Chapter 2: The Shadow

Five hundred and seventy-three days of watching you. I can't wait until you're mine.

Elara Vance pushed open the heavy diner door. The evening light hit her face. She looked tired. Good. Her life is too hard for her. She pulled her thin coat tighter.

I saw the loose thread near her left pocket. She tried to fix it. The stitching was messy. I'll burn that coat,I thought. She'll wear the soft, expensive clothes I pick for her.

She walked to the bus stop an old man with a shopping cart dropped a can near her. She stopped walking.She didn't look annoyed.

She helped him pick it up. She smiled at him

It felt like a punch to my chest. That smile. She gave it to a stranger. Soon,I told myself, Soon every real smile will be for me. Only me.

The ugly, loud bus came. She got on. I know the bus number. The route. The time she gets off. I didn't need to follow right then. Dante was already near her stop. My eyes stayed on the bus until it was gone.

"Sir?"

A voice came from the front seat. Silas. My advisor. He looked at me in the mirror. He always thinks ten steps ahead.

"Yes, Silas."

"The plans for tomorrow are ready. The van is set. The chemical is from the new batch. It works fast and won't make her sick later.

The driver is Dante's cousin. He's good." Silas spoke in his calm, Like he was listing errands, not planning to take someone.

"Good." I kept looking down the empty street where the bus had gone.

"The money for Havencrest went through this morning, like you said. A lot of money. It will fix the roof and buy new beds. Mrs. Henderson was... very emotional when the bank called her."

A small smile touched my lips. Elara will hear about it tomorrow. Her last good deed there was paid for by my money. My power. It was the perfect start. A gift she won't even know is from me. Not yet.

"She'll be happy," I said, more to myself.

Silas was quiet for a moment.Then he spoke again. "Sir. Can I say something?"

I looked at his reflection. His eyes were serious. "Go ahead."

"This girl. Elara Vance. From what we've seen... she's not like the others. She doesn't care about money or status. She's strong because she's stubborn about what's right. Taking her will be... violent. For her. Are you ready for her to fight that hard?"

I felt annoyance. He was questioning me. But it's why I keep him. He isn't afraid to say hard things.

"I'm not looking for this to be easy, Silas. I want to change her completely. She will break. I expect her to. And then I will build her back up. Into someone who belongs in my world.

Her 'stubborn goodness' is what makes her perfect. Once she uses it to protect what's mine to protect us it will be her best quality."

Silas nodded slowly. "I see. But breaking something so... good... is risky. She might break in a way you can't fix. You could lose the very light you want."

His words hung in the air. Lose the light.The thought was like ice. No. I won't let that happen.

"She won't break like that," I said, my voice low and final. "I won't allow it. She's stronger than she looks. You've seen it. She works two jobs and still goes to that orphanage.

She smiles at everyone.That's not weakness. That's a deep strength. I'm just going to... point it in a new direction."

Silas didn't look like he believed me. But he didn't argue. "If you say so. The team is ready. We move at 7:15 PM tomorrow, when she takes the shortcut behind Havencrest. It's a lonely spot. The timing is right."

"Yes." I looked through my binoculars again. My driver, Leo, had moved the car. We were near a corner store now, two blocks from her apartment.

I could see her building's front door.It's a dump. She deserves better.

A movement caught my eye. A man. In his Late twenties. Wearing Cheap, clothes. I know his type. A small-time dealer for the Morelli crew. A nobody. He was leaning on a lamppost, watching her building door.

My body went very still.

He wasn't there for me.His eyes were on the door a slow burn started in my stomach.

The bus came into view. It stopped. The doors opened. And there she was. Stepping down, fixing her bag. She looked so small.

The dealer pushed off the lamppost. He started walking, cutting her off. My hands tightened on the binoculars.

I watched her see him. She was terrified Not a friendly one. She tried to walk away.

He stepped right in front of her, blocking her. I could see his mouth moving. He reached out, not touching her, but trying to guide her toward the alley.

My blood went still. I didn't look away. My hand found my phone. I didn't look at the screen. My thumb moved from memory.

