The Ducati roared through the streets of Star Harbor.
People turned their heads as the red and black machine passed by like a streak of lightning.
The powerful engine echoed between buildings while the afternoon breeze rushed against Miles and his passenger.
Flake held onto the rear grab rail carefully.
Even now he looked excited.
Miles glanced at him through the mirror.
"What is your na?"
The young man smiled.
"I am Flake."
"Nice to et you Flake."
"You look young."
"Is this a side hustle?"
Flake nodded.
"Yes."
"I work in a private company as a sales executive on alternate weekdays."
"And I do this job for extra money."
Miles seed interested.
"Are you in need of money?"
"Family in trouble?"
Flake laughed.
"No and yes."
"My family is well off."
"They just want to get a normal job and settle down."
"But I want to start my own business."
"A startup."
"So I am saving for the initial investnt."
Miles raised an eyebrow.
"A startup?"
"Interesting."
"Didn’t you hear about the contest next month by Sterling Foundation?"
Flake looked surprised.
"Isn’t it only for students though?"
Miles shook his head.
"Did you go through the website?"
"There is an option to participate as a startup in a separate phase."
"Even people in the ideation stage can apply."
Flake blinked.
"Really?"
"I didn’t see that."
"Thanks for telling ."
"I will definitely apply."
Miles smiled beneath the helt.
"Glad I could help."
For a few monts only the sound of the engine filled the air.
Then Flake spoke again.
"You must be soone very powerful."
"A big personality."
"To afford this bike."
"The maintenance alone might cost more than three months of my salary."
Miles chuckled.
"Work hard just like this."
"You will get there soday."
Flake nodded seriously.
"You are right."
A few minutes later they entered a luxurious residential district.
Tall apartnt towers rose into the sky.
Beautiful gardens and walking paths surrounded the buildings.
Flake looked around.
"Woah."
"This place is amazing."
His eyes landed on the large property board near the entrance.
"Built by Sterling Constructions."
"I didn’t know."
Miles smiled faintly.
"Umm."
"Which building?"
Flake imdiately looked at his delivery app.
"Right."
"Sorry."
"Building B."
"Alright."
The Ducati slowed down and stopped near the entrance.
Miles lowered the stand.
"I will wait here."
"You deliver the order."
Flake looked genuinely grateful.
"Thank you so much sir."
He quickly grabbed the food package and rushed inside.
anwhile...
Several floors above.
Chloe stood on her balcony.
She had been waiting impatiently for lunch.
Her stomach growled.
"Finally."
"I was so hungry."
Her eyes fell on the Ducati parked below.
"That bike is so cool."
"Is it a cheap copy?"
"These days anyone delivers food for fun."
The doorbell rang.
Chloe hurried inside.
She opened the door.
Flake stood there holding the food package.
"Your order."
Chloe accepted it.
"You are not that late."
"But the restaurant is not that far."
"It took so much ti?"
Flake scratched his head awkwardly.
"I am very sorry."
"My bike broke down."
"To be honest..."
"I only arrived on ti because one man gave a lift."
Chloe looked surprised.
"Oh."
She handed him a generous tip.
"No worries."
"Thanks for your service."
Flake’s face lit up.
"Thank you!"
The door closed.
Chloe carried her food toward the dining counter.
Before she could sit down...
Her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
"Lissy?"
The call connected instantly.
Alice’s voice ca through.
"Did you eat?"
Chloe yawned.
"I just got my lunch."
Alice sighed dramatically.
"You always eat takeaway."
"You should cook your own food."
"You will get sick if you keep eating outside food every day."
Chloe slowly walked back toward the balcony.
"I was just not in the mood to cook."
"You are just being lazy."
Alice replied imdiately.
Chloe rolled her eyes.
"I am not."
"You are."
Chloe leaned against the balcony railing.
Then she looked down again.
The bike was still there.
The rider had removed his helt now.
His face was turned away.
Only the side of his profile was visible.
Alice continued talking.
"You should eat healthy."
"I will."
"I will."
Below...
Flake finally returned from the building.
He waved excitedly at the rider.
"Thank you again sir."
The man turned toward him.
For the first ti...
His face beca completely visible.
Ti seed to stop.
Chloe froze.
Her fingers tightened around the phone.
The world around her beca distant.
The sounds of the city faded.
Her heartbeat suddenly accelerated.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
The man smiled politely at Flake.
The sa smile.
The sa face.
Older.
More mature.
Marked by scars and ti.
But unmistakable.
Alice was still talking on the phone.
"Are you listening?"
"Chloe?"
"Chloe?"
Chloe did not answer.
Her eyes remained locked on the man below.
The phone slowly slipped from her ear.
Her breathing beca uneven.
Years of mories crashed into her mind.
Paris.
Flowers.
Late night walks.
Promises.
Laughter.
Tears.
The gunshot.
Her father.
The betrayal she had believed for years.
And him.
Always him.
Down below...
Miles started the Ducati.
Completely unaware that soone was watching him from above.
Soone he had wished to see again countless tis.
Soone whose na still occupied a corner of his heart.
Chloe’s lips trembled.
