Chapter 13
(Lisa's POV)
The sun hit the academy grounds like a spotlight, highlighting every drop of sweat on my face, every bruise forming on my arms. My legs burned, lungs screamed, and yet I kept moving. I sprinted, jumped, swung across the monkey bars—ignoring the way my body threatened to betray me.
Somewhere between exhaustion and adrenaline, I thought of Ethen.
The way he had held me that night… the softness behind that impossibly guarded gaze… the kiss. My stomach clenched. I shoved the memory away. He was Meena's brother. Dangerous. Impossible. And yet, the ache in my chest wouldn't go.
By the time drills ended, I could barely stand. My head spun as I trudged back to the dorms, backpack dragging me down like a sack of stones.
And then my phone buzzed. A single message. No number.
" Lisa, be careful, stay in academy and don't come by yourself, I am coming over to pick you up- Ethen"
A mix of surprise and a small, reluctant smile crossed my face. What was that sudden shift in his attitude? One moment, he said kissing me was a mistake, and now his texts made it sound like he'd missed me.
Well, Lisa, don't make it too easy, I told myself with a smirk. Play a little hard to get.
I was drained, the day weighing heavy on me, and with time running out, I went to the chief and asked if I could head home early. He agreed, and before leaving the academy, I pulled out my phone and typed a quick message to Ethen: "Sorry, but I feel like walking today. Maybe some other time."
With my backpack slung over my shoulder, I stepped outside. The breeze brushed against my skin, cool and refreshing, while the sky above carried a kind of quiet comfort, wrapping the world in a soft, cozy glow.
(Ethen's POV)
The instant I stepped back into the house, instincts screamed at me.
Quiet. Too quiet.
I scanned every room. Locked doors. Windows shut. Nothing. And yet… the sense of eyes lingering, waiting, crawling under the skin, refused to leave.
I headed into the kitchen, hoping a cup of tea might steady me, when my gaze snagged on the car outside. A sleek black vehicle sat across the block, out of place, its presence too intentional—too patient. Too dangerous
Lisa.
She was at the academy now, but someone had noticed her. Not just anyone. People from my world. People who killed for a glance, a suspicion, a trace.
I clenched my jaw, mind racing through every contingency, every escape route. Every step I'd taken to protect her suddenly felt fragile.
And the thought of her out there—alone, exposed—made my blood boil.
(Lisa's POV – Evening)
I started walking home, a strange lightness in my chest, as if my heart had just been set free. Suddenly, everything around me looked different—prettier somehow. The breeze brushed gently against my skin, the fading sunlight wrapped me in its warmth, and for a moment the world felt softer, brighter. Why was I this happy just because Ethen had reached out? Did it mean that kiss mattered to him too? The thought made me smile, and I kept walking, letting the feeling linger.
Suddenly, a car pulled up beside me, its engine purring low. The driver rolled down the window and leaned out.
"Sir Ethen asked me to pick you up. He has an emergency—you need to come with me right now, madam."
The man was dressed in a sharp black suit and dark shades, the picture of a professional driver. But something felt off. I had never known Ethen to have a personal driver; he was always behind the wheel himself. So who exactly was this man?
"But… Ethen didn't tell me anyone else was—"
Before I could finish, the man cut me off."Ma'am, please, we need to move quickly. He needs you right now."
I hesitated only for a second before sliding into the back seat. The door shut, and the car lurched forward. At first, I tried to calm myself, but soon I realized—we weren't heading the usual way. The streets looked unfamiliar, the turns all wrong.
My pulse quickened."Where are we going?" I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.
"Ethen is at his farmhouse," the man said, his tone suddenly calm, almost too composed. "He needs you there. That's where we're going."
Something about his voice made my stomach twist. The calmness wasn't reassuring—it was unsettling. Fear pricked at my skin, my heart hammering in my chest. Then, out of nowhere, my phone buzzed in my hand.
Lisa? Where are you? I told you not to leave the academy! Would you ever listen to me, just once?!
My heart plummeted. What was happening? My mind went blank, but I forced myself to stay steady.
"I—I don't feel well. Could you please stop the car? I think I'm going to be sick," I said, trying to keep my voice even, though the sweat on my forehead and the tremor in my hands betrayed me.
The driver's eyes flicked to mine in the rear-view mirror. "We're almost there. Just hold on a little longer."
With trembling fingers, I quickly shared my location with Ethen and typed a frantic message—please save me, a man is kidnapping me, he's taking me somewhere—before shoving my phone under the seat, out of sight.
"Please stop! I need to vomit, right now!" I nearly screamed, my voice breaking as panic clawed its way up my throat.
Ethen's POV
Lisa. Why does she never listen to me? The moment her message appeared on my screen, my heart sank like a stone. My hands tightened around the phone, dread clawing at me, before I snatched up my keys and bolted for the car.
I didn't waste a second—I started the engine and sped off in the direction she'd shared, every nerve in my body screaming to get to her. With one hand on the wheel, I shot a text to Ryan, using our emergency code. He would know what it meant.
I pressed harder on the accelerator. I had to reach her.
Lisa's POV
My pulse thundered in my ears. I couldn't sit and wait—I had to do something. My eyes darted to the seatbelt beside me, and before I could lose my nerve, I lunged forward, looping it around the driver's neck and yanking it back with every ounce of strength I had.
He cursed, choking, clawing at the belt as the car swerved violently. Tires screeched, the wheel jerked, and before I could brace myself—crash! The world exploded in sound and pain as the car slammed into a tree.
Darkness swallowed me whole.
When I came to, the world spun. My head throbbed, warm blood trickling down my temple. The driver lay slumped over the wheel, unconscious. My chest tightened with fear, but I forced myself to move.
I shoved the door open, stumbling out on shaky legs. My body screamed in protest, every step heavy and unsteady, but I pushed forward, dragging myself along the empty road.
Headlights cut through the haze, growing brighter, faster. I blinked against the glare, my vision blurring—until I saw him.
"Lisa!"
Ethen's car screeched to a stop, and he was out in an instant, running toward me. My knees buckled, the strength draining from me, but before I hit the ground, his arms caught me.
Finally, I let myself collapse against him.