The final bell rang at Crestwood High.
Students spilled into the halls like a dam breaking, voices echoing through the corridors, chatter about weekend plans and rumors buzzing at full volume. Yet amidst the noise, Ryan Sinclair remained quiet — calm as ever — moving through the crowd with his usual low-profile pace.
Beside him, John walked like a silent storm — broad-shouldered, eyes scanning the surroundings, as if daring anyone to get too close. Their presence together still turned heads, but after the events earlier that day — especially with Miss Benedict and the whispers of a "young master" — most students knew better than to approach.
They exited through the side gate in silence, turning down a narrow, tree-lined trail that led to their usual pickup point — where Marcus, the Sinclair family's loyal chauffeur, would be waiting in a black SUV two blocks down.
But today, something was off.
Ryan felt it immediately — the stillness in the air, the rhythm of footsteps too carefully placed behind them.
"She's following us," Ryan muttered without turning around.
John didn't need to ask who. "The president?"
Ryan nodded. "Lily. Been curious since yesterday. And now... too curious."
They kept walking, neither speeding up nor turning around. Ryan didn't want to escalate it. Maybe she'd get bored. Maybe she'd stop.
But she didn't.
Behind them, hiding poorly behind shrubs and trees along the path, Lily Rose crept forward. Her heart pounded in her chest, half with guilt, half with excitement. She knew it was wrong to follow — especially after what she'd seen earlier — but she had to know more.
She wasn't stalking Ryan out of malice. She just couldn't let it go — the way he carried himself, the way danger seemed to follow him like a shadow, yet he walked with the calm of someone who'd long accepted it.
But as she stepped forward again, the sound of rustling leaves was drowned out by something much heavier.
A hand grabbed her collar — swift, powerful, and unrelenting — and lifted her clean off her feet.
"Young lady," a deep voice rumbled behind her, calm and commanding, "it is time to go back."
She gasped, arms flailing. "W-What?! Put me down!"
The man holding her was a mountain in a black suit. Muscles pressed against the seams of his tailored blazer, and a pair of dark sunglasses hid any expression from his face. He was trained — not just some hired muscle — but a professional.
John turned, already stepping forward. "We got a situation."
Ryan's eyes locked onto the scene — then narrowed.
He didn't hesitate.
In a flash, he moved.
One powerful kick struck the man square in the gut with a thud, sending him flying backward several meters. Lily shrieked as she was flung through the air — only to land, safely, in Ryan's arms, caught mid-fall like a delicate object he refused to let break.
The suited man crashed into a brick wall with a painful grunt.
Lily was breathless in Ryan's hold, eyes wide, heart racing. "Y-You…"
Ryan gently set her down and turned sharply toward the man now groaning against the wall.
John was already approaching with fists clenched. "You want me to finish it?"
"Hold," Ryan said coldly, walking forward. "Something's not right."
He crouched beside the man, pulling aside the blazer — and froze.
There it was.
A faintly embroidered crest on the man's chest pocket: a shield with twin falcons and a crimson rose.
Ryan's brows furrowed.
"…He's not an enemy."
"What?" John asked, lowering his fists.
Ryan nodded grimly. "He's one of ours. Falconshield division."
Lily blinked. "Falcon… what?"
Ryan turned to her, voice steady. "Falconshield is a private security company under Sinclair Holdings. They provide elite bodyguards for politicians, royalty… and families like yours."
Lily's face shifted with recognition. "Wait—Carter?"
The suited man groaned, sitting up slightly. "Miss Lily. Apologies. Your father ordered your immediate extraction. I acted under protocol. I wasn't briefed on the Sinclair heir's proximity…"
Ryan exhaled, rubbing his temple. "Of course. It's a damn misunderstanding."
Lily stepped forward. "He's my family's bodyguard. I didn't know he'd follow me."
Carter looked up at Ryan. "Young Master, I—"
"You acted on protocol," Ryan said, eyes cool. "But next time, you call me before grabbing anyone. I nearly cracked your ribs."
Carter bowed his head in shame. "Understood, sir."
Ryan then turned to Lily. "And you… you weren't kidding about being curious."
She lowered her eyes, embarrassed. "I just… needed to see for myself. Who you really are."
"Well, now you've seen a glimpse," he said, his tone softening. "And this time, it was a misunderstanding. But next time… it might not be."
Lily hesitated, then nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry. For real."
Ryan looked at her — a long, steady glance.
"…Tell your father I accept his concern. But if he wants to protect you, he better understand: you're already in my world now."
John raised an eyebrow at Ryan but said nothing.
Lily smiled faintly. "I guess I really am."
As Carter helped her back to a waiting black car in the distance, Ryan and John finally reached the corner where Marcus waited — arms crossed beside the sleek black SUV.
"Clean hit," Marcus said, nodding toward Ryan. "But reckless."
Ryan opened the door and slid into the back seat. "Yeah. But it worked."
As the door shut and the engine roared to life, Ryan leaned back in the seat, eyes on the fading figure of Lily in the rearview mirror.
This wasn't over.
Not by a long shot.