to find out. Until then, you need to stay here until all your wounds are okay. It’s the safest place for you.”

She looked at him, her eyes searching for any hint of deception. Finally, she nodded, though her fear was still evident.

“Okay, but I want to leave. As soon as I can, I want to go.”

Simon’s expression hardened slightly, but he kept his voice gentle. “We’ll see. But for now, you need to rest. I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”

Crisha didn’t respond, but the way she looked at him made it clear she didn’t fully trust him. Simon couldn’t blame her. In her position, he wouldn’t trust anyone either.

Simon gestured for one of his men to escort Crisha back to her room. As she slowly made her way back upstairs, Simon turned to the group of men, who were all watching him with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

Tristan stepped forward again. “Boss, who is she? Should we be worried?”

Simon crossed his arms, his mind already working through the possibilities.

"I don't know who she is or what her connection to Alejandro is, but until I find out, she stays here."

“What about our transactions? She might find out, boss,” Tristan asked.

“Just focus on the business, I’ll handle her. Once I find out who she is, she’ll be dead before she can say a word.”

The men nodded, though it was clear they had questions. Simon didn’t have the answers—not yet. But he intended to find out.

“Keep a close watch on the perimeter,” Simon ordered. “And I want someone stationed outside her room at all times. No one goes in or out without my permission.”

Tristan gave a curt nod. “You got it, boss.”

As the men dispersed, Simon stood alone in the hall, his thoughts heavy. He was used to dealing with enemies, with threats he could see and understand. But this… this was different. Crisha was an enigma, and until he could figure out who she was and why she was here, she was also a potential danger.

Simon headed back to his study, where he could think in peace. But even as he tried to focus on his work, his thoughts kept drifting back to Crisha. There was something about her, something he couldn’t shake.

That sense of familiarity gnawed at him, growing stronger with every passing minute. He felt like he was missing something crucial, something just beyond his grasp. And it bothered him more than he cared to admit.

Who was Crisha? Why did she feel so familiar? And what was she running from?

As the night wore on, Simon found no answers—only more questions. And somewhere in the back of his mind, a small, nagging fear began to take root. What if this was all part of a larger plan, something he couldn’t see yet?

One thing was certain Simon wasn’t going to let his guard down. Not now. Not until he knew the truth.

And if that truth turned out to be as dangerous as his instincts were telling him, then Crisha might be more than just a stranger in need. She might be the key to something much bigger and much deadlier than he ever anticipated.