The three men exchanged glances, their smirks faltering under the stranger's gaze. His presence was like ice—silent, suffocating, unshakable.
The biggest of them, the one gripping Tessa's arm, scoffed. "You think you can take us all? Don't make me laugh."
The stranger tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing.
"Try me."
Before the man could blink, the stranger's fist slammed into his jaw with a sickening crack. He dropped instantly, sprawling onto the pavement.
"Bastard!" another lunged forward, swinging wildly. The stranger sidestepped, caught his wrist midair, and twisted until a sharp pop echoed. The man screamed, clutching his dislocated arm, before a brutal kick to the stomach sent him crashing against the lamppost.
The last one, smaller but quicker, grabbed Tessa, pulling her back against his chest, a knife glinting in his hand. "Don't move or I'll cut her!" he barked, pressing the blade to her throat.
Tessa froze, her pulse hammering against the cold steel.
The stranger's voice was calm, deadly calm. "Wrong move."
In a blink, he drew a sleek switchblade from his coat. His movements were precise, lethal.
The thug tightened his grip, but before he could drag her back, the stranger was there—faster than her eyes could follow. His blade slashed upward, knocking the thug's knife clean from his hand.
Then his boot connected hard with the man's knee. A sharp crunch filled the night. The thug howled, collapsing to the ground.
"Pathetic," the stranger muttered, shoving him aside like trash.
The other two, groaning in pain, scrambled to their feet. They didn't dare stay. Limping and cursing, they dragged their friend up and bolted into the darkness, disappearing into the maze of streets.
The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by Tessa's shaky breaths.
The stranger turned to her, eyes cutting through the night like blades. He wasn't even out of breath. His presence was overwhelming—cold, dangerous, yet… protective.
Tessa hugged her torn jacket tighter around herself, her voice trembling.
"W-Who are you?"
He studied her for a long moment, then without a word, he slipped out of his own jacket — black, heavy, carrying a faint masculine scent of smoke and leather — and draped it over her shoulders.
Tessa blinked up at him, stunned by the unexpected gesture.
"My name…" he said finally, his voice low, sharp, "…is Nikolai."
The name rolled off his tongue like a warning and a promise.
Before Tessa could speak, he turned, his long strides carrying him back into the shadows. Within seconds, he was gone — swallowed by the night, leaving only his jacket around her as proof he had ever been there.
Tessa stood frozen, clutching the coat to her chest. Her heart was pounding, her mind spinning.
Nikolai. She muttered.
She picked up her bag and hastened her steps as she walked off.
WHITES MANSION – 11:50PM ★
Mrs. Cristin sat on the small couch in her room, her fingers brushing over the edges of a picture frame. In the photo were two baby girls — twin sisters, Tricia and Tessa. Tears slid silently down her cheeks as her thumb lingered on Tricia's tiny face.
"My dear Tricia…" she whispered, voice breaking. "I hope your father is treating you well. I know you've grown into a beautiful young woman, just like your younger sister Tessa. Mama misses you so much."
Her words dissolved into muffled sobs.
"Mum?"
Startled, Mrs. Cristin quickly set the picture aside. Tessa stood in the doorway, her voice soft and careful.
"Oh, Tessa…" Mrs. Cristin forced a smile, wiping her face quickly.
"Mum, are you alright?" Tessa stepped closer, frowning. "Your eyes are red. Did that woman do anything to you while I was away?"
"No, no," Mrs. Cristin said too quickly. "I was… cutting onions earlier, that's all." She hurried to her feet, scanning Tessa. "But you—why are you just coming home at this hour? And your clothes—what happened to you, Tessa?"
Tessa hesitated, clutching the jacket around her. "It's nothing. I'm fine now."
Mrs. Cristin's voice sharpened. "What do you mean you're fine now? You came home with torn clothes and think I won't worry? What the hell happened, Tessa?"
"Okay, fine." Tessa sighed in defeat. "I was attacked… but a guy saved me. I don't know him. He beat those men up, then left."
Mrs. Cristin's heart dropped. She grabbed Tessa's shoulders. "This is the last time you will ever stay out that late. Do you want to kill me with fear? What if something worse had happened?"
"I'm sorry, Mum," Tessa whispered, hugging her tightly.
Mrs. Cristin exhaled shakily, patting her daughter's back. "It's fine, I'm not angry. Just… don't scare me like that again. I only allowed you late nights because of your classes."
Tessa pulled back, biting her lip. "Mum… don't you think it would be better if I stayed at the school dorm? It'd be less stressful. None of this would've happened tonight."
Mrs. Cristin's smile faltered. "An excuse because you don't like living here, hmm?" She softened. "If you truly want that, I'll raise money for you to stay at the dorm."
Tessa shook her head quickly. "No, don't. I'll save up myself. And now that I think of it… I don't want to leave you alone. You're all I've got, Mum." She pouted playfully.
"You're mummy's baby," Mrs. Cristin chuckled, tugging her into another embrace.
"Yeah, yeah. You're my life, Mum. I love you." Tessa kissed her cheek.
Mrs. Cristin laughed through her tears.
"Mum, you're cuddling me tonight," Tessa grinned. "You said it yourself—I'm your baby. But first, I need to freshen up." She grabbed a towel and headed toward the bathroom.
