Marcus had always belonged more to the night than the day, as if the sunlight exposed too much of him while the darkness quietly understood everything he chose not to say.


Daylight demanded things—conversations, expectations, expressions he never quite knew how to wear correctly. But the night asked for nothing. It let him exist without explanation.


While others slept, wrapped in comfort and routine, he wandered—restless, thoughtful, and strangely at peace in his solitude.


There was something about the darkness that calmed him—the quiet that wasn’t empty but full, the distance from the noise of people, and the way the sky stretched endlessly above him like a silent companion who never judged, only listened. Every night, without fail, he would walk. No destination, no plan. Just him, his thoughts, and the stars that felt closer than anything else in his life.


Sometimes, he imagined the stars were maps—guides to places he would never reach. Other times, they felt like memories that didn’t belong to him, flickering in a sky too vast to understand. Either way, they gave him something the world below never could.


That night felt no different—at least, not at first.

The air was cool, brushing gently against his skin, carrying a faint chill that should have made him uneasy but instead made him feel more alive. 

A soft breeze moved through the empty streets, whispering past closed shops and darkened windows. Somewhere far off, a dog barked once—then silence reclaimed everything.


The streets were unusually empty, amplifying the sound of his footsteps. Each step echoed faintly, as though the world itself was listening.


Marcus tilted his head upward, tracing constellations only he seemed to notice, as if he were trying to memorize something that could never truly be held. Time blurred when he did this. Roads passed beneath his feet without memory. Turns were taken without thought.


And that was how he ended up there—without realizing when or how he had crossed the line between safe wandering and dangerous territory.


The alley.


He didn’t notice it at first. Only when the silence changed—when it grew heavier, thicker, almost suffocating—did Marcus lower his gaze.


The buildings around him stood closer now, looming like silent witnesses. Their walls were worn, stained by time and neglect. The faint glow of streetlights barely reached inside, leaving patches of darkness that felt too deep, too intentional.


The air smelled different here—damp, metallic, stale. Like something had been left behind too long.

Something about the place felt… wrong.


He stopped.


A quiet unease settled into his chest like a warning he couldn’t ignore. The kind that didn’t shout—but lingered, persistent, impossible to dismiss.


A realization crept in, slow but certain.

He shouldn’t be here.

Marcus turned to leave, his instincts finally overriding his curiosity.


Then he heard it.


A voice.


Sharp. Female. Not distant enough to ignore. Not soft enough to dismiss.

It echoed faintly through the alley, catching against the walls, carrying something raw within it—something broken.


He froze, every muscle in his body tensing.


For a moment, he told himself it was nothing. Just imagination. Just the night playing tricks on him.


But then it came again—clearer this time.

More desperate.

More real.


Someone was there.


Marcus hesitated, caught between fear and responsibility. His mind moved quickly, listing reasons to leave, to stay out of it, to protect himself. Four walls. Unknown people. Unknown danger.


Every instinct screamed at him to walk away.


But something else—something heavier, something human—kept him rooted.


If he left… and something happened…

The thought alone made his chest tighten.


Slowly, carefully, he stepped toward the sound, each step heavier than the last.


The deeper he moved into the alley, the colder it felt—not just physically, but emotionally, as if the air itself carried the weight of something wrong. Tension hung thick, pressing against his chest, making it harder to breathe.


Then he saw them.


Four figures standing.

And one on the ground.

Marcus stayed hidden, his breath shallow, his heart pounding louder than he would have liked as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing.

Three men. One woman standing beside them.

And at their feet—another woman, crumpled, shaking, barely holding herself together.


Crying.

Not loud.

Not dramatic.

Just… broken.


“…that’s why I didn’t choose you.”

The voice came from one of the men—flat, dismissive, as if he were talking about something trivial instead of breaking someone apart.


Marcus frowned, unease twisting into something sharper.


The woman on the ground didn’t respond—her silence louder than words, her sobs carrying pain that didn’t need explanation.


Then the standing woman spoke, her tone dripping with mockery, each word carefully designed to hurt.


“ You should’ve known your place. Dating someone who is popular in the company and still thinks that he actually loved you? , what a foolish person ”


Laughter followed—cruel, hollow, echoing off the narrow walls like something rotten.


Marcus felt something tighten in his chest, a quiet anger building beneath his hesitation.


Understanding came slowly, piece by piece, forming an ugly picture he didn’t want to accept.


The man had gained her trust… only to betray it.

And this—this wasn’t just rejection.

This was humiliation.

Public. Intentional. Merciless.


But something still didn’t make sense.

Why were the other two men here?


Marcus didn’t have to wonder for long.

“Do whatever you want with her.”


