The morning air was unnervingly still.
"Sir, this is the location the GPS provided," the driver announced, pulling the taxi to a stop.
Louise Stone gazed out the window. They were behind the City University College, standing before a house that looked more like a fortress than a home. His uncle, Martin Stone, and Aunt Lilly began to step out, but Louise remained frozen for a second.
Vibration.
The phone in his pocket felt like a strike of lightning. He pulled it out, and the word DAD glared back at him from the screen. Louise's heart skipped a beat. He closed his eyes, taking a shuddering breath to steady his voice before sliding the bar to answer.
"Hello, Dad," he murmured.
"Are you there yet?" Roman Stone's voice was like grinding stone—cold, hard, and unforgiving.
"Yes, Dad. I've just arrived."
"Listen to me carefully, Louise," his father's voice dropped an octave, turning into a low roar. "The moment I call for you to return, you come back. Even if I demand you resign on the spot, you leave everything and run home. Do you understand?"
Louise gripped the phone until his knuckles turned white. "Yes, Dad. I know."
"Put Martin on."
Louise handed the phone to his uncle. Martin's face instantly paled as he pressed the device to his ear.
"H-hello? Roman? Yes, we've arrived safely. Your son is perfectly fine, don't you worry—"
"Listen to me, Martin," Roman's voice was loud enough that even Louise could hear the deadly edge. "If my son breaks his promise, I won't touch him. Instead, I will have your head and your wife's head on a platter. Do you understand me?"
The line went dead.
Martin stood paralyzed, beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead despite the morning chill.
"Dear? What is it?" Lilly asked, her voice trembling as she clutched Martin's arm.
Louise looked at his uncle, his chest tightening with guilt. "Did my father threaten you again, Uncle?"
Martin forced a shaky, hollow laugh, wiping his brow. "H-ha... no, dear. Nothing like that. Come, let's get inside the house. Quickly now."
As Martin urged them toward the entrance, Louise felt a second vibration in his palm. A text message. He opened it, expecting more instructions from his father, but the blood drained from his face the moment he read the words.
[Unknown Number]: Louise! How dare you block me? Do you think changing cities will save you? I don't care where you hide. You are mine. You will always be mine.
Louise stumbled, his knees nearly giving out. The phantom touch of Jacob's possessive grip seemed to crawl up his skin. Shaking, he hit 'Block' with a trembling thumb and deleted the message, trying to erase the evidence of his nightmare.
He looked up at the house, then back at the road. He was a prisoner of his family's honor and a target of a madman's obsession.
Taking one last deep breath to hide his terror, he followed his uncle inside.
They entered the garden, where a man sat behind a wide newspaper.
"Excuse me, sir," Martin spoke up, his voice still a bit shaky. "Are you Mr. Stove Rev? The City Commissioner?"
Stove lowered the paper, his eyes sharp but welcoming. "I am." His gaze drifted over them. "Wait—you're from Riveria City, aren't you?"
"Yes, yes we are!" Lilly chirped, trying to smooth over the tension from earlier.
Stove stood up, looking puzzled. "My nephew, Rowan, told me his friend was renting the space. No offense, but you two look a bit... seasoned for a university student's age."
"Oh, no!" Martin laughed nervously, gesturing toward the gate. "We are just accompanying him. Here he is."
Louise stepped through the gate, sliding his phone into his pocket as if trying to hide his secrets.
"This is Louise Stone," Martin introduced him proudly. "The newly appointed Professor for the University."
"Hello, sir," Louise said, offering a polite, practiced nod.
Stove took his hand in a firm shake, his expression turning to one of genuine surprise. "Good heavens, you're a gorgeous young man. It's a pleasure to have you in our home."
Before Louise could respond, the whir of a wheelchair sounded on the porch. A woman with a kind, graceful face steered herself toward them. "Stove? Are our guests here?"
"Honey, you shouldn't have strained yourself coming out!" Stove rushed to her side. "Yes, they're here. This is my wife, Rosy Rev."
After the warm introductions, Stove began leading them inside. "Rowan was very insistent. He said his friend couldn't stay in a hostel or a standard apartment—he needed somewhere with high security, like a Commissioner's house. I agreed, though I expected one person, not three! But don't worry, the upstairs suite is massive. I'll have extra beds brought in by evening."
Louise followed silently, his eyes wandering over the house. It was stunning—glass, steel, and high-end finishes. Everything here is so modern, he thought. Back home, everything feels like a museum. Old, heavy, and suffocating.
They reached the upstairs landing. Stove fumbled with a door handle. "Ah, locked. I must have grabbed the wrong set of keys. Make yourselves at home for a moment while I run down to get the master set."
"Sir, might I get a glass of water?" Lilly asked.
"Of course! Come with me," Stove invited. Martin followed quickly, leaving Louise alone in the hallway.
"Louise, stay here. We'll be right back," Martin called over his shoulder.
Louise nodded, setting his heavy suitcases on the floor. His curiosity got the better of him as he noticed another room door slightly ajar at the end of the hall. He just wanted a peek—to see how a modern bedroom was styled.
He pushed the door open and gasped.
"Oh my..."
The room was a disaster zone. Designer clothes were strewn across the floor, textbooks were piled precariously on the bed, and—Louise's eyes went wide—a pair of discarded underwear sat right on the arm of the sofa.
Suddenly, the bathroom door swung open.
Steam billowed out, followed by a young man with a physique that looked carved from marble. He was completely nak*d, humming a tune and shaking his damp hair, droplets of water glistening on his tanned, athletic chest.
Louise froze. His heart stopped.
The guy turned, his eyes locking onto Louise.
"AAHHH!" Louise screamed, the sound tearing through the quiet house.
"Whoa! Hey!" The guy panicked, lunging forward to cover Louise's mouth to stop the noise.
In the chaos, their feet tangled. Louise felt the world tilt as they both crashed to the floor. Louise landed hard on his back, his long hair falling over his face in a messy curtain.
The stranger was pinned on top of him, bracing his weight on his elbows. He reached out, gently brushing the hair away from Louise's eyes. He stared down at him, his breath hitching as he took in Louise's pale, ethereal features.
"I LOVE YOU," the guy whispered, his voice dazed as if he'd just seen a ghost—or an angel.
Louise's heart hammered against his ribs. Is he crazy?
"Louise? What happened, dear?" Martin's voice boomed from downstairs.
Panicked, Louise tried to push the stranger off. His palms landed directly on the man's bare, muscular chest. He could feel the heavy, rhythmic thud of the guy's heart beneath his skin. It was hot. It was real.
Louise scrambled to his feet, his face burning a bright crimson, and bolted out of the room.
A moment later, the family rushed up the stairs. "Louise! What was that noise?" Lilly asked, breathless.
Just then, the young man stepped out of his room, a towel casually wrapped around his waist, looking entirely unbothered by his near-nudity.
"Albert! You're not ready yet?" Stove sighed, though his eyes were fond. "Everyone, this is my son, Albert Rev. Sorry, he's always a bit of a whirlwind."
"Oh... he's quite a handsome one, isn't he?" Lilly whispered to Martin, impressed.
Louise couldn't speak. He looked at Albert—the "shield" he didn't know he needed. Albert didn't look away. Instead, while the parents were busy talking, he leaned against the doorframe and blew a slow, playful kiss toward Louise.
Louise's heart, which had been racing from fear all morning, was now racing for a very different reason.