Chapter 1

The heart of Crestwood was alive with chaos as flames erupted violently within an aging apartment building.

Wind whipped through the streets, feeding the fire as it devoured the structure. Thick plumes of smoke and searing tongues of flame clawed at the sky.

"Saved! They're out!" The cry cut through the pandemonium.

Firefighters emerged from the burning wreckage, carrying Vivian Hartley to safety at the curb.

Her usually elegant features were smudged with ash, her bright eyes dulled to a hollow stare.

As awareness returned, a wave of gratitude crashed over her—so unlike her usual composed demeanor.

Her voice was raw as she whispered a hoarse "thank you" to her rescuers.

Trembling, she fumbled for her phone, fingers shaking as she dialed the familiar number.

"The person you're trying to reach is unavailable—"

The automated message cut off with a deafening BOOM.

Vivian's head snapped up just in time to see the apartment she'd escaped erupt into a fireball.

Debris rained down as screams tore through the crowd. Survivors clung to each other, their terror palpable.

Amid the chaos, Vivian sat alone on the stretcher, her isolation stark against the backdrop of panic.

"Adrian—" She pressed her lips together and redialed, refusing to let fear take hold.

Again, the call disconnected after just a few rings.

Then, a Twitter notification flashed on her screen.

The gossip feed was ablaze: #SerenaWhitmore #MysteryMan.

According to the tweet, a high-profile producer had invited the famous actress Serena Whitmore to dinner, only for tensions to flare when she refused a toast.

The confrontation escalated—until her "domineering boyfriend" stormed in.

He'd dismissed the producer with a single gesture before whisking Serena away.

The photos showed only the man's back, his identity carefully obscured.

But Vivian recognized that silhouette anywhere.

Her fingers tightened around the phone.

The screen went dark.