The words landed heavily, their meaning unmistakable, their intent chilling.

Marcus’s stomach dropped.


The two men smiled—excited, eager in a way that made the entire scene turn darker, more dangerous.

This wasn’t just cruelty anymore.

This was something far worse.


Marcus’s hands clenched into fists. His nails dug into his palms, grounding him, forcing him to feel something real instead of freezing completely.


He could leave.

He should leave.


There were four of them.

And just one of him.

His breathing grew uneven. His thoughts clashed, loud and relentless.

You can’t take them.

But you can’t just walk away.

He hesitated—and in that hesitation, everything felt like it could fall apart.


Then—

A sound cut through the tension.

A siren.

Distant at first, but growing louder, sharper, real.

All five of them heard it.

Their confidence cracked instantly. Panic replaced amusement. They looked at each other, uncertainty flashing across their faces.

They didn’t argue.

They didn’t stay.

Within moments, they scattered—running, disappearing into the darkness like cowards fleeing consequences.


And just like that— 
They were gone.


Marcus stayed where he was, his body still tense, waiting, listening, making sure it wasn’t a trick.


Only when the silence settled—truly settled—did he move.

He stepped forward.

The woman on the ground hadn’t moved.

She looked smaller now. Fragile. Like the world had pressed down on her and she had nowhere left to go.


“Hey…” Marcus said softly, crouching beside her, careful not to startle her further. “Are you okay?”

No response.


Her body trembled uncontrollably, her breathing uneven, as if she were still trapped in the moment even though it had passed.

“It’s alright,” he said again, gentler this time. “They’re gone.”

Still nothing.


Marcus didn’t stop. He kept speaking—not because he expected an answer, but because silence felt worse.


Then—

A noise.

Loud. Sudden. Violent.

From deeper within the alley.


Marcus’s head snapped up, alert, his heartbeat spiking again.

Without thinking, he reached for her hand, his grip careful but firm.

“Come on,” he whispered urgently.


She resisted for half a second—fear locking her in place—but then her fingers tightened around his, clinging as if he were the only thing anchoring her to reality.


They moved quickly, slipping into the shadows just as the sound echoed again.

The woman stayed close—too close—but Marcus didn’t pull away.

If anything, it steadied him.


The noise faded.

Silence returned.

But it didn’t feel safe.

Marcus exhaled slowly, trying to calm his racing thoughts. “I think it’s—”

He stood.


And everything stopped……

A figure stood ahead.

Large. Still. Watching.

The kind of presence that didn’t need to move to feel threatening.

In his hands—

A wooden bat.


Marcus’s pulse surged violently.

He tried to step back, to disappear—but it was too late.

The man moved.

Fast. Aggressive.

The bat swung toward him.

Marcus ducked instinctively, barely avoiding the strike as it cut through the air with terrifying force.

“Run!” he shouted, grabbing her hand tighter.


They ran.

Footsteps followed immediately—heavy, relentless, gaining.

The alley stretched endlessly, each turn feeling like a trap.

Then—

Pain.

Blinding. Explosive.

The bat struck him hard.

Marcus collapsed, the ground hitting him before he could process what happened. The air left his lungs, his body refusing to respond.

Everything blurred.

Through fading vision, he saw the man grab her.

She struggled weakly.

Marcus tried to move.

Nothing.

“ No… ” he mumbled

His vision darkened, his consciousness slipping.

But something inside him refused to let go.

Not like this.

Not when she still needed him.

With everything he had left, Marcus forced his body to respond, pushing through pain, through weakness, through the overwhelming urge to give in.

He stood.

Barely—but enough.

And then he ran.

Every step hurt. Every breath burned. But he didn’t stop.

He reached them.

Without thinking, he grabbed a broken brick from the ground, his hand tightening around it like it was his last chance.

The man turned—

Too late.

Marcus swung with everything he had.

The impact was heavy. Final.

The man collapsed.

Silence returned once again—but this time, it felt different.

Not empty.

Earned.

Marcus didn’t waste a second.

He grabbed her hand again—stronger this time, more certain.

“Run,” he said, his voice firm despite everything.

And together—

They disappeared into the night, leaving behind the alley, the fear, and the version of Marcus who once only walked under the stars…

…but never stepped into the darkness beneath them.

After what felt like an endless nightmare, they finally stepped out of the narrow, suffocating alley and onto the city streets.

The sudden openness almost felt unreal.

The distant hum of traffic echoed through the cold night air while neon lights flickered from nearby buildings, casting pale reflections onto the damp pavement.

The city was still alive despite the late hour, yet for both of them, everything felt strangely quiet after the chaos they had just escaped.

Marcus exhaled slowly, his body finally beginning to register the pain he had ignored moments earlier.

