Chapter 1: Rain in Bangkok
The heavy bass inside L'Ombre bled through the thick floorboards, vibrating through the sleek crystal glasses stacked on Sun’s serving tray. Outside, a tropical monsoon hit the Sukhumvit streets in full force, sending sheets of water down the tinted glass walls. Inside, the air was hot, dense, and suffocating with high-end cologne, heavy spirits, and lotus-blossom mist.
Sun wiped down a spill on his server station, his shoulders aching.
He was just a quiet servant working exhausting double shifts at the club, doing everything he could to pay off his debts and keep a roof over his head. All he wanted was to finish this night, get his daily pay, and catch the last train home before the city completely went dark.
Suddenly, the ambient chatter near the entrance died down completely.
It started at the heavy mahogany doors. The loud laughter of the high-paying guests faded into uneasy, trembling whispers. The booming music seemed to drown under a sudden, heavy pressure that swept through the air like a rising tide.
Sun stopped wiping the counter and looked around in complete confusion. He had no idea who was coming or why everyone was suddenly acting so terrified. One by one, like a falling domino line, the club patrons lowered their heads. Every single person—from the wealthy regular guests to the bartenders and security guards—instantly froze and bowed their bodies in deep, trembling respect, clearing a wide, untouched path straight down the center of the room.
Sun just stood there, staring around in bewilderment, completely lost.
Before he could even process what was happening, his coworker Joseph rapidly tapped his arm from behind, whispering under his breath.
"Bow down, idiot! Lower your head right now!"
Joseph hissed nervously, reaching over to quickly push Sun’s shoulder down.
Sun hastily bowed his head, his heart hammering against his ribs in confusion as heavy footsteps echoed across the marble floor
A suffocating, dark scent flooded the space like an icy monsoon night.
Dark cedarwood and bitter rain.
The crowd parted without a single word as Gemini stepped through the doors, flanked by three towering bodyguards in sharp dark suits. He carried an air of absolute, ruthless authority, moving as if he owned every inch of Bangkok's sky and shadow. His cheekbones were high and sculpted, his jawline sharp as marble, and his eyes were so dark and lethal they seemed to freeze everything they touched.
Yet beneath his cold composure, Gemini felt a sudden, inexplicable wave of dizziness the moment his boots hit the floor. His chest felt uncomfortably tight, his pulse heavy in his ears, and a cold wave swept through his body. His long fingers looked strangely pale against his dark trousers as he walked. He stayed in total control—his face a flawless mask of ice—but internally, he had no idea why his body was reacting like this.
The dangerous stranger walked straight past the bowing crowd and disappeared into the private glass VIP lounge.
As soon as the VIP doors closed, the heavy atmosphere in the main hall relaxed just a fraction. Sun immediately turned to his senior coworker, James, who was standing nearby holding a tray.
"Who was that man?"
Sun asked softly, his brows furrowed in genuine curiosity
James turned around, his eyes widening in pure disbelief.
"Don't you know who that man was? Oh, seriously, Sun?"
James gasped, shaking his head as if Sun had just admitted he didn't know what the sun was.
"I really don't,"
Sun admitted, adjusting his apron
. "I'm just a server trying to survive my shift."
James leaned in closer, dropping his voice to a low, cautious whisper so no one else could hear
"That is Gemini Vance,"
James warned, his eyes dead serious
. "He rules both the corporate world and the darkest corners of Bangkok. He’s the head of the Vance Syndicate—a ruthless mafia figure everyone in this city fears. He controls the shipping docks, the underground trade, and half the high-rises in the skyline. People who cross him simply vanish overnight. If he gives an order, even the city officials bow. Whatever you do tonight, do not look him in the eye, do not make a mistake, and do not cross his path."
Sun’s blood ran cold as the reality of who had just walked in set in.
A few minutes later, the bar manager placed a silver tray on the counter with a single crystal goblet filled with deep red wine.
"Order for the VIP room,"
the manager called out. "Sun, take this inside."
