Whispers of the Past

Elena sat frozen at her desk, staring at the file before her.

The words blurred together, but one thing stood out—a name. "The Phantom."

A faceless crime lord. A shadow in the underworld. Someone no one had ever seen and lived to talk about.

And now, her superiors wanted her to track him down.

Her stomach twisted.

The description in the file was too close to Adrian. The scar, the height, the strikingly familiar features.

But it couldn't be.

She forced herself to take a breath.

Adrian was stubborn and reckless, yes. He had secrets, definitely. But this?

She needed to be sure.

That Evening – Adrian's Apartment

Elena knocked on Adrian's door, her fingers trembling slightly.

A few moments later, he opened it. Dressed casually in a black T-shirt and sweats, he looked nothing like a feared crime lord. He looked like her Adrian.

"Didn't expect to see you here," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"I needed to check on you."

He stepped aside, letting her in. Ace trotted toward her, wagging his tail. She kneeled down, scratching behind his ears.

She hesitated before asking, "Where was Ace last night? Before… everything?"

Adrian tilted his head. "At home. Why?"

Her heart pounded. "I saw someone else walking him."

He frowned. "That's not possible."

A lie? Or the truth?

She changed the subject. "That night… before you fell, what do you remember?"

His jaw tightened. "Not much. I heard Ace barking. Someone called my name. Then, I was falling."

She searched his face for any sign of dishonesty, but all she saw was exhaustion.

She hated herself for doubting him.

But she had to be sure.

The Next Day – The Investigation Begins

Elena sat in the station, staring at the list of known associates linked to The Phantom.

Then she saw it.

One of them had Adrian's last name.

Her breath caught. Liam Cross.

Adrian had never mentioned a brother.

Had he lied? Or was there more to the story?

Her hands shook as she closed the file.

One thing was clear—she wasn't just investigating The Phantom anymore. She was investigating the man she loved.