On the empty road„
Caelen stands at the edge of the main road, just past the iron gates of Lucien's sprawling hellhouse.
The mansion looms in the distance—its silhouette haunting and silent.
He doesn't look back for a while.
But when he finally does, his throat tightens.
There's nothing waiting for him in that place except cold hands, bruises, and a man with a voice like silk and soul like ash.
"Never again, I won't let that.. happen again. That bastard... he'll pay." he mutters. His voice trembles, just a little.
Time Passes„
The road is empty.
At first, Caelen waits.
A cab will come. Any second now.
The sun crawls lower.
A taxi appears in the distance. He steps out, waving frantically.
"Hey! HEY!"
It zips past him like he's a ghost.
Another.
"I have money—just not on me right now you trust-issue-having piece of—"
Gone.
A third taxi slows… and then speeds up when they see his bloodied shirt and bare feet.
"You absolute coward. I don't bite. Hard." He curses under his breath, shoulders sagging.
Hours Later„
The wind picks up, biting his skin.
His shirt, half torn, flaps uselessly. His feet ache. Every step burns.
The world begins to dim, orange and purple clouds bruising the sky.
rustle rustle,
Dry leaves crunch beneath him with every step. It's the only sound.
"This is how horror movies start," he mutters.
He keeps walking. Muttering under his breath, every bitter words can come out of his mind.
Until—
A sleek red car glides by.
He doesn't bother looking up anymore.
But then—
Screech.
It stops ahead.
The window rolls down.
Someone calls out: "...Caelen?"
Caelen freezes.
The voice is… familiar.
He doesn't turn.
"CAELEN, is that you?!" the voice shouted again. Footsteps jogging toward him.
He turns slowly, fists half-raised just in case it's another one of Lucien's men playing dress-up.
But—no.
Standing there, wind-tossed black hair, slightly unbuttoned navy shirt, leather jacket flaring dramatically with the breeze—
Alec Kestrel.
Ex-special forces. Now a high-level private security contractor. Still annoyingly hot.
Sharp jawline, ocean-blue eyes, five o'clock shadow in the sexy-not-scruffy way. That smug, dangerous grin.
"Well. I was heading to a date but damn, you look like you crawled out of an action movie and lost the fight."
Caelen's jaw clenches. "Alec."
"That is you. Jesus, what happened—did you get mugged by a blender?" Alec stard, jocking while a damn allmost injured man is Infront of him.
Caelen hesist for a moment, knowing telling the truth will only make his life hell.
"I… tripped."
"Over what? A tornado?"
"I'm fine."
"Caelen, you're bleeding."
"I'm not." Cealen refuse stubbornly.
"Your shirt is literally see-through. I can see your ribs. Is this a cry for attention or fashion revenge?"
"Can you shut up for two minutes?" Caelen scowls.
"Sure. After you explain why you're barefoot, half-naked, and walking like a cat that lost all nine lives."
Caelen sighs. Deeply. Almost melodramatically.
"Bad breakup." caelen said. surely an excuse.
Alec raises a brow.
"Oh. One of those." Alec not buying it. He decided to play along.
He leans in slightly, smirking.
"Was it with a sadistic billionaire with abandonment issues?"
Caelen doesn't answer.
Which is an answer.
Alec blinks.
"Wait—was it really?! Holy shit. I was joking!"
"He tried to kill me with love. And a chair."
"....Okay. That's a hell of a mixtape."
Alec eyes him, concern slowly overtaking the sarcasm.
"Get in the car, Cael."
"Why?" caelen raised his eyebrows.
"Because you look like an escaped lab experiment. And because I care. And because I really want to know what kind of man breaks you."
Caelen hesitates.
"I'm not going back."
"To him?"
"To that world."
Alec's voice softens. "Then let me get you somewhere safe."
Caelen looks at the car. It smells like mint and leather. Warm air purrs from the vents.
His pride itches.
But…
"Fine. But if you make one more joke about my shirt, I'm jumping out at 90mph."
Alec grins.
"Deal."
He opens the door. Caelen slides in.
The car drives off into the city lights.
And behind them, somewhere in the distance, a shadow watches from the trees.
Lucien's cigarette glows once…
…then vanishes in the wind.
He was really watching over him, wasn't he?