"Is he dead?"
"No. But he will, soon."
It was nighttime, and the road lay silent under the dim glow of streetlights. The crumpled car stood in the middle of nowhere. Inside, a little boy struggled to free himself, crying, pleading for help. Not a single car passed by. Only three men stood nearby, talking in hushed tones.
"Let's go now. Our work is done."
"They said we need to stay grounded for a while."
"Got the payment."
"Where? Let me see… it's from Leonard."
Selena jolted awake—then fell off the bed with a thud. She winced, lying on the floor for a second before realizing what had happened. A vision.
She sat up, rubbing her back. "Ouch, it hurts. Guess my leg hasn't fully recovered yet." She stood up carefully, stretched, and walked toward the kitchen to drink some water.
What was that dream about? Who was that boy? Her mind tried to untangle it, but everything felt hazy. "Whatever," she muttered. "I should just go back to sleep. It was only a dream."
---
Morning came soft and peaceful. Sunlight poured into her room as Selena rubbed her eyes and stepped out, yawning.
"Good morning, Grandpa," she said.
Edward looked up from watering his plants. "You're finally awake," he teased, putting down the watering can. "It's already eight. You're so lazy.
Selena chuckled, still sleepy. "But Grandpa, I'm still tired."
He shook his head, smiling.
"Ugh, my body aches," she groaned. "I fell off the bed last night."
Edward laughed softly as she went inside to bathe.
---
Later that morning, Selena sat by her desk, scrolling through her phone, searching for any clue—anything—that could link Helena to her accident. But nothing. No messages. No evidence. Just silence.
Her phone buzzed.
"What are you doing?" came Mika's voice.
"Nothing. Why, is something up?"
There was a short pause.
"Well," Mika began, "did you forget something?"
Selena frowned, scratching her forehead. "I don't remember. What is it?"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, tell me if there's something I shouldn't have forgotten."
"Umm… aren't you supposed to meet… Daniel Knight?"
Selena froze. Her fingers tightened around the phone.
"I almost forgot," she whispered. Glancing at the clock, her eyes widened. "Oh no."
"Girl, pick me up in five minutes!" she shouted, hanging up and rushing to change.
---
Soon, Mika's car stopped in front of a café. A sleek black car stood parked outside. Selena fixed her hair, took a deep breath, and stepped out.
"Should I wait for you?" Mika asked.
"No, it's fine. I'll be okay." Selena smiled, waved, and walked in.
Inside, Daniel was already seated. His presence commanded the air around him—calm, unreadable, dangerous.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," she said with a nervous smile.
Daniel looked up. His eyes—sharp and cold—met hers. He sighed and looked at his watch. "Do you know what time it is?"
"I got caught up with something and almost forgot about today's meeting," she admitted, sitting down.
For a moment, silence hung between them. His gaze was so steady it made her shift in her seat.
"So," she said softly, "what did you want to discuss?"
Daniel leaned back, sliding a file toward her. "Here."
Selena blinked. "What's this?"
He smirked. "You know how to read, don't you?"
She frowned slightly, opening the file. Her eyes widened as she skimmed through the pages. A marriage contract? Every clause was written in cold, calculated precision.
So he really prepared one… But Grandpa told me not to get involved with him.
Her thoughts scattered when Daniel's fingers tapped the table. She looked up, startled.
"What?" he asked, seeing her expression.
"I… I was just wondering—what if I say I don't want to make the deal?" Her voice was hesitant, her fingers gripping the edge of her dress tightly. Her heart was pounding.
Daniel's stare didn't waver. "What now?" he asked quietly, frustration flickering in his tone as he turned to the window.
"I just think…" she gulped, lowering her voice. "You're Daniel Knight—the business tycoon. Maybe it's better for me not to involve myself in this…"
Her jaw tightened. What am I even saying?
A smirk curled on his lips. He leaned forward slowly. "So you think involving yourself with a random man you found on the street—smoking, no less—was a better choice?"
Selena froze.
He let out a low, sarcastic laugh. "Am I a joke to you? Do you think you can just come and go as you please?"
"S-sorry," she stammered.
Daniel stood and walked around the table, his footsteps echoing. He leaned down, his voice brushing her ear.
"You started this yourself. You don't get to run now. You'll face the consequences."
Selena's breath hitched. She stayed still until the sound of his shoes faded away.
---
Outside, she stood near the café's entrance, gripping the file tightly. The morning air felt heavy. Her phone buzzed again.
"Selena, are you done?"
"Umm…" she whispered faintly.
"I've got something," Mika said. "something...about your cousin..."
Selena's grip tightened. Her heart skipped a beat.