Sun’s heart jumped into his throat, but he couldn't refuse. He picked up the silver tray, taking a slow, steadying breath as he walked toward the heavy glass VIP doors.
He pushed the door open gently, keeping his eyes firmly glued to the dark carpet out of pure survival instinct. The room was quiet and suffocating, bathed in dim golden light.
Gemini sat back against the dark velvet sofa, his long legs crossed. He saw Sun enter and noticed how the quiet server kept his head down, refusing to look up. As Sun leaned down to place the heavy glass onto the dark marble table, Sun couldn't help but notice how unusually pale Gemini’s long, elegant fingers were as they rested on his knee.
As Sun carefully set the wine glass down, Gemini reached out to take it.
Their fingers brushed.
An electric shock snapped straight down Sun’s spine. Sun’s lowered eyes involuntarily flicked upward—his gaze locking directly into Gemini’s dark, cold ones.
In that single second, the rest of the club completely vanished.
A sharp, confusing scent suddenly bloomed into the air between them—a delicate blend of lotus blossom and sweet warmth meeting a heavy wave of dark cedarwood and bitter rain. Neither of them understood what was happening; they were two complete strangers frozen in time, consumed by an unknown pull.
Gemini’s pulse jumped violently against his throat, his dark eyes narrowing as he stared into Sun’s wide, trembling eyes. Sun’s heart pounded so hard against his ribs it felt like it would shatter.
Overwhelmed by sheer panic and James's warning ringing in his ears, Sun quickly yanked his hand back, bowed his head low, and practically ran out of the VIP room.
Back inside the private VIP suite, the room fell into a heavy, suffocating silence after Sun rushed out.
Gemini remained frozen on the dark velvet sofa, his long fingers still hovering in mid-air where their skin had touched. His chest heaved slightly as his pulse hammered violently against his ribs. For the first time in his life, the cold, untameable Alpha was utterly shaken. His dark eyes stared fixatedly at the closed glass door, his mind reeling in shock.
What on earth just happened?
He was Gemini Vance—the most feared man in Bangkok. He didn't get dizzy. He didn't lose control. Yet, that unknown server's delicate lotus-blossom scent had completely disrupted his senses, leaving his body humming with an electric fever he couldn't explain.
Outside
"Hey! Sun! What's wrong with you?"
"Are you okay, man? You look completely pale—like you just saw a ghost in there!"
"I'm fine... I'm alright,"
Sun managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper
. "Just tired."
Sun quickly finished off his remaining tasks for the night, avoiding the VIP wing entirely. As soon as his shift officially ended, he handed in his apron, clocked out, and stepped out into the humid Bangkok night.
The monsoon rain had eased into a warm, heavy drizzle. As Sun walked hurriedly toward the elevated BTS station, taking the stairs two at a time, he couldn't stop muttering to himself in utter confusion
"What is wrong with me?"
Sun whispered under his breath, shaking his head as he clutched his jacket tightly
. "Why is my heart beating like this? It was just a customer... why am I acting so crazy?"
On the train platform, as the carriage rattled along the tracks overlooking the glowing neon cityscape, Sun leaned his forehead against the cool glass window, still talking to himself in hushed tones.
"Get a grip, Sun. You just need rest. That's all... just rest."
Yet, his chest remained impossibly tight. His heart kept jumping wildly against his ribs at random intervals, echoing the cadence of that dark cedarwood and bitter rain scent.
A half-hour later, Sun unlocked the door to his tiny, cramped apartment on the outskirts of the city. The room was small—just enough space for a narrow bed, a small wooden desk, and a rack for his neatly pressed corporate clothes.
He kicked off his worn shoes, washed his face with cold water, and collapsed onto his thin mattress. He pulled the blanket up to his chin, staring blankly at the water-stained ceiling.
He tried his absolute best to shut his eyes and sleep, but every time he drifted close to rest, his skin tingled with the phantom shock of that brief touch. He tossed and turned in the dark, muttering unanswered questions into his pillow, utterly helpless against a feeling he could neither explain nor escape.
[End of Chapter 1]
