The sky had turned a bruised shade of purple, and by the time I slipped out of the school gates, the clouds finally broke. It wasn't just rain; it was a cold, punishing downpour that soaked through my thin hoodie in seconds. I shivered, hugging my backpack to my chest to protect my precious biology notes.
My bus was twenty minutes late, and the streetlights were flickering, casting long, eerie shadows across the flooded sidewalk. I stood under the narrow ledge of a closed storefront, feeling like a ghost again. Invisible. Cold. Forgotten by a world that only seemed to notice me when it wanted to hit me.
Suddenly, the deep, predatory roar of an engine cut through the rhythmic drumming of the rain.
A sleek, midnight-black luxury car, the kind that looked like a drop of ink against the gray mist, pulled up to the curb beside me. The headlights were blinding, two white eyes cutting through the darkness. My heart skipped a beat, then began to hammer against my ribs. Was it Chloe's father? Had she sent someone to finish the job she started in the hallway?
The car stopped. The engine didn't die; it purred with a power that made the pavement beneath my feet vibrate. Slowly, the tinted passenger window rolled down just an inch.
I couldn't see the man inside, but I felt him. His gaze was heavy, intense, and strangely warm, like a physical touch against my skin. The interior of the car glowed with a soft, amber light, and for a second, I caught the scent of sandalwood and expensive leather. a smell that screamed of wealth and safety.
A hand emerged from the window. a man's hand, with long, elegant fingers and a silver watch that glinted even in the gloom. He wasn't reaching for me. Instead, he dropped a large, black umbrella onto the sidewalk right at my feet.
"You're going to catch a cold, Sarah," a voice said.
It was deep, like the low hum of a cello, vibrating right through my bones and settling in my heart. He knew my name. The way he said it didn't sound like a question; it sounded like a claim.
Before I could find my voice to ask who he was or how he knew me, the window rolled back up. The car accelerated with a smooth, powerful hiss, disappearing into the curtain of rain like a phantom.
I stood there, frozen, the cold water dripping off my nose, but I didn't feel the chill anymore. I reached down and picked up the umbrella. It was heavy, the handle made of polished wood, still warm from his touch. As I opened it, sheltering myself from the storm, I felt a strange heat in my chest that had nothing to do with the weather.
Chloe wanted me to be a ghost. Uncle Levi wanted me to be a servant. But this man… he saw me.
I looked at the black car's disappearing taillights. I didn't know his name yet. I didn't know that in less than twenty-four hours, my life would collide with his in a way I could never escape.
For the first time in nineteen years, I wasn't just surviving. I was being watched over.
"ATTENTION PLEASE"
please add this story to your library. next chapter is coming soon!