PROLOGUE — THE HUNT
“Oh shit… my phone!”
Mira cursed under her breath, spinning on her heel and sprinting back to her desk. The storm rattled the glass walls, lightning slicing the darkness, shadows twisting across the empty office floor. Everyone had left hours ago.
Through the half-open CEO’s office, she saw him. A man in a slick suit, damp from the storm, moving with the precision of someone who always gets what he wants. Gun in hand, calm, deadly. The CEO was on his knees, pleading.
“Please… I’ll fix it! Don’t do this!”
BANG!
The shot ripped through the silence. The CEO slumped lifelessly.
Mira’s phone slipped from her grip—clatter! Her scream caught in her throat.
His head snapped toward her. Their eyes met. A slow, predatory smirk curved his lips.
“Well… what do we have here?” His voice low, controlled, teasing in a way that made her skin crawl.
Mira stumbled back, heart hammering. Run… survive… just run…
“I-I didn’t see anything!” she stammered.
“Oh, but you did.” He raised the gun lazily, like a predator playing with prey. “Run. As fast as you can—before I decide otherwise.”
She bolted, heels slipping on marble. BANG! BANG! Gunshots tore through the office, echoing in her ears. Rain poured through the broken roof as she raced up the stairwell, breath ragged, muscles screaming. Every shadow felt alive. Every echo—footstep, thunder, distant crack of glass—made her lungs tighten.
Finally, she burst onto the rooftop, drenched, shivering, and cornered. Wind tore at her hair and clothes. Lightning flashed, illuminating his figure at the far edge—tall, dark, composed, watching her like she was prey.
Her heart threatened to explode. I’m going to die. I’m going to die. Please don’t let me die…
She scrambled backward, slipping on the slick tiles. Rain stung her face, ran into her eyes, made every movement treacherous. She tried to steady herself, clinging to the wet railing.
He took a slow step forward, gun lowered but still in hand. Calm. Controlled. Every instinct screamed at her to jump, run, anything—but her legs trembled.
Thunder cracked overhead. She gasped, water dripping into her mouth, panic boiling over. Her vision blurred. Exhaustion, fear, adrenaline—everything hit at once. She stumbled… and darkness swallowed her.
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