BENEATH HIS RUIN

CHAPTER_1

The Man Everyone Feared

The rain had been falling for almost an hour, covering the city in a sheet of silver. Maya stood beside her bedroom window, quietly watching the empty street below. At twenty-two, she had learned to find comfort in simple things.

A cup of warm tea, an old book, and the sound of rain were enough to make her forget the problems of the world. Tonight, however, something felt wrong. She couldn’t explain it, but an uncomfortable feeling had settled in her chest. She pulled the curtain aside and looked down at the street again.

A black sedan was parked directly outside their house. It had been there for nearly twenty minutes without moving. The car looked far too expensive for their quiet neighborhood, and its windows were dark enough to hide whoever was inside. Two men in black suits stood beside it, completely ignoring the rain. They weren’t talking or looking around.

They were simply watching the house. Maya’s stomach tightened. She slowly stepped away from the window, wondering who they were and what they wanted. Before she could think of an answer, her father’s voice came from downstairs. “Maya!” She froze.

There was something in his voice that immediately frightened her. Her father had always been the calmest person she knew, but that single word sounded different. It carried fear. Real fear. Maya hurried downstairs and found him standing in the middle of the living room. His face had gone pale, and the glass in his hand was shaking so badly that water was spilling over the edge. “Dad?” she asked quietly.

“What’s wrong?” He looked at her but didn’t answer. Then the doorbell rang. Once. Twice. Her father’s expression changed completely.

“Go upstairs,” he said.

“But Dad, who is—”

“Maya, please.”

Before she could argue, the front door opened. Three men stepped inside. The first two were dressed in dark suits, but Maya’s attention immediately went to the man behind them. He was tall, dressed in a perfectly fitted black suit, with dark hair falling slightly across his forehead. A faint scar rested near his eyebrow, but it was his eyes that frightened her the most.

They were calm, cold, and impossible to read. He didn’t need to raise his voice or make a threat. His presence alone seemed to take control of the room. Maya instinctively stepped back. Her father lowered his head. “Mr. Kane.”

Maya’s heart skipped. Kane. She had heard that name before. Adrian Kane. People spoke about him in whispers. He was known throughout the city as a ruthless gangster who had built his empire through fear, money, and power. Some people called him a businessman. Others called him a criminal.

Maya had never expected to see him standing inside her home. Adrian’s eyes slowly moved from her father to her. For a brief moment, something changed in his expression. It wasn’t kindness. It was simply interest.

“She’s your daughter?” he asked.

Her father nodded. “Yes.”

Maya swallowed and forced herself to speak. “Why are you here?”

Her father immediately looked at her. “Maya, don’t.”

Adrian didn’t react to her question the way she expected. He simply watched her, as if trying to understand what kind of person she was. “You have questions,” he said quietly. Maya frowned. “I think I have every right to ask why three strangers are standing inside my house.” One of the men behind him glanced at Adrian, but Adrian’s attention never left Maya. “You’re brave,” he said. Maya couldn’t tell if he means it as a compliment. “What do you want?” she asked.

Adrian finally turned toward her father. “Your father owes me a debt.”

Maya stared at her father. “Dad?”

Her father’s shoulders dropped. “I was going to fix it, Mr. Kane. I just needed more time.”

“You had six months,” Adrian replied.

“I know.”

“You had the money.”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

Adrian’s expression hardened. “You always have a choice. You chose to lie to me.” He took a step forward. Maya’s father looked terrified. Without thinking, Maya moved between them. “Don’t threaten him.

Silence filled the room. Maya realized what she had done only after it was too late. Adrian was standing directly in front of her. She could hear her own heartbeat as she looked up at him. Her hand had accidentally touched his chest when she stepped in front of her father. She quickly pulled it away. Adrian glanced at her hand before looking into her eyes. There was no anger on his face. Somehow, that made him even more frightening. “Do you know who I am?” he asked.

“Yes,” Maya whispered.

“And you’re still standing in my way?”

“I don’t care who you are.”

It was a lie. Every part of her wanted to move away, but she couldn’t leave her father alone. Adrian leaned slightly closer, his voice dropping. “You should.” Maya held his gaze even though fear was spreading through her entire body. For a moment, neither of them moved. Then Adrian stepped away and looked at her father. “Tomorrow night.”

Her father swallowed. “What happens tomorrow?” Adrian turned toward the door. “If you don’t give me what you owe me by tomorrow night…” He stopped. His eyes returned to Maya. “…I’ll take something else instead.”

The door closed behind him. Maya remained standing in the same place long after the black sedan disappeared into the rain. She slowly turned toward her father. “What did he mean?” she asked. Her father didn’t answer. He sat down heavily on the sofa and covered his face with his hands. Maya’s fear quickly turned into frustration .

She knelt beside him and gently pulled his hands away. “Dad, please. Tell me what is happening.” Her father’s eyes were filled with tears. Maya had never seen him look so broken before. “I made a terrible mistake,” he whispered.

“What mistake?”

Her father looked at her for a long moment. Then he said something that made the room feel suddenly colder. “Adrian Kane didn’t come here for money.”

Maya stared at him. “Then why did he come?”

Her father looked toward the dark window, his voice barely audible. “He came here because of you.”

AUTHOR NOT

Will Maya be forced to leave with Adrian Kane? What is the dark secret that her father has been hiding from her all this time?

To find out the thrilling truth, stay tuned for the next chapter because things are about to get incredibly intense!

If you loved this first chapter, please don’t forget to give it 5 stars, drop a review, and add it to your library. Your stars and honest feedback mean the world to me and give me the motivation to write more. Thank you for reading! ❤️✨

“What was your favorite scene from this chapter? I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below! ✨”

Th