Sonia12

She was raised to bring justice. He was born to rule the underworld.

Detective Aria Voss has spent years chasing shadows—tracking the faceless crime lord known only as The Phantom. Ruthless, elusive, and always a step ahead, he is the mastermind behind the city's most untouchable criminal empire. No one has ever seen his face. No one knows his name. And Aria is determined to be the one who brings him down.

But she doesn’t realize the man she’s hunting has been hunting her for years.

Killian Dante is more than just the Phantom. He is the architect of Aria’s life—pulling the strings from the shadows, ensuring every case she solved, every lead she chased, was one he placed in front of her. He has shaped her into the perfect detective, the perfect obsession, without her ever knowing. And now, she’s getting too close to the truth.

When a single mistake forces Killian to step out of the darkness, their game of cat and mouse turns deadly. She should hate him. She should arrest him. But every moment in his presence shatters her resolve. Every glance burns hotter than the justice she once swore to uphold.

She thought she was hunting a monster. But what happens when the monster is the man who owns her heart?

Will she uncover the truth and destroy him—or will she fall so deep that she loses herself in his world forever?

Puppet Master's Obsession

The air outside the grand estate was thick with the scent of jasmine and intrigue. The masked guests moved like shadows under the golden glow of chandeliers spilling their light onto the marble steps.

Aria stood at the entrance, a wolf in a den of serpents.

Her black silk gown hugged her curves, the slit along her thigh allowing effortless movement—both for elegance and the concealed dagger strapped to her leg. The mask she wore was simple yet striking, framing her emerald eyes in dark filigree.

But she had never been one to walk away from a challenge.

And The Phantom had just given her one.

A smooth voice pulled her attention.

"Enjoying the illusion, Detective?"

The man beside her was tall, dressed in an immaculate black tuxedo with a gold-accented mask that concealed half his face. He stood too close. His presence was too powerful, too calculated.

Aria turned her head slowly, keeping her expression neutral. "Depends. Are you part of the illusion?"

A deep chuckle rumbled from him. "Perhaps."

Her fingers twitched at her side. "Do I know you?"

"You're trying to," he mused. "That's why you're here."

Aria forced a smirk. "What makes you so sure?"

"Because you could've turned me in," he said smoothly. "Instead, you came."

Before she could respond, he extended a hand. "Dance with me."

Aria's pulse quickened. Was this a trap? A game? Or something else entirely?

And let him pull her into the dance.

The orchestra played a haunting melody as he guided her across the polished floor. His grip was firm, his movements effortless, as if he had rehearsed this moment a hundred times.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

His lips quirked at the corner. "Who do you think I am?"

Her eyes searched his masked face, looking for a tell, but he gave nothing away. He was a master of deception.

"You planned this," she accused.

His fingers tightened around hers just slightly, his lips brushing dangerously close to her ear.

Aria swallowed hard, keeping her expression composed. "You're playing a dangerous game."

His smirk deepened. "So are you."

For a moment, it felt like they were the only two in the room. A detective and the criminal she had chased for years, dancing in plain sight, yet unseen by everyone around them.

The line between hunter and prey blurred.

And for the first time, she wasn't sure which one she was.

As the waltz slowed, he twirled her one last time before pulling her close.

"You're getting too close, Detective," he murmured, his voice like velvet.

Aria forced a smirk. "Isn't that what you wanted?"

His hand skimmed along her lower back, barely perceptible. A warning. A claim.

"Yes," he admitted. "But you won't like what you find."

Before she could respond, he released her and stepped back.

"Enjoy the rest of your evening."

Aria barely made it outside before she exhaled, her heart still racing.

She had danced with the devil tonight.

And somehow, she wasn't sure she wanted to stop.

Chapter 4 The Masquerade's Illusion