chapter 1: Run For Life

Diva Adler was sitting in a bakery on Church Street, stuffing her face with her favorite chocolate pastry. She didn't dare to look at her phone as she needed a break from editing the articles, all of which were due tomorrow morning. She didn��t bring her laptop to the bakery. It was in her office, and she didn��t intend to go back.

"Can I have another one, please?" she called toward the counter in an orotund voice. Getting no reply, she looked around to find everyone in an extreme rush. It was not Diva's first time in that bakery; she was a regular, so she knew about its poor condition and lack of customers. She asked Peter, one of the workers, "Peter, what's all the rush about?"

Peter stopped in his tracks, his hands occupied with a tray of cupcakes, and turned to face the pale-skinned Diva. "A mass wedding is taking place in the church next to us, so we have a huge order to deliver," he answered.

Diva furrowed her eyebrows. It sounded like a bumper sale to her. "Mass wedding? What do you mean by that? Is it a huge wedding ceremony or ��"

"It's where people, who want to get married, get a token and whoever's number matches theirs is supposed to be their soulmate," replied Peter, his eyes flickering back to his wristwatch.

"So, then they'll get married like other couples and become life-partners?" inquired Diva.

Peter nodded before sauntering away.

Diva found it extremely weird. Who would want a wedding like that? Those kinds of weddings were awful in her eyes: getting married to a complete stranger-based on a token number? It seemed totally off. What if someone got unlucky and ended up with a bad partner? The only thing they could do about it would be to curse their fate for the rest of their lives.

Shrugging her shoulders, Diva mumbled, "I would never want a wedding like that." She took her phone and went back to editing, trying to kill time, knowing that she wouldn't get another pastry until the workers returned.

����

Meanwhile, like always, Blaze Hudson was in his office. After all, becoming a successful businessman within such a short span of time required meticulous effort. He had had a hard time establishing his software company, but in the end, he was successful. And now, he was the owner of the successful 'Kiwi Inc.' and a renowned young bachelor. ��Kiwi Inc.�� was one of the most famous software companies in the world. It became famous after their app ��Kiwi�� was launched, successfully making communication easier among people all over the globe.

He had just finished an important meeting a few minutes ago, so he started checking messages on his phone. When a sudden message flickered on the screen, he couldn't help but open it.

Unknown: If you want your brother alive and in one piece, come to the back of the church on Church Street. I will be waiting.

Blaze checked the time of the text, only to see that it was sent two minutes ago. Without wasting another precious second, he stormed out of the office after informing his assistant with a quick and stern, "It's an emergency."

Reaching the church, Blaze was about to enter when he saw Vyan, his twin brother, outside in the middle of a phone call. When their green eyes met, their eyes widened. It was a set-up, and they both knew it.

Blaze's eyes found a man in a blue suit slowly aiming a gun at Vyan. He managed to let out a choked "Vyan, run!"

Grasping the dire scenario immediately, Vyan dashed off in the opposite direction of the church, though not before pushing Blaze inside the church through its back door.

Vyan didn't enter the church as he didn't want his brother to get into trouble just because of his profession. "Damn it! Those stupid Mafia Oysters! They must have sent the same message to me and Blaze so that they can get us," he hissed.

Vyan Hudson had created his own gang, which was infamous worldwide. He came to the United States just to support Blaze at his app-launching inauguration party yesterday. The new app was a place where people could post their apartments for rent or a job vacancy. He was well aware that living with a family member would be too risky, which was the reason he had moved to Italy. However, a rival gang had kept an eye on him and his family. Not only that, but they had just tried to kill both of them together. The chaos of the mass wedding would have provided the perfect cover.

"Well, if this ain't our favorite Vyan, the ruler of Ace," a muscular man uttered, pointing his gun towards Vyan. They were on a small street between the church and a bakery - a road that always remained secluded.

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Diva was sitting next to a wall-sized window, from which she could clearly see that same isolated road. She had the sudden urge to gaze outside the window as she was bored with her editing yet again.

As soon as Diva looked at the window, her eyes fell on a black-haired man who took a gun from behind his suit and shot the bulkier man in the head. Unable to digest what she saw��a murder��she let out a penetrating scream. She was the only one present in the bakery as all the employees had gone to the church; that situation terrified her even more.

Vyan had heard the scream and glanced in its direction, only to take notice of a brown-haired woman, gawking at him with huge round eyes. They turned dark.

Even though Diva couldn't clearly see that person's eyes, she could tell that he would cause trouble for her. Sensing the upcoming danger, Diva rushed outside to try and escape.

"I want to live, God. Please. I��m too young to die!" she mumbled to herself, running through the back alley of the church, only to meet the guy in the blue suit in front of her. Having no other choice but to hide, she scurried through a random door that happened to be the backdoor to the brides�� chambers.

Diva had no idea where she was going. All she knew was that she had to escape. After all, she didn't want to die. But who knew it would just be a step towards a new phase of Diva's life?