Every movement sent a sharp ache through his ribs and shoulders, but he forced himself to keep walking.

Beside him, the Lady remained silent.

She clutched her arms tightly around herself as though trying to hold together the pieces of her shattered composure.

Her breathing was uneven, and every now and then she glanced nervously behind them, as if afraid the men from the alley might suddenly reappear.

A small park appeared at the corner of the street.

It was quiet and nearly empty, illuminated only by a few dim street lamps and the soft glow of nearby buildings.

The trees swayed gently in the night breeze, and the faint chirping of insects filled the silence between them.

Marcus stopped near one of the wooden benches.


“We should rest for a minute,” he said quietly.


The Lady nodded immediately.

They sat down beneath a flickering streetlamp, exhaustion washing over both of them at once. For several moments, neither of them spoke.

Marcus leaned back slightly, trying not to show how much pain he was in. But under the pale light, the dark stains spreading across his shirt became impossible to hide.

The Lady’s eyes widened.

Only then did she truly notice how badly he was bleeding.


“Oh no…” she whispered anxiously. “You’re hurt badly.”


Marcus glanced down at the blood soaking through the fabric and shrugged faintly.

“It’s nothing serious,” he muttered.


But she clearly did not believe him.

Without waiting for another response, she suddenly stood up.


“Wait here,” she said quickly before hurrying toward the street.


Marcus watched in confusion as she disappeared around the corner.

A few minutes later, she returned carrying a small plastic bag. Her breathing was slightly uneven from rushing, and strands of hair had fallen loosely around her face.


“I found a convenience store nearby,” she explained softly.


She sat beside him again and carefully pulled out a small first-aid kit, bandages, disinfectant, and gauze.

Marcus stared at her quietly.

Despite how shaken she looked, her hands moved with surprising care as she opened the disinfectant bottle.


“This might sting,” she warned.


Before he could answer, she gently pressed the cotton against the cut near his shoulder.

Marcus immediately hissed in pain.

She flinched slightly.


“Sorry,” she said quickly.

“It’s fine.”


Her fingers trembled while cleaning the blood from his skin, but she continued anyway, determined to help him properly.

Marcus could tell she was still frightened from everything that had happened, yet she focused entirely on treating his injuries.

The soft scent of antiseptic filled the air.

For a while, the only sounds between them were the distant traffic and the rustling leaves above.

After wrapping the final bandage around his arm, she finally leaned back slightly.


“There,” she said quietly. “It should be okay for now.”


Marcus looked down at the neatly wrapped bandages before raising his eyes toward her.

For the first time since leaving the alley, he really looked at her carefully.

Even under the dim light, he could see the exhaustion written across her face.

Her eyes were red from crying, and there was still fear lingering behind them despite her calm expression.

Yet somehow, she still found the strength to care for someone else.

Marcus remained silent for a moment before speaking.


“What happened to you back there?” he asked gently. “Why were you in that alley?”


The question caused her expression to stiffen slightly.

Her fingers tightened around the edge of the bench as though debating whether she should answer him at all.

Marcus noticed immediately.


“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” he added calmly.


The Lady lowered her gaze.

For several seconds, she simply stared at the ground.

Then finally, she spoke.


“The man who said, ‘That’s why I didn’t choose you’…” Her voice trembled slightly. “He was my boyfriend.”


Marcus frowned quietly but said nothing.


“He told me he wanted to talk about something important,” she continued softly. “He asked me to meet him there tonight.”


A bitter smile slowly appeared on her face.


“But when I arrived… I saw him with another woman.”


Marcus’ jaw tightened.


“I confronted him,” she said. “I asked who she was, but…” She paused briefly before laughing weakly. “His response shocked me.”


The pain in her eyes deepened at the memory.


“He told me he was breaking up with me.” Her voice grew quieter. “Right in front of her.”


Marcus clenched his fists unconsciously.


“He said she was better than me.”


Silence settled heavily between them.

The distant city noises suddenly felt far away.


“I asked him why he would do something like that to me,” she continued, staring blankly ahead. “But he didn’t even answer.”


Her fingers curled tightly in her lap.


“Instead… he called out to someone.”


Marcus’ expression darkened.


“Then two other men came from behind and pushed me to the ground.”


Her voice became smaller with every word.


“I didn’t understand what was happening at first.” She swallowed hard. “I thought maybe they just wanted to scare me…”


She stopped speaking.

Marcus already understood the rest.

Anger burned quietly inside him, but he forced himself to remain calm. This was not the moment to let his emotions show.

The night breeze brushed past them gently while silence stretched between them once more.

After a while, Marcus finally spoke again.


“Where were you staying up until now?” he asked carefully. “If you don’t mind me asking.”


