TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY

CHAPTER 001

Hannah’s POV:

Lucinda Devereaux was taking too long to die.

The sizzling meat spat grease as it shimmered, and the sweet aroma of freshly baked bread filled the small food stall where I stood. I flipped the patties on the grill, but my mind was far away, wishing and imagining that it was Lucinda’s lifeless body I flipped over instead.

“My food’s burning, woman. Focus!”

An angry voice snapped causing me to blink. I stared at the customer’s furious face. “Eh-eh… W-what?” I stammered in confusion.

“The hell, woman. Aren’t you seeing my food getting crispy and burnt?” The man yelled, and I shifted my gaze to the grill, realizing the edge of the patty was charred black.

Heat flushed my face in embarrassment. I grabbed the spatula, scraping the patty free before it stuck completely. “Sorry,” I muttered, smiling in apology as I packaged the overcooked patty into a bun and wrapped it up. No food could be wasted, especially now of all time. “I’ve just been a little distracted; my apologies.”

“Six bucks,” I said, sliding the bun towards the glaring middle-aged man in a rumpled shirt.

His face was squeezed in displeasure. “For a burnt meal? Hell, I’m not. Take three.” He slapped a few crumpled bills onto the counter and snatched the burger from it without so much as a thank you.

I clenched my jaw, moving to the next order. Normally, I would have chased after the man for paying only half for his meal, but now, I was desperate for a little bit of cash. Business had been slow for weeks, as it often was in this forgotten corner of Los Angeles. So, I had to grab any amount I could to feed what's left of my family.

I sighed for the thousandth time.

The grill’s hot air scorched my forehead, but the pain was nothing compared to the burning fire within my chest. Nothing had been the same ever since my father’s death. Now, my life has been reduced to standing behind the food stall, flipping these godforsaken street burgers, and pretending to be happy in front of customers.

My dreams of college, of a career in fashion, of anything beyond this poor life, felt like a cruel joke now.

All because of her.

I knew she was the one who caused Father’s death. My investigation proved it. But I only needed solid evidence to destroy and exert my revenge, which I currently lack.

Father had warned me of the danger that surrounded the most influential and powerful family in the city: the Devereaux family. But he didn’t take his advice and fell for their trickery. And now, he left me and my siblings alone forever with no one but me to take care of them when I could barely hold my own.

I stabbed the knife on the counter, glaring at nothing in particular. He must have found something important, something worth killing him over.

I wanted revenge. Craved it even.

I wanted Lucinda Devereaux behind bars.

I wanted to see her bleed where it hurts most.

But I could do nothing but watch as my life shattered before my eyes.

I sighed for the thousandth time today and glanced down at my worn-out watch that was barely holding up on my wrist—a gift from my father.

“07:00 PM, Shit. I have to get home,” I muttered, making my way to close the stall, but a voice stopped me.

“Do you have change for twenty?”

I paused at the unfamiliar voice. I looked up, and was speechless. Before me stood a regal man dressed in a well-tailored black suit. Its extravagance screamed against the poor contrast of the streets. He had salt-and-pepper hair that was slicked back nicely, and his piercing grey eyes locked into mine.

“Uh… yeah, give me a second,” I stammered, snapping out of my momentary shock as I fumbled with the cash box.

He was strange. He didn’t look like someone from this part of town. I started to count out his change, but he shook his head, waving a hand dismissively.

“Well, I don’t need it anyway; keep it,” he said casually, placing the twenty-dollar bill on the counter. “You’re Hannah Hawke, aren’t you?”

I froze, my hands stopping midway from picking up the bills. “And who’s asking?”

I didn’t know him from anywhere. Was he a friend of my father's? They seem to be almost the same age of sixty.

He didn’t answer. Instead he waved his hand and someone dressed in equally nice looking black suit walked closer and placed a sleek black business card on the counter. I squinted at it, seeing the name ‘Alexander Montgomery’ embossed in bold, golden letters, with a phone number beneath.

“I’ve been looking for you for quite some time now.”

Okay…. Now, this is weird.

