The Beginning of the Storm
Rain continued pouring heavily across Sun City while the black vehicle remained parked silently across the street.
Inside the car, a man lowered his phone after finishing the call.
His eyes remained fixed on Harmony and Denzel.
"So this is the girl…" he muttered quietly.
Outside, Harmony stood beneath her umbrella staring at Denzel in confusion.
The cold rain fell around them softly while passing cars moved through the wet streets nearby.
She still couldn't understand why he had come.
Someone like Denzel Li should have been too busy running companies, attending meetings, or dealing with dangerous business matters.
Yet here he was.
Standing outside her apartment building in the rain.
Just to see her.
"You're really strange," Harmony finally said softly.
Denzel looked at her calmly. "I've been called worse."
A small laugh escaped her lips before she could stop it.
For a moment, neither of them spoke again.
The silence between them felt strangely comfortable.
Then Denzel's expression changed slightly as his eyes lifted toward the apartment building behind her.
"You live here alone?"
Harmony shook her head. "With my mother."
"How is she feeling?"
Harmony looked surprised that he remembered.
"She's okay," she answered quietly. "At least… she's trying to be."
Denzel noticed the sadness hidden in her voice immediately.
"Hospital bills?"
Harmony looked away silently.
That alone answered his question.
For a few seconds, Denzel simply stared at her.
He wasn't used to people struggling financially around him. Most people in his world cared only about luxury, status, and money.
But Harmony was different.
Even while carrying so much stress, she still smiled gently.
Still stayed kind.
And somehow, that affected him more than he wanted to admit.
"You shouldn't carry everything alone," he said quietly.
Harmony smiled faintly.
"Not everyone has power like you, Mr. Li."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Denzel."
"What?"
"Call me Denzel."
Her heartbeat shifted unexpectedly.
Before she could answer, Denzel's phone suddenly rang.
The softness in his expression disappeared immediately.
He answered coldly.
"What happened?"
Jonathan's voice spoke urgently from the other side.
"We have a problem."
Denzel's face darkened instantly.
"Talk."
"One of Victor Moretti's men was spotted near Harmony's apartment."
Harmony froze the second she heard her name.
Denzel's eyes immediately scanned the street around them.
Dangerous.
Sharp.
Protective.
Everything about him changed within seconds.
"Where?" he asked coldly.
"Across the street. Black vehicle."
The moment Jonathan finished speaking, Denzel turned sharply toward the parked car.
Inside the vehicle, the man immediately realized he had been noticed.
"Damn."
The engine started instantly.
The car sped away into the rain.
Denzel's expression became terrifyingly calm.
Harmony looked confused. "What's happening?"
Denzel grabbed her wrist gently but quickly.
"Get inside."
His tone left no room for argument.
"What?"
"Now."
For the first time since meeting him, Harmony saw genuine fear hidden beneath his calm expression.
Not fear for himself.
Fear for her.
Without wasting another second, Denzel led her quickly into the apartment building.
The moment they entered, Harmony pulled her hand free gently.
"Denzel, what's going on?"
He remained silent briefly before answering.
"You're being watched."
Her face lost color instantly.
"What?"
Denzel's jaw tightened.
"This is my fault."
Harmony stared at him in confusion.
"What do you mean your fault?"
Before he could answer, his phone rang again.
Hunter this time.
"Boss," Hunter said immediately, "Victor's men attacked another warehouse."
Denzel closed his eyes briefly.
Everything was happening too fast.
"This is coordinated," Jonathan added through the background.
Of course it was.
Victor Moretti wasn't simply attacking businesses anymore.
He was targeting people connected to Denzel personally.
Monica.
Now Harmony.
And Denzel hated that more than anything.
His dangerous world was beginning to touch innocent people.
Harmony watched him carefully.
The darkness in his expression frightened her slightly.
Yet somehow… she still trusted him.
Denzel finally looked at her again.
"You need protection."
Harmony blinked in disbelief. "Protection?"
"Yes."
"No."
Denzel frowned slightly.
"No?"
"I'm not getting involved in mafia bodyguards and dangerous cars following me everywhere."
"This isn't a joke, Harmony."
"I know that," she answered quickly. "But this is your world, not mine."
The words hit harder than she realized.
Because deep down, Denzel knew she was right.
She didn't belong in his world