The Lady shook her head slightly.


“I was living with my boyfriend until today,” she admitted softly. “I don’t really have a home.”


Marcus looked surprised.


“What about your parents?” he asked gently. “Or relatives? You don’t have to answer if you’re uncomfortable.”


For a moment, she said nothing.

Then her gaze slowly dropped toward the pavement.


“I don’t have any parents,” she whispered. “They died when I was a child.”


Marcus’ expression softened immediately.


“I’m sorry.”


She gave a small nod.


“I lived with my grandmother in her village after that,” she explained quietly. “Then I came to the city after getting a job.”


She suddenly stopped speaking.

Marcus noticed the hesitation instantly.

It was subtle, but clear enough that he realised she had almost revealed something she did not want to say.

He chose not to pressure her.

Instead, he carefully asked another question.


“If you had a job,” he said cautiously, “then why were you living with your boyfriend instead of renting your own apartment?”


The Lady looked embarrassed.


“I met him at work,” she explained softly. “After we started dating, he asked me to quit my job because he didn’t like the idea of his girlfriend working.”


Marcus’ eyes narrowed slightly.

He already disliked the man, but hearing this made his opinion even worse.


“I thought about it for a long time,” she continued. “But I didn’t want my first relationship to end because of something like that.”


A faint, bitter laugh escaped her lips.


“So… I quit.”


Marcus remained silent, though anger quietly rose inside him again.


“I was living in the company apartments back then,” she added. “So after quitting, I had nowhere else to stay.”


Her voice softened with regret.


“That’s why I asked if I could live with him.”


Marcus looked away briefly.

He could already imagine exactly how things had unfolded.

A vulnerable woman isolated from her career, financially dependent on someone who clearly never valued her properly.

And tonight, she had lost everything at once.

He glanced back at her.

Despite everything she had endured, she still sat there calmly trying not to burden anyone with her pain.

The realisation made something tighten painfully in his chest.

After a brief silence, Marcus finally spoke again.


“I’m Marcus” he said with a faint smile.


He intentionally avoided mentioning who he really was.

There was no reason for her to know that he was the CEO of one of the largest companies in the city.

Right now, titles and wealth felt meaningless compared to the fragile state she was in.

“What’s your name ??“ he asked calmly 


The Lady looked at him quietly for a second before responding.


“Amora.”


Marcus nodded slowly.


“It’s nice to meet you, Amora.”


A small silence followed again before he carefully asked another question.


“So…” he began, “do you have anywhere you can stay tonight?”


Amora slowly shook her head.


“No.”


Marcus leaned back slightly against the bench, thinking quietly.

He knew leaving her alone like this would be dangerous.

She had no home, no family nearby, no money, and clearly no one she could trust right now.

After several moments, he finally spoke.


“If you want,” he said calmly, “you can stay with me for a while.”


Amora looked at him in surprise.


“At least until you find another place,” he added.


She stared at him silently.

Part of her immediately became cautious.

After everything that had happened tonight, trusting another stranger felt terrifying.

Logic told her she should be careful.

But another part of her remembered what he had done for her.


He had stepped into danger without hesitation to protect her.

He had stayed beside her despite being injured. And even now, there was no pressure in his voice, no hidden expectation behind his offer.

Just quiet sincerity.

Amora lowered her eyes slightly.

She truly had nowhere else to go.

After several moments of silent hesitation, she finally nodded.


“Okay,” she answered softly.


Marcus gave a small nod in return.

Neither of them spoke much afterward.

Soon, they left the park together and walked toward the main road, where Marcus hailed a taxi.


The ride through the city was quiet.

Streetlights flashed across the windows while buildings passed by one after another outside. Amora sat quietly beside him, occasionally glancing in his direction before quickly looking away again.

Marcus, meanwhile, simply stared out the window, lost in thought.


Nearly thirty minutes later, the taxi finally slowed to a stop in front of an enormous luxury condominium building.

Amora’s eyes widened slightly.

The towering glass structure rose high above the street, its elegant entrance glowing beneath expensive chandeliers.

For a moment, Amora simply stared.

Even from the outside, it was obvious this place belonged to someone wealthy.

Marcus paid the driver before stepping out of the taxi.

Amora slowly followed behind him, still visibly surprised as they entered the grand lobby filled with modern decorations.

Everything about the building felt sophisticated.

She glanced at Marcus quietly.

Until now, he had looked like an ordinary man wearing simple dark clothes.

Nothing about him had hinted at this kind of lifestyle.

But despite her curiosity, she chose not to ask any questions.

To her, he was still a stranger.

And yet…

Strangely enough, he already felt far safer than the person she had once trusted the most.