"Alright, go on." Mrs. Cristin watched her disappear inside, then turned her gaze back to the hidden picture frame. Her chest ached, but she said nothing.
A VILLA★
Nikolai stepped inside, his boots echoing softly on the marble floor. He was about to disappear into his room when a voice halted him.
"So you went out because of her, right?" his grandfather's deep voice carried through the quiet hall.
Nikolai paused, then turned slightly. "Yeah. I've got to protect her."
"When will you stop sneaking around, following her everywhere she goes?" The old man sighed, eyes sharp with amusement. "You both attend the same college now. Why can't you just tell her how you feel?"
Nikolai's jaw tightened. "I'll tell her soon. Not yet." He dropped his gaze, then added, "Good night." Without waiting for a reply, he slipped into his room.
INSIDE NIKOLAI'S ROOM*
He tugged his shirt over his head, tossing it carelessly onto the bed before heading to the wardrobe. Pulling out a towel and fresh clothes, his hand brushed against something small.
A pink bow tie.
For a moment, his cold mask broke. His lips curved into the faintest smile as his fingers lingered on it.
"She probably doesn't even remember me…" he murmured, voice low, almost wistful. "It's better that way."
Carefully, he tucked it back into its place, shutting the wardrobe with quiet finality. With the towel slung over his shoulder, he walked into the bathroom, his expression unreadable once more.
WHITE'S MANSION – 1:00AM
It was already past 1 a.m. when Hardin slipped into the mansion. The house was dark; only the dim glow of headlamps lit the hall. Mr. and Mrs. White were asleep.
"They don't care. As usual," he muttered, scanning the silence.
"Who's there?"
Tessa's voice came from the shadows. She had heard the door creak and stepped out quietly, careful not to wake her mother.
"Hardin," he replied flatly.
"Oh. It's you." Her tone was sharp, irritated.
"You've seen it's me. Go back to your room," Hardin said, brushing past her.
"One question." She crossed her arms. "Why did you do that at your concert? You poured water on me in front of everyone — and I wasn't even wearing a bra! Do you realize how humiliating that was? The video's probably viral by now!"
Hardin smirked. "It's a good thing. I made you famous."
"Dumbass," Tessa muttered under her breath.
Her eyes hardened. "You're lucky I didn't do what I wanted to right then. You'd probably be in the hospital now."
Suddenly, Hardin froze. The ringing was back — piercing, unbearable. He clutched his ears, his face twisting in pain before collapsing onto the floor.
Tessa frowned. "Stop pretending, Hardin. Get up." But when she stepped closer, she realized he wasn't faking.
"Hardin! Hardin!" She crouched beside him, panic creeping into her voice. "Hey!"
She turned to rush upstairs. "I should go call your parents—"
But his hand shot out, gripping her wrist tightly.
"Let me go!" she snapped. "You looked like you were dying just now! I need to call for help before you actually die and they blame me!"
"Shut up. Go back to your room," he growled, forcing himself to his feet. Staggering, he headed toward the staircase, one hand still pressed against his ear.
Tessa stared after him, frustration and worry mixing. "Such a moron. I was trying to help." She turned to leave—
Then her eyes caught something on the floor. A cotton ball. Stained red.
Her breath caught. She looked back up at Hardin. He was still climbing the stairs, shoulders heavy, his hand pressed tightly against his ear. He staggered.
"Hardin…" she whispered, clutching the bloody cotton in her hand.
He didn't answer.
"Hardin!" she called louder.
Her heart skipped. She glanced at the cotton again, then bolted after him.
HARDIN'S ROOM ✦
Tessa shoved the door open without knocking, her fist still clutching the bloody cotton.
Hardin was sitting at the edge of his bed, head tilted, one hand pressed against his ear. He looked up, irritation flashing in his dark eyes.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he snapped.
Tessa slammed the door shut behind her. "Don't flatter yourself. I don't care about you. But I have human sympathy, and in case you didn't notice, you're bleeding like a damn fool."
"I don't need your sympathy," Hardin growled, shifting his hand to hide the red seeping through his fingers.
"You're unbelievable," she muttered, marching closer. "You act like a beast one second and a walking corpse the next. Just let me see it."
Hardin leaned back, smirking despite the tightness in his jaw. "What, want an excuse to get close to me?"
Tessa scoffed, forcing herself not to roll her eyes. "You wish. I'd rather hug a cactus."
She tried to grab his hand to move it away from his ear, but he caught her wrist mid-air, his grip firm and hot against her skin. For a moment, the room was silent except for their sharp breaths.
"Stay the hell away, Tessa." His voice was low, dangerous.
She glared at him, refusing to back down. "If you had any sense of pride left, you'd let someone help you instead of bleeding all over the place like a stubborn idiot."
His jaw clenched. He released her wrist suddenly, and she stumbled forward. Before she could catch herself, she reached out—her palm brushing his chest.
Hardin shifted at the same moment. Their balance betrayed them both.
With a gasp, Tessa lost footing and fell with him—crashing onto the bed.
Her lips landed on his.
Tessa's eyes flew wide open, shock freezing her in place.
Hardin went still beneath her, his dark gaze locked on hers, the air between them burning with something neither dared name.