The night sky of Harlington shone with neon lights illuminating the skyscrapers, while below, the dark alleys became hiding places for lives concealed from the glimmer. In this city, power is everything, but power comes at a cost—blood, loyalty, or betrayal.

In a small apartment on the outskirts of the city, a young woman stood in front of a cracked mirror, wearing a tattered red dress that was slightly too big for her petite frame. Alicia Moretti, a beautiful girl with long jet-black hair and sharp brown eyes, didn't look like someone accustomed to luxury. Her face radiated determination, but beneath her striking beauty, there was an invisible strength and unseen wounds.

Alicia took a deep breath, adjusted her dress, and stepped out of the crumbling apartment. Tonight, she would work as a waitress at an exclusive party hosted by Greystone Group, a large corporation owned by a mysterious CEO named Leon Greyson.

Leon was known as a man who not only held power in the business world but also had dark ties to the underground. Rumors of his involvement with high-level gangster groups circulated widely, though no one dared confront him directly. In the business world, he was a king; in the dark world, he was a terrifying shadow.

The Atmosphere of Harlington

Harlington was a city full of contrasts.

Downtown: Filled with tall buildings, luxury restaurants, and dazzling parties that only the elite could attend.

Outskirts: A run-down area with graffiti-filled streets, flickering streetlights, and the smell of smoke from old factories. This was where Alicia lived, struggling to survive with her younger brother, Luca, after their parents died in a mysterious accident years ago.

In this city, the law was merely a formality. Those with money and connections held the power, while those without, like Alicia, had to fight against the current just to survive.

Alicia arrived at the luxurious hotel where the party was being held, feeling like a small fish in a vast ocean. The simple red dress she wore felt out of place among the designer clothes of the invited guests.

As she served drinks at the VIP table, Alicia noticed a man standing gracefully on the balcony. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit, his dark hair neatly styled, and his gaze sharp as an eagle watching its prey. It was Leon Greyson.

However, Leon's eyes suddenly stopped on Alicia. For a moment, time seemed to stand still. He squinted, as if trying to recognize something.

"Who is she?" Leon muttered to his assistant.

"New waitress, Sir. Nothing special," his assistant casually replied.

But for Leon, there was something about the girl—something he couldn't ignore.

Across the party, a man with a face full of scars stood in the shadows. He watched Alicia with eyes full of hatred. The man was Marco Viani, a member of one of the underground gangs who had once tried to recruit Alicia as their courier. When Alicia refused, she was punished with a brutal attack that nearly took her life.

Marco stepped forward but stopped when he saw Leon watching Alicia. He smirked slightly.

"So, this is your game, Leon? That girl might become my ace," Marco murmured before disappearing into the crowd.

As the night continued, Alicia remained unaware that her encounter with Leon would change her life forever. In a city full of shadows, she would have to choose between surviving or becoming part of the world she had always avoided.

And Leon Greyson? He wasn't just a CEO. He was a man with two faces: a charismatic business leader and a terrifying shadow ruler.