CHAPTER TWO

SERA'S POV:

As soon as I stepped out of the bakery, I immediately glanced at the old watch strapped around my wrist.

It was exactly 10 a.m.

I still had to head straight to my next job.

I tightened my grip on my small bag as I hurried along the sidewalk.

I couldn't afford to waste even a single minute.

Another day of running without stopping.

Another day of fighting.

When I reached the pedestrian crossing, the traffic light changed to let pedestrians cross.

I quickly stepped forward, almost out of breath from hurrying.

I barely noticed the cool breeze brushing against my face.

I let it carry my long hair as I walked.

All I could think about was my next job, the hospital, and my little brother waiting for me.

Those were the only things that mattered to me now.

******

THIRD PERSON:

A black Rolls-Royce Phantom was quietly stopped near the pedestrian crossing.

Inside sat a man whose face revealed almost no emotion.

Damian Alistair Del Rosario.

Forty-two years old.

A billionaire CEO feared by many in the business world.

Leaning back in his seat, he watched the people hurrying across the street with little interest.

Everyone was busy. Everyone was in a rush, as if no one had time to stop.

Until...

A woman unintentionally caught his attention.

Not because of her beauty.

Nor because of the way she was dressed.

In fact, she was wearing nothing more than a faded blouse, a pair of jeans, and old shoes that had clearly been stitched and repaired several times.

But as the wind swept through her long hair, there was something different about her.

He raised his gaze once more and studied the young woman carefully.

Her pale face was noticeable, along with her slightly swollen eyes that looked as though she had been crying for a long time. The exhaustion was evident in every expression she made.

It was as if she had been carrying the weight of the world for a long time, struggling to bear it all on her own.

The deep exhaustion on her face was impossible to miss, as though she was carrying the weight of the entire world on her shoulders.

Damian simply watched her in silence. He did not know who the woman was, nor did he have any intention of finding out.

Yet, for some inexplicable reason, he could not immediately look away.

Something about her had caught his attention, keeping his gaze fixed on the young woman.

For a few seconds, it felt as though everything around him had come to a standstill.

That woman...

As she hurried along, the wind blowing through her long hair, she seemed to be carrying a heavy burden that she was desperately trying to bear on her own.

Until...

Peeep!!! Peeep!!!

A series of honks echoed from the vehicle behind him.

Only then did Damian seem to snap out of his thoughts.

He blinked and shook his head slightly, as if wondering why he had suddenly stopped.

He calmly turned his attention back to the road ahead.

The traffic light had turned green.

He quietly pressed down on the accelerator.

His expensive black car slowly moved forward and eventually left the pedestrian crossing.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the road...

Sera simply continued walking.

She had no idea...

That was just a few seconds ago...

A pair of cold eyes had silently watched her.

She did not know it either.

That the man would be the reason her life would completely change.

And that their simple encounter...

Would be the beginning of a destiny neither of them could have ever imagined facing.

*****

A few minutes later...

The black Rolls-Royce Phantom came to a stop in front of Del Rosario Empire Tower, the main headquarters of the Del Rosario Group of Companies.

A building that stood as a symbol of the Del Rosario family's power, wealth, and influence.

Damian Alistair Del Rosario quietly stepped out of the driver's seat.

He was dressed in an expensive black three-piece suit that perfectly complemented his tall and well-built physique. The luxury watch on his left wrist and the cold expression on his face further emphasized his authority.

He wasted no time. He walked straight into the lobby. The moment the glass doors opened, it seemed as though the entire place fell silent. Everyone's eyes instinctively turned toward him.

The employees who had been busy with their work immediately stood from their seats.

Some exchanged glances.

Some hurriedly straightened their clothes.

"Good morning, Sir!"

The employees greeted him one after another, politely bowing as he walked past them. But his face remained expressionless.

He did not stop. He did not look back, and he did not acknowledge a single greeting.

He simply continued walking, carrying a cold and commanding presence that immediately silenced the room.

His firm, heavy footsteps echoed across the marble floor of the building.

Knock... Knock... Knock...

The sound of his expensive shoes echoed through the entire hallway.

As he approached the executive floor, the employees became even more frantic.

"Hurry up! Sir is coming!"

"Where's the financial report?"

"Is the presentation ready yet?"

"Make sure there are no mistakes!"

The staff nearly scrambled over one another as they rushed to organize the documents.

Some of the secretaries were so nervous that they almost dropped the folders they were carrying.

Everyone seemed afraid of making even the smallest mistake.

Because there was one thing the entire company knew...Damian Del Rosario had no tolerance for mistakes.

One mistake...

And it could be their last day at the company.

When he reached the end of the hallway, the large and elegant door to his private office opened automatically.

He stopped for a moment.

He quietly gazed at the sprawling city through the glass wall of his office.

But unexpectedly...

A face came back to his mind.

The woman he had seen earlier at the pedestrian crossing.

Her long hair flowing with the wind.

And the eyes that carried traces of deep exhaustion and sadness.

He slightly furrowed his brows.

Before he could completely push the woman's face from his mind, he suddenly felt a pair of arms gently wrap around him from behind.

A familiar perfume immediately filled the entire office.

A tall and stunningly beautiful woman leaned against his back.

Her long, wavy hair framed her face, her skin was flawless, and she carried herself like a famous model.

Lauren Hilton.

One of the most famous international fashion models and someone who had long accompanied Damian to various social events.

Although they were not officially a couple, almost everyone in high society knew that Lauren was often seen with the billionaire whenever he needed a companion at galas and gatherings. She was also someone he had a casual and private relationship with.

She gently rested her head against the man's broad back.

“What took you so long, babe… hmm?”she whispered sweetly.

She slowly caressed Damian's chest, as if she were already accustomed to his cold demeanor.

But the man remained expressionless.

He did not move.

Nor did he return her embrace.

He simply continued staring through the glass wall of his office.

Lauren noticed.

She slightly frowned.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked as she moved around to stand in front of Damian, trying to see his face.

His cold eyes silently met hers.

"Nothing," he replied, his voice completely devoid of emotion.