Five years.
That's how long it had been since Mia's father was murdered. And yet, the ache hadn't dulled—it had only grown quieter. Like a storm that still rumbled deep inside her chest, waiting to break.
She walked fast, heels splashing through shallow puddles as rain poured over the city like it was trying to wash something away. She didn't mind getting soaked. The cold reminded her she could still feel—barely.
No umbrella. No coat. Just a worn-down police badge in her pocket and a heart sealed in frost.
As she crossed a dim alley, a sudden gust made her pause and shield her face. That's when a voice slipped through the rain.
"You'll catch a cold like that."
She turned.
A tall figure stood nearby, holding a black umbrella. His voice was calm—too calm. His eyes held something unreadable, like pages half-burned but not yet lost.
"I'm fine," she muttered, brushing soaked strands from her face.
He didn't move.
"Take it," he said, stepping forward and lifting the umbrella above her. "You don't look like someone who accepts help easily. So let someone offer it, just this once."
Mia stared at him. Drenched suit. Confident posture. A softness in his smile that didn't quite match the shadows in his eyes.
Still, she gave a slight nod. "Thanks."
They walked a block in silence, the umbrella barely sheltering them both. The rain dulled the city's noise, creating an unusual stillness between them.
He finally glanced at her. "What's your name?"
She hesitated.
"Mia."
And that was all she said.
"Aiden"
She didn't tell him she was a cop.
And he didn't tell her the truth behind his smile.
But under that umbrella, in a world washed grey by rain, a cold-hearted officer and a man with secrets unknowingly stepped into each other's stories.