The office was quiet, save for the faint hum of the projector. Adrian sat with his elbows on the desk, fingers steepled, his gaze locked onto the frozen image on the screen. The masquerade ball played out in front of him, slowed down to the finest detail. The moment their bodies had met, the way her fingers had traced the fabric of his mask before stealing it away. The flicker of a smirk that had played on her lips before she whispered her name—Valeria.
His lips parted slightly at the memory.
"Valeria..." he murmured, testing the name on his tongue. It felt both foreign and familiar, like a whisper from a past life.
Nikolai stood near the doorway, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. "For someone who doesn't exist, she certainly left an impression."
Adrian ignored the comment, rewinding the footage again. He traced his thumb along the rim of his whiskey glass, his patience fraying.
"She must have been on the guest list," Adrian muttered, his frustration barely restrained.
"She wasn't," Nikolai replied. "I checked twice. Even had someone hack into the event's private security logs. No digital footprint. Whoever she is, she didn't just slip through—she erased herself before she even walked in."
Adrian exhaled sharply, tipping his head back against the leather chair. This was a first. Women didn't intrigue him beyond a single night. They didn't haunt his thoughts or make him lose focus. And yet, this one had managed to lodge herself under his skin.
A ghost in silk, slipping into his life with a teasing smile and leaving him with nothing but questions.
He set his glass down with a deliberate clink. "Then we do it the old-fashioned way. Find the event organizers. Someone saw her arrive. Someone knows something."
"Already on it," Nikolai said. "I'm bribing staff, security, even the guy who poured drinks. But so far, nothing."
"Dig deeper," Adrian ordered. His voice was calm, but there was a dangerous edge beneath it. "Everyone leaves a trail, even ghosts."
Nikolai studied him for a long moment before shaking his head. "She really got to you, huh?"
Adrian's jaw clenched. "She's a loose end."
A lie.
She wasn't just a loose end. She was a problem. A distraction.
A dangerous temptation.
He had felt her pressed against him, her scent still lingering in his memory—something dark and intoxicating, like orchids dipped in whiskey. The way her body had fit against his like a puzzle piece…
His fingers twitched at the memory.
She had left him standing there, hard and wanting, knowing exactly what she was doing. And that infuriated him.
"You're not obsessed, are you?" Nikolai smirked.
Adrian shot him a look that could freeze fire.
"Find her."
★★★
Valeria stood on the balcony of her penthouse, the city lights reflecting in her deceptive green eyes. The crisp night air teased the loose strands of her dark hair, and she sighed, rolling her shoulders.
She had received the message an hour ago.
Adrian DeLuca is looking for you.
She smiled to herself, bringing her glass of wine to her lips. Of course, he was.
If he had simply let her go without a second thought, she would have been disappointed. But now? Now, the real game was beginning.
The screen of her phone illuminated in the darkness. She unlocked it with a flick of her thumb, scrolling through the reports her informants had gathered. Adrian had already started pulling strings, bribing event staff, twisting arms for information. Exactly as she had expected.
She set her wine glass down and leaned against the balcony railing, her mind already calculating her next move.
Her father's voice echoed in her mind.
"Adrian is dangerous. He's not a man you can toy with, Valeria."
She had dismissed his concerns before, but now they rang in her ears with a different weight.
Adrian wasn't just dangerous. He was relentless.
That made him interesting.
A thrill ran through her as she considered her options. She could remain hidden, continue the chase, let his frustration mount. But no—keeping herself out of reach would only make him hunger for the hunt.
She needed to let him believe he was winning.
Scrolling through the list of upcoming high-society events, her gaze landed on one that made her smirk. A private casino night, exclusive to the city's elite. It was the perfect place for their next encounter.
She typed a single message and sent it.
Let him find me. But not too easily.
She set her phone down, tracing her lower lip thoughtfully.
What version of herself should she present this time? The mysterious socialite, draped in diamonds and secrets? Or the dangerous enigma who played with fire and never got burned?
Either way, Adrian wouldn't know what hit him.
Her smirk widened.
He had no idea what he was chasing.
★★★
It was hours later when Adrian received the first real lead.
A knock on his office door interrupted his thoughts. Nikolai entered, tossing a sleek black envelope onto the desk.
"Found something."
Adrian picked it up, flipping it open. Inside was an invitation—a private casino event, invitation-only.
His fingers tightened around the paper.
"She's connected to this?"
"Maybe," Nikolai said. "Word is, an anonymous guest reserved a high-stakes table under a fake name. The description matches your little ghost."
Adrian exhaled through his nose, tapping the invitation against his desk. So she wanted to play?
Fine.
He could play too.
He smirked darkly, the first hint of excitement stirring in his chest.
"You won't be slipping away so easily this time, kotyonok."