The first encounter

I feel my breath slipping away. Every gasp of air rips through my lungs, as if something invisible slices it apart before it can reach me.

I open my eyes. Sweat clings to my skin like a second layer, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t slow my racing heartbeat.

Ever since I turned twenty-two, those recurring nightmares have tormented me—every single full moon.

My father, far too reserved since my mother vanished from our lives, gives me a crooked smile every time I try to explain the strange coincidence between my night terrors and the lunar calendar.

He says I’m exaggerating.

That it’s just stress.

I look away from the fractured sky, where a blackened moon is embedded like an unblinking eye in the middle of the night. From the shadows, a jagged, toothy grin emerges on a blurred face—a face that seems to root itself into pointed ears that stretch and elongate, melting into a savage snout… until it becomes a beast that should not exist. A presence that makes me shiver before I can even comprehend it.

So I get ready quickly, though just thinking about it sends chills down my spine.

I shake my head and force myself to get up.

There’s no room for fear today.

Today is my first day of work at Más Uno, a renowned company dedicated to selling luxury cars.

I pull my blonde hair into a flawless bun and slip into my platinum-blue skirt, smoothing it down until it reaches my knees. My white blouse is pristine.

Today, I represent the Bridge name, and making it shine after graduating from college is the most exciting thing in my life right now.

I head downstairs and find only a blurred address scribbled on a note stuck to the refrigerator door.

It will have to be enough.

Outside, the morning is bright and sunny. Perfect. Exactly as I imagined it.

I walk toward the avenue to catch a taxi when suddenly the sun disappears. The sky turns gray, and a rich, intoxicating scent of rain tickles my nose.

The first drops fall without warning, soaking my hair and staining my blouse.

Then I see it.

A black car—luxurious, excessive. A Ferrari, I’d dare to guess. It slows right in front of me, and for a second, I think it’s going to stop.

Maybe hitchhiking is a better idea than waiting for a cab.

I step toward the street—and then it accelerates.

The tire sinks into a puddle, and a mix of water and mud explodes straight at me, ruining my immaculate skirt.

“Damn idiot! Are you blind or what?” I shout, furious, trying to see the jerk hiding behind the tinted window.

The window rolls down slowly. Shamelessly.

A long arm appears first. The sleeve of a black suit fits it perfectly, revealing a small but impossible-to-ignore tattoo on his wrist: a Roman numeral five.

He flips me off.

“What the hell…?” I mutter, crossing my arms as I stare at the disaster my clothes have become.

The car speeds away and vanishes.

A taxi pulls up right then. The driver looks me up and down, rolls his eyes at my appearance, and says nothing as I get in.

I sink into the seat and, with some effort, tell him where I’m going, reading the soaked note from inside my purse.

I roll my eyes and mentally curse the Ferrari asshole.

Nothing can fix this. The towel I brought with me only makes the stains worse.

With my hair in chaos and my cheeks burning with anger, I step out in front of a massive, stunning building.

A kind man welcomes me and points me in the right direction.

The elevator is just as refined as the exterior architecture. When the doors open, a long hallway stretches out before me.

A group of people listens attentively as Mr. Dante, the manager, delivers the morning welcome.

Every single pair of eyes turns to me, judging me down to my soul.

I straighten with practiced ease, slipping into the group so naturally it looks like I’ve been there all along.

“All right… now I’d like to introduce Mr. Hill, Deputy General Manager. His father, the owner of the company, will be joining us later,” Dante announces, locking his gaze on me.

The hallway falls silent.

A tall man steps forward. Dark hair. Sharp features. His dark shirt stretches tightly across powerful muscles, his pale skin contrasting with the hardness of his face.

There’s something about him—too intense. The light itself seems to follow him, reflecting something almost supernatural.

Every movement, every breath, suggests restrained danger.

“Good morning,” he says. “Welcome to our new hires. This afternoon, Dante will brief you on the upcoming financial meeting.”

His voice is deep. Too deep.

It vibrates straight through my chest.

My father warned me I’d be working directly with the deputy manager—handling his sales operations.

So I wait.

But then he walks toward me.

My heart races. My palms sweat. Beneath his sleeve, the Roman numeral five appears again.

The same five.

That can’t be possible.

“Well… if it isn’t Mr. Bridge’s daughter,” he says. “Estela, right?” “Yes… sir,” I reply without meeting his gaze. “Come with me.”

I follow him. His back is broad, powerful. His knuckles still bear traces of dried blood. He smells like expensive cologne… and something sweeter, thicker—maple honey.

Every movement seems calculated before it happens… like a predator.

For a brief moment, his gaze turns strangely sharp, almost instinctive, as if he could read my thoughts before I even have them.

Something wild, barely contained, runs through every one of his movements, as if he’s fighting to stay in control.

When he opens the office door, a massive desk dominates the room. Papers are neatly arranged, blue curtains cover the window, and to the side sits a smaller desk.

For a second, something about him feels… feral. Barely restrained. Barely human.

“This is your place, Estela. Though you should clean yourself up first,” he orders, wearing a crooked smile. There’s a small cut beneath his lower lip.

I look at him with the urge to erase him from existence.

“Of course… some idiot ruined my clothes this morning,” I mutter sarcastically, arching an eyebrow.

His hazel eyes roam over my body without shame. An inexplicable heat burns in my stomach.

His gaze pulls me in and terrifies me at the same time… something primitive hides behind it.

He nods.

“Natalie will give you your first assignment. The report is due by noon.”

As if she’d been waiting behind the door, a tall woman sways into the room. Her black hair falls to her waist, and her green eyes drip with contempt.

Her skirt is shorter than her manners.

She drops the papers on the desk and leaves. Before exiting, she tries to catch Sam’s attention… but his gaze is already occupied.

On me.

“Are you hot?” he asks suddenly.

I blush.

“What? I—I…” I stammer, watching his smile curve into something dangerous.

And for some reason, I know that nothing in my life will ever be under control again.