Morning had arrived, but the sun was still hidden behind thick clouds. Rain poured endlessly from the sky, as if the heavens had cracked open. It had been raining for three straight hours, with no sign of stopping. Water had already flooded many roads, making traffic nearly impossible.
Inside a black car, Naso drove carefully through the flooded streets. Beside him sat Lucas, looking irritated.
Naso was an Italian. Standing six feet one inch tall, he was the kind of man many modern women would instantly crush on. Strong-built, sharp-featured, and always well-groomed, he still looked like a man in his twenties despite being thirty-three. His physique resembled a Roman police officer, but his life was deeply rooted in crime.
Years ago, he had worked underground as a drug dealer. His shooting skills were flawless, and his intelligence made him dangerous. For eight years, he ran illegal operations without a single police file carrying his name. Killing had become second nature to him. Now he operated openly in smuggling, protected by a powerful hand above him. Though officially just a personal assistant, he earned far more than most bosses. For the last four years, he had also served as a royal bodyguard.
Lucas was from Tamil Nadu. His dark skin and wrestler-like body came naturally by birth. His face looked simple, almost harmless—but underneath was something monstrous. With his massive body, he could crush a person in seconds. Killing never made his hands shake. His methods alone were enough to make ordinary people sweat from fear. He had once been a boxer and had won national awards three times. But for the past five years, he had served as a royal bodyguard under their boss—Richard Kayanad.
Because the main roads were flooded, Naso used Google Maps to take a bypass road through a residential area.
Then suddenly—
the tire burst.
The car came to an abrupt stop.
At that exact moment, Richard's mind snapped back from his violent thoughts. Many called him by his short name—Rid.
Seeing Richard's cold expression in the front mirror, Lucas swallowed hard. Naso quickly said,
"Boss, another car will arrive right away. I'm calling now."
Richard checked his watch, his forehead wrinkling in irritation. Then he looked down at his tablet, silent.
The rain continued outside.
It was around six in the morning. No one had opened their gates yet. Naso's throat was dry from coughing, but there was no water in the car.
Lucas looked outside absentmindedly.
Then his eyes froze.
A girl stood in the rain at a distance.
His eyes widened.
"Red hair."
Naso frowned.
"What?"
Lucas pointed.
"Ghost—"
Naso followed his gaze. Richard also looked outside.
There, standing under the rain, was a girl with striking red hair.
Lucas muttered in disbelief.
"Bangladeshi girls can have red hair too?"
Bangladesh
Naso and Lucas exchanged glances. They had visited Bangladesh many times before, but had never seen anything like this.
Lucas rolled down the window and called her.
The girl was wearing a green kameez, standing in the rain like she belonged to the storm. She looked about nineteen. Startled by the unfamiliar voice, she quickly covered herself properly with her scarf and turned around.
The moment she faced them—
both Lucas and Naso were stunned.
Her skin was pale as milk. Her red hair clung to her body from the rain. Her face looked unlike any ordinary village girl.
Lucas called again.
The girl hesitated, fear flickering in her eyes, but stepped forward slowly, perhaps thinking they were in trouble.
When she stopped before the car, her eyelashes trembled slightly.
Before Lucas could speak, she said in a cold soft voice,
"Brother, did you call me?"
Hearing pure Bengali from her lips, Lucas held back all his questions.
Richard lifted his eyes from the tablet.
And looked at her.
For the first time, his gaze stayed.
She was drenched, her green dress clinging tightly to her slim body. Her red lips trembled from the cold. Richard's eyes moved from her feet to her face. The crease on his forehead disappeared for the first time.
Still expressionless, he simply watched.
Lucas smiled gently.
"Why are you getting drenched this early? You'll catch a cold."
The girl looked up.
That simple concern eased her fear a little.
She said quietly,
"My aunt is still sleeping. I escaped while she was asleep."
Her eyes sparkled when she said it.
Naso raised an eyebrow.
"Escaped?"
She bit her tongue shyly and answered,
"They don't let me go outside. But I love rain… so I sneaked out."
Lucas laughed.
Naso narrowed his eyes.
"You're not being harassed, are you?"
The girl's face darkened instantly.
She shook her head quickly.
"No, no… nothing like that."
Naso asked,
"What's your name?"
The girl looked nervous under his sharp stare.
She replied softly,
"Elizabeth Imra Erin."
Lucas blinked.
"That's a huge name."
She didn't answer.
At that moment, Naso started coughing badly again.
The girl looked concerned.
"Give him water."
Lucas sighed.
"There's none."
She immediately said,
"I'll bring some."
And ran away.
Richard silently watched her go.
Then—
to everyone's shock—
she climbed over a wall instead of using the gate.
Minutes later, she returned the same way with a bottle of water in hand.
Naso drank and recovered.
In return, he offered her a 1000 taka note.
The girl's expression changed instantly.
Without taking it, she left quickly.
Lucas stared.
A moment ago she acted childish.
Now her pride was stronger than many adults.
After some time, another car arrived.
They got in.
As Naso drove, he said,
"That girl was strange. Just like her name."
Lucas laughed.
"Exactly. Such a complicated name. For a Bangladeshi girl too."
Naso smirked.
"You could've given her a new one."
Lucas rolled his eyes.
"What would I name her?"
Richard, still staring outside, suddenly said—
"Red."
Both Lucas and Naso looked at each other in confusion.
Neither understood why Richard had named her that.
But for some reason—
the name suited her perfectly.
Part 2.....