My mind screamed at me to run. Telling me this was a trap set by none other than that witch, but I was done running. That’s what I have been doing my whole life, and it has gotten me nowhere. If this man were working for that monster, then I’d make things hard for him.

Slowly, I backed, my hands reaching for the burger knife beside the grill. “Who the fuck are you? And what do you want from me?”

The older man leaned closer, unbothered by the burger knife aiming for his throat. “I am Alexander Montgomery, and I want to give you something you crave most, Ms Hawke.”

I chuckled, my guard still up as a short, bitter laugh escaped my chest. Was this old man serious?

“You can’t give me what I want, sir. And I am not interested.”

His brow raised. “Revenge.” He said softly. “I’m offering you a chance at revenge. Not just for me, but for your late father.”

My grip on the knife tightened, and the world tilted. The sound of the roaring streets, the cars, the people; it all became muted in my ears.

“What did you just say?” I took another step backward, ready to bolt from this strange man, my voice barely above a whisper but laced with the kind of fury that only came from months of bottled-up pain. “What the hell did you just say?”

Alexander doesn’t flinch from my fierce words; instead, he leaned even closer. “Benjamin Hawke. Your father. He was murdered, wasn’t he? And I think you know who killed him. His accident was staged, and you know it.”

I couldn’t breath. Tears brimmed in my eyes as memories sufficed.

‘Who does this man think he is?’

No one dared say that out loud. Not the police, who had written it off as an ordinary accident. Not the neighbours, who whispered behind closed doors. And certainly not me. I have buried that truth deep, so deep into the earth that the devil couldn’t reach or dig.

“Who the hell are you really?” I demanded, my voice shaking now. “And how did you come to know about this?”

There was only one explanation. He was one of Lucinda’s henchmen.

Alexander smirked, but there was a glimmer of sympathy in his eyes. “You will know me well soon. And I know more than you can imagine, Hannah. I know your father uncovered something he wasn’t supposed to; something tied to the dark secrets of the Devereaux family.”

“You’re lying,” I said, shaking my head, but the words felt hollow even as I said them. “You’re only trying to mess with me. You were sent by Lucinda Devereaux to kill any suspects, right? You were—“

“I will never work with that monster.” Alexander interrupted, his voice firm. “I have proof and I have a plan. But I need your help to see it through.”

My help?

“Why would you even need my help? From what I can see, you have money. Find someone more qualified. I am nobody. Just a girl trying to survive.”

“Oh, no, you aren’t a nobody. You’re more than that,” he said, his gaze locked onto mine. “You’re smart, determined, and resourceful.” His eyes trailed to the fallen knife. “You don’t hesitate to do what is meant to protect yourself, and most importantly, you have something they’ll never see coming.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Are you trying to insult me? I am nothing as you have said. Just… leave me be. I need to go home.” I prepared to close the stall, planning on forgetting all that has happened, but he stopped me with a hand on my wrist.

“Infiltrate their world, Hannah. I want you to pretend to be one of them. Find out what is hidden behind their perfect facade and report to me.”

I yanked my wrist free from his strong grip. “Why would you trust me to be capable of such?” I asked in annoyance, crossing my hands.

“Because I know what it is like to lose everything to the Devereaux,” he said, his voice filled with conviction. “And I’m offering you a billion dollars.”

My eyes widened in shock as I gasped.

“That’s not all. You’ll get your vengeance and the whole truth about your father’s death. You’ll get that monster for a woman in bars where she belong.”

I remained silent, too stunned to speak. His words were convincing. Was this my chance? I had prayed for such opportunity to come forth and it finally did. This was my golden ticket.

But how can he be trusted?

“How do I know you’ll keep to the end of your bargain?”

Alexander's smile widened and this time, triumphant. He knew he had won and gotten my attention. “You have no choice but to see for yourself.”

I swallowed hard, hoping I wasn’t getting into a trap.

He brought his hand for me to take. “This is just the beginning. To get our revenge, you’ll become something no one will ever see coming. You’ll be my imposter.”