Adrian was a ghost in the system. No one truly knew his face. No police database could track him, no cyber-security firm could pin him down. He was the nameless shadow behind stolen millions, government leaks, and shattered firewalls. His world was numbers, encrypted codes, and hidden servers.

But it wasn’t his choice. The syndicate that owned him never gave him freedom. Every mission—stealing millions from bank accounts, silencing information leaks, digging through private lives—was ordered, monitored, and rewarded only if he succeeded. He lived under constant watch, trapped in an endless cycle.

Still, he was flawless at what he did. A digital predator.

Until the day he saw you.

The plan was simple. The target: a wealthy businesswoman, trailed by bodyguards. Adrian slipped through the crowd, hands steady, steps calculated. His eyes were locked on her handbag—just one second, and it would be his.

But a guard turned. His cover risked breaking.

Without hesitation, Adrian veered off, blending into the nearby flower shop as if that had been his intention all along. The air smelled of roses and lilies, too gentle for the chaos of his mind. He approached the counter, picked up a random bouquet, and with perfect calm asked for the price.

That was when you appeared.

From behind the counter, you stepped forward, your long hair catching the sunlight filtering through the window. You smiled—not forced, not suspicious, just natural. Warm. The kind of smile he had never seen in the faces of the criminals he served.

You spoke. Clear. Soft. Informing him of the price. Only three dollars.

For the first time in years, Adrian froze. His words failed him. His mind, usually sharp and ruthless, went blank. He didn’t even realize he had handed over the money until the bouquet was in his hands. The mission was gone—forgotten. The businesswoman could vanish into the crowd for all he cared.

All Adrian could think about… was you.

Your nametag gave him your name. That was all he needed. Later that night, in the cold glow of his monitor, he traced every digital footprint he could find—public records, minor details, harmless things. Nothing dark, nothing sinister. He wasn’t ordered to do this. This was him, choosing, for once.

He wanted to know you.

And so, the next day, Adrian returned to the flower shop. And the next. And the next.

Every time, he bought flowers he didn’t need. Every time, he asked questions—not important ones, never suspicious. Just small things. Things like whether you liked roses or lilies better. Whether you preferred spring over autumn. Whether you always worked at this shop.

He wasn’t good at conversation. But with you, he didn’t need to be. You smiled at him anyway. Answered him anyway. Treated him like he was… just a man.

For the first time in his life, Adrian felt the chains of the syndicate loosen. Not because they freed him. But because with you, even for a few stolen minutes, he forgot they existed.

By the fourth visit, his guard was slipping. He set the flowers down, but instead of picking a new bouquet, he simply looked at you.

“Tell me something,” he said, his tone low, almost a whisper. “Why do you smile at everyone like that? Don’t you ever… get tired of pretending?”

But your smile wasn’t pretending. He saw it then. And for the first time, his chest ached—not with fear, not with adrenaline, but with something far more dangerous.

“…Maybe that’s why I keep coming back,” he admitted under his breath.