I typed one letter. D.

I hit send.

I put the phone down and watched.

Elara was shaking her head, trying to go around him. He put a hand on her arm.That was it. The touch.

A shadow moved from a doorway across the street. Dante. He moved like smoke, he’s fast and quiet. He was big, but he made no sound. The dealer was focused on Elara, and didn't see him coming.

Dante's hand clamped on the dealer's shoulder. The man turn towards his direction , his smile fading into confusion.

It happened so fast. Dante's other hand shot out, grabbed the man's wrist, and twisted. There was a sharp, ugly crack I could almost hear from here. The dealer's mouth opened in a silent scream. He fell to his knees, holding his broken arm.

Dante leaned down. He whispered something in the man's ear. The man's face went from pain to pure, white terror. He looked from Dante to Elara, and then he scrambled backwards like a crab, vanishing into the dark alley, holding his arm.

The whole thing took eight seconds.

Elara stood frozen on the sidewalk. She hadn't seen Dante's face. He'd been behind the man. She stared at the empty spot, her hand over her mouth. She was shaking.

Dante was already gone.

She stood there for a full minute, Looking around. No one else had seen. The street was empty. It was like it never happened.

Finally, she hugged her arms around herself and almost ran to her building door. She fumbled with her keys, looking over her shoulder twice before she got inside.

I lowered the binoculars. The cold feeling was gone. Replaced by a warm, sure feeling.

"Did Dante handle it?" Silas asked from the front.

"Cleanly. He broke the guy's arm. Sent the message."

"The Morellis won't like one of their guys getting hurt."

"They'll like it even less if I destroy their whole business over a girl they don't even know," I said, my voice calm. "Send a bottle of whiskey to Marco Morelli. Tell him sorry my worker was too eager and thought his man was a threat to my property.

"A warning that looks like an apology," Silas said, a hint of approval in his tone. "It will keep things calm. For now."

"Calm is boring," I murmured, but I knew he was right. I need no trouble tomorrow.

I looked back at her window. The kitchen light went on. Then the bedroom light. I pictured her in there. Telling her roommate, Sloane, about the scary man. Sloane would probably make it a funny story. Elara would be truly scared.

Good. Let her be a little scared of the outside world. It will make the safety of my world seem better.

My phone buzzed. A text from Dante.

He got the message. Won't come near that block again.

I typed back. Good. Be at the warehouse at 6 AM. Final check.

I leaned back. My work here was done for the night. But I wasn't ready to leave. I wanted to see her one more time.

"Drive to the alley behind her building, Leo," I said.

"Sir," Silas started, a question in his voice.

"I'm just watching, Silas. I'm always just watching."

The car moved forward, We turned into the dark alley.And there, on the fifth floor, was her window. The blind was down, but the light was on. Her shadow moved across it.

I just watched. My mind was clear and calm This was the last night she would go to sleep as Elara Vance, the waitress, the orphanage helper. The last night in her bad apartment with her loud friend. The last night of her small, hard, sad life.

Tomorrow, a new life starts. The one I made for her.The light in her window went out.

I waited. Five minutes. Ten.

Then, like I knew she would, she came to the window. The blind moved. Just a little. I saw her face, pale in the dark, looking down into the alley.

Right at my car.

A slow smile spread across my face. Hello, my love.I reached for the cigarettes beside me. I took one out. I lit it with my silver lighter. The flame was bright in the dark car.

I saw her freeze. I could feel her fear from here.

Yes. See me. Know I'm here.

After a long moment, I raised the window. The black glass sealed me in. I took one last puff and put the cigarette out.

"We can go now, Leo."The car rolled forward.Silas was quiet the whole ride back to my mansion When Leo stopped under the shiny building.Silas finally spoke.

"Tomorrow, then."

"Tomorrow," I said, getting out. The night air was cold. I looked up at the stars, but all I could see was her face at the window, eyes wide with a fear she doesn't understand yet.

Five hundred and seventy-three days of waiting are over.

Tomorrow, I take what is mine.