Her eyes slowly widened.
"It’s..."
A tear ford without her noticing.
"It’s him..."
The Ducati roared back onto the road.
The powerful engine echoed through Mars Residency as Miles accelerated smoothly toward the main gate.
The afternoon sunlight reflected across the red carbon fiber body while the motorcycle cut through the road like a blade.
Yet...
Miles suddenly felt sothing strange.
A sharp pain.
Not physical.
His chest tightened unexpectedly.
For a brief mont it felt as if soone was watching him.
Soone important.
Soone familiar.
His eyes instinctively moved toward the mirrors.
Then toward the residential buildings behind him.
Flake noticed the change imdiately.
"Sothing wrong?"
Miles remained silent for a second.
The strange feeling lingered.
Then slowly faded.
He shook his head.
"Nothing."
"So where should I drop you?"
Flake pointed ahead.
"You can drop near my bike."
"I will just get it repaired and go back ho."
Miles smiled faintly.
"Oh."
"Your bike is already repaired."
Flake blinked.
"Hunn?"
Miles accelerated again.
Flake stared at him.
Completely speechless.
anwhile...
Far above.
Standing on the balcony.
Chloe continued staring at the road.
The Ducati was already disappearing into the distance.
Yet her eyes remained fixed there.
Her heartbeat refused to calm down.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
Her breathing was uneven.
Every mory she had buried over the years was crashing back like a flood.
The phone remained in her hand.
Alice’s voice continued coming from the other side.
"Chloe?"
"You there?"
"Chloe?"
Finally Chloe spoke.
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"He was here..."
Alice paused.
"What?"
"I am sure that was him."
Alice frowned.
"Who?"
Chloe’s eyes beca moist.
"Kai."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Then suddenly Alice’s voice rose.
"What?"
"I am coming to you."
The call disconnected imdiately.
Chloe lowered the phone slowly.
Her thoughts were in complete chaos.
"How...?"
"How co he is here?"
"Was it just a coincidence?"
"Does he live in this city?"
"He ntioned he was from Haven..."
"Does he know I am here?"
"Did he co for ?"
Her fingers tightened around the balcony railing.
"But he looked unaware..."
"He didn’t even look up..."
"He didn’t know I was here..."
Her heart ached.
The feeling she thought had gone years ago suddenly returned.
And with it...
The mories.
Years ago.
After her father’s funeral.
The house had beco silent.
Painfully silent.
The once lively ho felt empty.
Cold.
Lifeless.
Chloe had locked herself inside her room for days.
The curtains remained closed.
The lights remained off.
Food trays placed outside her room were often untouched.
Nobody could convince her to co out.
Then one afternoon...
A knock ca from outside.
"Dear Chloe..."
"Please open the door."
"I know it is very hard to bear..."
"I too lost my son."
"We only have each other now."
It was Louis.
Her grandfather.
The only family she had left.
Silence followed.
Then slowly...
The door opened.
The mont Chloe saw him...
She broke down.
"Grandpa!"
She rushed forward and hugged him tightly.
The tears she had been holding back exploded.
Louis hugged her imdiately.
His own eyes were red.
His own tears refused to stop.
For a mont...
They simply stood there.
Two broken people mourning the sa loss.
"Why Grandpa..."
Chloe cried helplessly.
"Why does this always happen to ?"
Her voice cracked.
"First grandma..."
"Then mom..."
"Then dad..."
"Why Grandpa?"
"Why?"
She clutched his shirt desperately.
"Its all because of ..."
"I shouldn’t have t that boy..."
"I am the reason dad is gone..."
"I feel betrayed Grandpa..."
"Why did he do this to ?"
"Why?"
"I truly loved him..."
"And he just used ..."
The pain in her voice was heartbreaking.
"I feel like I murdered my own father..."
"I should die instead of him..."
"Why Grandpa?"
"Why ?"
Louis closed his eyes.
His old heart ached seeing her like this.
Slowly...
He placed both hands on her shoulders.
Then he said quietly.
"He did not betray you dear."
"He never knew you were her daughter."
Chloe froze.
The tears stopped instantly.
Her mind went blank.
She slowly stepped back.
"What do you an?"
Louis took a deep breath.
"He ca there with a mission."
"To protect your father."
"From the shadows."
"But he never knew the man he was protecting had a daughter."
Chloe stared at him.
Unable to understand.
"The eting between you two was completely coincidental."
The room fell silent.
Her eyes widened.
"What?"
"To protect him?"
Louis nodded.
"I am telling you the truth."
Chloe shook her head imdiately.
"No..."
"No..."
"Then why?"
"Why did he kill dad?"
"If he was there to protect him..."
"Why?"
Her voice broke again.
"Why Grandpa?"
Louis looked at her sadly.
Then finally spoke the truth he had hidden for days.
"He did not kill your father."
The world seed to stop.
Chloe stood frozen.
Her lips parted slightly.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
For several seconds...
She couldn’t even breathe.
"What...?"
Her voice barely ca out.
"What did you just say?"
Louis looked directly into her eyes.
And repeated slowly.
"He did not kill your father."
To be continued..
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