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Chapter 1: The Encounter

I never imagined I’d end up here, standing in the middle of a crowded city street with my heart racing so fast I could hear the thud of it in my ears. The world around me blurred, a stream of faces rushing past in a cacophony of noise while I couldn’t seem to move or breathe properly. My mind was racing, thoughts colliding, trying to make sense of everything. But I couldn’t.

I’d come to the city to escape. To find something different, something real. But instead, I was being swept into something darker. Something I had no control over.

The rain began to fall, light at first, then turning into a torrential downpour. The kind of rain that drenched you to your bones and made everything feel heavier.

I was alone. Or so I thought.

Then I saw him.

He stepped into my line of sight from out of nowhere as if he had been waiting for this exact moment. He was tall, with dark hair and piercing eyes that seemed to see right through me. He wasn’t just looking at me—he was looking into me as if he knew every secret I had buried deep inside.

His presence was overwhelming. It wasn’t just that he was handsome or well-dressed. No, it was something deeper, something darker that hung in the surrounding air. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t just another stranger on the street.

He smiled, a slow, knowing smile that sent an unexpected jolt through my chest. My throat went dry. I wanted to turn away, to walk in the opposite direction, but I couldn’t. Something about him held me in place.

“Do I know you?” His voice was low, smooth, and with a tinge of something dangerous.

I blinked, struggling to gather my thoughts. “I don’t think so.”

His smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. “We’ve met before, in another life, perhaps. But we’re connected now.” He stepped closer, and the surrounding air seemed to crackle with energy. “I’ve been looking for you.”

I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. “Looking for me?”

His eyes never left mine. “You’re not safe here, Milli. Not anymore.”

The use of my name startled me. How did he know my name?

Before I could react, he grabbed my wrist, his grip firm, unyielding. “Come with me. Now.”

I tried to pull away, panic rising in my chest. “Let go of me!”

But he didn’t. He only pulled me closer, his grip never faltering. The world around us seemed to fade, the sounds of the city drowning out as his presence consumed me.

“I’m not asking,” he said, his voice colder now. “You don’t have a choice.”

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding as he dragged me further into the street. I couldn’t breathe. My mind was racing, spinning with confusion. Who was this man? What did he want from me?

Before I could get a word out, I heard a low rumble—a sound that made my stomach drop. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as I turned to look.

A black car was speeding toward us, and I had no time to react before it swerved, heading straight for us. The headlights blinded me, and I felt fear rush through me. This wasn’t just a coincidence. This was planned.

And then, everything went black.

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