Rebirth: 100 Days Before Doomsday-Chapter 217: The First Meeting

Later that night, when Grace stepped out of the Infinite Realm after spending another hour there, she found the apartment silent.

Her gaze landed on the wall clock and she realized that it was almost close to midnight, making her realize the reason behind the silence and lack of activities.

Instead of heading to bed, she got herself a glass of warm water and moved to the floor-to-ceiling window to stare at the familiar view outside.

As she drank the water, her mind kept shifting from one thing to another. She was still lost in her thoughts when her ears registered the soft sound of a door opening before someone stepped into the hallway.

A smile spread across her lips as she waited for the person to come to the living room and find her. She wasn’t sure how long it took - few seconds or minutes, but then she had strong arms circling her waist from behind before someone hugged her.

"Why are you standing here all alone? What were you thinking?" Davian asked as he took the empty glass from her hand and returned it to the kitchen using a portal.

Follow curr𝒆nt nov𝒆ls on fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com.

Grace allowed herself to relax against him, letting him carry her weight. "I was just thinking about how much my life has changed ever since I woke up in my office fifteen months ago... especially on personal level."

Though her back was facing, she was able to see his reflection in the glass of the window. Hence, she noticed the smile that spilled on his lips before he spoke. "Does that mean... you were thinking about me?"

She chuckled softly, but instead of shaking her head to deny, she actually nodded her head to affirm that he wasn’t far from the truth. "I was wondering exactly when you fell for me? No matter how much I try to recall, I can’t seem to find any hints."

Davian tightened his hold around her, pulling her closer in his embrace as he answered. "To be honest, I’m not sure about it either. All I know is that I never stopped thinking about from our first ever meeting. Before that, I never met someone like you. That day, you left an everlasting effect on me."

Grace turned her head to side, looking at him from over her shoulder. "I’m sure that you despised me back then. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have come looking for me with that offer of contract marriage. Was that your way of getting my attention?"

Davian chuckled, but she noticed how he looked slightly embarrassed as she mentioned the story of their that took between them about six years ago.

Then, she heard him whisper. It was so soft that she wouldn’t have heard it if not for her enhanced hearing.

"Maybe."

* * *

Flashback

Six Years Ago

Davian’s P.O.V.

The grand ballroom of the Silvercrest Hotel was nothing short of extravagant. Crystal chandeliers were casting a golden glow over the room, illuminating the sea of elites dressed in designer suits and dazzling gowns.

The air was buzzing with the low hum of polite conversations, the occasional clink of glasses, and the soft melody of a live orchestra that was playing in the background.

Davian King Parker stood near the bar, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. His sharp deep green eyes were busy scanning the crowd. Ever since he entered the business world about half a year ago, he had been attending countless such events - charity galas, business parties, social gatherings... all meant to strengthen alliances between powerful families.

But tonight, he was here for a different reason.

Somewhere in this room was the woman he had been keeping an eye on for almost a week. The woman whose name had been whispered through both the underworld and the high society circles. A woman who had made powerful enemies disappear overnight, yet moved through the city as if she were nothing more than a ghost.

Grace Blackwood.

The name alone was enough to send a ripple of tension through any man who understood power. The rumored leader of the Blackwood Empire, the underground force that controlled nearly half the country’s illegal dealings. A woman who had built an empire in silence, leaving behind no traces of weakness.

But tonight, she wasn’t a shadow lurking in the background.

She was here.

And Davian had a feeling he had just found her.

Across the ballroom, a woman in a sleek black gown stepped toward the bar. She moved with a kind of effortless confidence that commanded attention, her emerald eyes were sharp yet unreadable. Her long hair cascaded over one shoulder, framing delicate features that were both stunning and dangerous.

She was breathtaking.

And completely unaware of who he was.

Grace reached the bar and leaned slightly against the counter, her slender fingers tapping lightly against the marble surface. "Whiskey. Neat."

Davian smirked, tilting his head slightly. "Good choice."

She turned her gaze toward him, her expression unreadable as she assessed him in a single glance. "And you are?"

He extended a hand, watching her closely. "Davian King Parker."

Her lips curled into a small, almost amused smile. "Ah, the Young Master Parker." She didn’t shake his hand. Instead, she simply acknowledged his identity as if deciding whether he was worth her time.

He chuckled, unfazed. "I would ask what you have heard, but I have a feeling I wouldn’t like the answer."

The bartender slid her drink across the counter, and she picked it up, taking a slow sip before replying. "You are not wrong."

Davian leaned in slightly, his voice dropping just enough to create an air of intrigue. "And what about you? Should I be worried about what I might hear if I ask around about you?"

Grace met his gaze, her eyes gleaming with something unreadable. "That depends, Mr. Parker. Are you the type to believe rumors?"

He smirked. "I prefer to form my own opinions."

For the first time, something close to amusement flickered across her face. "Smart man."

The tension between them was palpable even though this was their first ever real encounter.

Davian could hardly believe that this strong and confident woman in front of him was the same one whom he met a few months ago.

Truth be told... this wasn’t the first time he was seeing her. But only he was aware of it.