NshedRana

In his first life, Damien Sterling was nothing but a fool. Naïve, trusting, and constantly manipulated by those around him, he lived his life as a tool—used, discarded, and ultimately forgotten. His kindness was repaid with betrayal, his trust exploited, and his life ended in the most humiliating way: alone, broken, and filled with regret.

But fate had a cruel twist in store.

One evening, as Damien wandered the cold streets in a daze, he saw an old woman trying to cross the road. She had always been kind to him—the only person who showed him any genuine warmth. When a truck came speeding toward him, she shoved him aside and took the hit herself.

She died.

Yet, the moment her body hit the pavement, something impossible happened. Time rewound.

Damien woke up years earlier, in his younger body—but with all the knowledge, pain, and betrayal of his past life intact. And that day, everything changed.

The Devil..

Opening Scene – The Whisper of Death

Damien Sterling sat in his dimly lit penthouse, reviewing reports on his tablet. Numbers, deals, movements—all data that fueled his growing empire.

A faint shift in the air. A presence.

The whisper of a blade slicing through the dark.

Damien reacted instantly, tilting his head just as a knife slashed through the air where his throat had been.

The attacker—a figure clad in black—moved like a ghost. Precise. Efficient. Deadly.

And he wasn't about to let it take him now.

The room exploded into motion as Damien fired his concealed gun. The bullet grazed the assassin's shoulder, forcing them to retreat.

He lunged forward, grabbing the attacker's wrist, twisting the knife from their grip. A swift knee to the stomach sent them crashing against the glass wall.

Damien's grip tightened around their throat.

His voice was calm. "Who sent you?"

The assassin's body slumped, lifeless.

But Damien had already seen the tattoo on their wrist.

A red serpent wrapped around a dagger.

He knew exactly who was behind this.

The Serpent Syndicate – An Old Enemy Returns

A shadow organization even the underworld feared.

They didn't deal in money or power.

For years, they had remained in the dark, unseen, untouchable.

They had made their first move against Damien.

Damien sat back, pouring himself a glass of whiskey.

His mind was already working, calculating the next step.

"If they want a war…" he murmured, watching the city lights outside.

"Then I'll burn them out of their holes."

The Next Target – A Dangerous Invitation

Within the hour, Damien had called Selene Blackwood and Luther Cain.

They arrived at his penthouse, both immediately noticing the assassin's lifeless body on the floor.

Selene smirked. "Well, someone's popular."

Luther exhaled. "Serpent Syndicate. That's bad news."

Damien took a sip of whiskey, unfazed. "Bad news for them."

Selene crossed her arms. "So, what's the plan?"

Damien placed a small, bloodstained card on the table.

His smile was cold. "I'm going to attend."

Selene chuckled. "Not for him. He's got something planned."

Damien's gaze was sharp. "Of course I do."

He stood, adjusting his cufflinks.

"They wanted to kill me in the dark?" He smirked.

"Then let's see how they fare in the light."

Final Scene – Walking Into the Lion's Den

Damien Sterling walked alone into the depths of the city's underworld.

Damien wasn't walking into a trap.

The Shadow in the Dark