Chapter 1 The Day The World Changed

It was raining again.

The sky looked like it had swallowed the sun. Gray clouds hung low over the city, casting a cold shadow over everything. From the small, cracked window of Room 6 at Saint Helena's Orphanage, Avery Reyes sat quietly on the edge of her bed, watching the raindrops chase each other down the glass.

Today was the day.

She was leaving.

Her bag-worn, patched, and barely holding together-lay on the floor beside her. Inside were all her belongings: two shirts, a pair of jeans, a notebook filled with her thoughts, and an old photograph of her parents. The corners of the photo were bent, and the color had faded, but it was the only thing she had left of them.

She had packed and repacked it three times last night. Not because she needed to-but because she was nervous. Scared, even.

"Are you sure you're ready, Avery?" a soft voice asked from the doorway.

It was Sister Mel, the only mother figure she'd ever known.

Avery nodded slowly. "I think so."

"You've grown up into a fine young woman. Your parents would be proud." Sister Mel smiled, but her eyes were teary.

Avery stood up and hugged her. "Thank you for everything."

Sister Mel held her tighter. "You don't have to thank me, my child. You survived a life that many would've given up on. But remember this, Avery: the world out there is colder than these walls. Keep your heart strong. And don't let the darkness change you."

Avery didn't say anything. She was afraid her voice would crack.

---

At exactly 10:00 AM, she walked through the iron gates of the orphanage for the last time. No cheering. No goodbye party. Just the cold wind, the sound of her boots hitting wet pavement, and her heart pounding in her chest.

The world beyond those gates was unknown. No one was waiting for her. No family. No friends. No home.

But she had dreams.

And sometimes, that had to be enough.

---

The First Night Alone

She found a small boarding house in a cheap part of town. The room was the size of a closet, with a leaking ceiling and a broken lamp, but it was hers.

The first night, she cried.

Not loud. Just silent tears on a thin pillow.

She missed the laughter of the younger children. The sound of Sister Mel reading bedtime stories. The feeling of safety-even if it was only in four stone walls.

But when the morning came, Avery wiped her tears, pulled her shoulders back, and got to work.

---

The Struggle Begins

She got a job cleaning tables at a diner. It paid just enough for rent and instant noodles. She spent her nights studying business books from the library. Her dream was to open something of her own one day-a café, maybe. A place where people could come and feel safe, just like she once did.

But dreams didn't come easy.

There were days she went hungry. Days her hands bled from scrubbing floors. Days she thought about giving up.

But she never did.

Because deep inside her, there was a fire.

And every time someone looked down on her, every time she heard someone laugh behind her back, it only fed that fire more.

---

Two Years Later

Avery was no longer that scared girl who walked out of the orphanage with nothing.

She now had a small online business selling handmade scented candles. It wasn't much, but orders were coming in. She had saved up enough to move into a better apartment. She finally bought a secondhand laptop. Things were getting better.

But she was still alone.

Love was something she had read about in books. Watched in dramas. But never felt.

Maybe it was because she had learned to build walls too early. Maybe it was safer that way.

She didn't trust easily.

---

The Rain and the Stranger

On a cold Thursday morning, everything changed.

It was pouring hard. Avery was running late for a business expo where she hoped to meet local investors. She held her umbrella close and rushed through the crowd, her heels clicking against the wet pavement.

Then-bam!

She collided with someone. Hard.

Hot coffee splashed all over her coat.

"Watch where you're going!" a deep voice barked.

Avery looked up, blinking rain out of her eyes.

In front of her stood a tall man in a black suit, now stained with coffee. He had sharp features-chiseled jaw, cold gray eyes, and a frown that could kill.

"I-I'm sorry," Avery said, catching her breath.

He scoffed. "People like you don't look before stepping out. Too busy with your little phones and daydreams."

Her brows furrowed. "Excuse me?"

He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. "Forget it."

And just like that, he turned around and walked into a black luxury car waiting by the curb.

Avery stood frozen, shivering from the cold and from the rudeness.

What a jerk.

She had no idea... that man was Damien Wolfe, CEO of Wolfe Enterprises-one of the biggest business names in the city.

And she had just spilled coffee on his thousand-dollar suit.

---

After the Storm

She brushed it off. She had bigger things to worry about. She gave her presentation at the expo and handed out her samples. A few people seemed interested. One woman even gave her a business card.

It felt like a win.

She went home tired but hopeful.

Until the next day... when an email landed in her inbox.

"We saw your candles. Let's talk business. – Wolfe Enterprises"

Avery stared at the screen, confused.

Wolfe?

No. It couldn't be...

Was this about the expo? Or... the man from the street?

She didn't know yet that their paths were about to cross again.

And nothing would be the same after that.

---

Back in the Wolfe Tower

"Who is she?" Damien asked, spinning the candle sample on his desk.

"Local start-up. Small shop. She pitched her product at the expo yesterday," his assistant replied.

Damien didn't say anything for a while.

His mind flashed back to the girl from the rain. The fire in her eyes. The way she stood her ground. He didn't meet many people like that-especially not women. Most tried to impress him. Flirt. Fake smiles. Not her.

She looked at him like he was just another man on the street.

Interesting.

"Set up a meeting," he finally said.

---

A New Chapter Begins

Avery didn't expect to walk into the tallest tower in the city.

She didn't expect to sit across from the same man she had snapped at in the rain.

And she definitely didn't expect him to offer a business deal.

But that's what happened.

And as she sat there, listening to his cold voice and staring into those storm-gray eyes, she felt something shift inside her.

Something she couldn't explain.

And far away in the shadows... a pair of jealous eyes watched everything unfold.

Stacey Lancaster had seen enough.

And she wasn't going to lose Damien.

Not to a candle girl.