Chapter 2 — The Man She Chose

The night air rushed past Aurelia as her motorcycle cut through the empty streets.

The engine hummed steadily beneath her, its low vibration blending into the distant sounds of the city. Her expression remained calm, almost indifferent, but her thoughts were anything but; the candlelight dinner, the untouched steak, the call that ended too quickly, the silence of the house.

Each memory replayed in fragments, looping in her mind, leaving behind a faint but persistent unease. The more she thought about it, the heavier it felt… like something was wrong, just out of reach.

She couldn’t quite name it.

Ten minutes later, the towering outline of the Stellar Grand Hotel appeared ahead, its golden lights glowing against the night sky.

Aurelia slowed slightly.

Luxury cars lined the entrance. A red carpet stretched toward the grand doors. Everything looked polished… extravagant.

Then something caught her eye: a silver Rizmo Limited Edition. Her grip tightened, and she recognized it instantly.

Three years ago, when Alexander’s business had just begun to rise, she had quietly used her connections to secure that car for him, one of only a hundred in existence.

She still remembered the way his face lit up back then, the way his fingers traced the surface, almost disbelieving.

And how he smiled. “It suits me,” he had said, a little proud, a little shy.

Back then… he thought he had earned it himself. Aurelia never told him the truth; that memory flickered and faded. Now, the same car sat here.

At the Stellar Grand Hotel.

Something in her chest tightened, not sharp, not sudden… just a slow, creeping discomfort. She parked her motorcycle to the side.

Before she could remove her helmet, a group of men quickly approached. “Boss!”

Jake stepped forward, followed by several men in black suits.

Aurelia frowned slightly. “How many times have I told you?” Her voice was calm, but carried a quiet edge. “We’re legitimate businessmen now. Stop acting like gangsters.”

The group immediately straightened. “Yes, Boss.”

Jake scratched the back of his head awkwardly. Even dressed in suits, they still carried an imposing presence. Old habits didn’t disappear so easily. Years ago, Aurelia had stepped into that world—briefly.

With her discipline, sharp instincts, and overwhelming combat ability, she rose quickly. Even experienced fighters couldn’t match her, but that strength didn’t come from the streets; she had been trained long before that.

Born into a powerful and wealthy family, Aurelia had been raised as a successor. From a young age, her life was filled with rigorous training, combat drills, endurance tests, and tactical simulations.

Compared to that… the underworld had felt almost crude. By the time she reached high school, she walked away from it completely.

Her family had made one thing clear: she was not allowed to involve herself in the chaos of ordinary power struggles, and she listened, but the people who once followed her… didn’t leave.

Even after she stepped back, they still saw her as their leader. So instead, she gave them a different path. Using her resources, she helped them build legitimate businesses.

The Stellar Grand Hotel was one of them.

From the beginning, she set strict rules: no drugs, no illegal dealings, no underground business. Over time, the hotel built a reputation as the cleanest high-end venue in the city, and that… made enemies.

The Black Dragon Gang thrived on illegal operations. Places like this cut into their profits.

So they chose confrontation. Jake lowered his voice. “A Black Dragon ringleader’s already inside. Causing trouble.”

Aurelia nodded slightly. Then her gaze shifted toward the entrance again. The red carpet, the decorations, the banner. Her brows furrowed. “What’s all this?”

Jake followed her gaze. “Oh—that. Some wealthy returnees from overseas. The CEO of Alexander Cosmetics booked the entire place for a welcome banquet.”

Aurelia stilled. “…CEO of Alexander?”

“Yeah,” Jake said. “Big event. Heard he even invited family elders.”

For a moment, everything went quiet. Just hours ago, she had prepared dinner, waited, held a gift, secured something important for him, and now He was here, hosting something like this for someone else.

Jake hesitated, watching her carefully. He had followed her for years he had seen her face danger without flinching. But this? This was different.

“Boss… should we move?” he asked carefully. “That guy’s still making a mess inside.”

Aurelia’s expression smoothed out again. “Handle it.”

Then she stepped forward. The moment she entered, chaos greeted her: a loud crash, glass shattering, guests shouting.

Members of the Black Dragon Gang were tearing through the banquet hall, knocking over tables and decorations.

Aurelia’s gaze swept across the room, then stopped. At the center of it all stood Alexander Pale. Caught off guard, and beside him stood Clara, pretty and composed.

His arm wrapped around Clara’s shoulders in a protective gesture, shielding her. The sight hit harder than Aurelia expected. For a brief moment…

Everything seemed to slow. “Boss,” Jake whispered.

Aurelia looked away, her eyes cooled instantly. She reached for a nearby mask, slipping it over her face, then picked up a fallen baseball bat. Without hesitation, she stepped forward.

The Black Dragon ringleader barely had time to react. Bang.

The bat struck his shoulder. He screamed. Bang.

A second strike. Bang.

A third. Each hit was precise. Controlled. Painful but not fatal. The scar-faced man collapsed, clutching his shoulder. Chaos intensified as the others rushed forward. Aurelia moved, Fast, Clean, Efficient, A strike, A turn, A kick.

Every movement was calculated, overwhelming. Within moments, several men were already on the ground. To her, this wasn’t a fight. It was controlled. Years of training made it effortless.

Across the room, Alexander spoke calmly. “Don’t worry. Someone’s handling it.”

Clara nodded, but his gaze remained fixed on Aurelia’s back. Something about her felt familiar.

His brows drew together slightly. Within minutes, it was over. The remaining gang members dragged the injured ringleader away. “You’ll regret this!” he shouted weakly before disappearing.

Silence slowly returned.

Aurelia glanced toward Alexander. His hand… still held by Clara Something flickered in her eyes, then disappeared.

She turned to Jake, said something quietly, and walked away. A few minutes later, she reappeared, this time, in a waiter’s uniform; the mask was gone, her expression calm and unreadable.

The banquet resumed as if nothing had happened: music, laughter, champagne. Life moved on quickly in places like this.

Aurelia pushed a service cart through the room, and then she saw them again, closer now, surrounded by people. “They look perfect together,” someone whispered.

“A match made in heaven,” another added.

Alexander didn’t deny it. Instead, he introduced Clara to influential guests. When someone offered her a drink, Alexander stepped in. “She doesn’t drink. I’ll take it.”

Aurelia paused.

A memory surfaced. Once, in a similar moment, he had stood in front of her the same way. Now, everything had changed. She exhaled quietly, pushing the feeling down.

Then she moved forward and “accidentally” bumped into Clara.