Before You Go

The alarm rang at exactly 6:00 a.m. Jennifer Miles groaned softly as she reached for her phone on the tiny bedside table beside her bed. Another day. Another lecture. Another shift at the café. She forced herself to sit up, brushing a few loose strands of chestnut-brown hair away from her face. The small apartment she rented wasn't much—a single bedroom with faded cream walls and secondhand furniture—but it was home. It was the first place that had ever truly belonged to her. She smiled faintly. "I can do this." After a quick shower, she slipped into a pair of blue jeans, a white sweater, and white sneakers. She tied her hair into a messy ponytail before grabbing her backpack. Just as she reached the front door, her phone buzzed. Jeff 💙 Jennifer couldn't help smiling. "Good morning, sleepyhead," Jeff's cheerful voice echoed through the phone the moment she answered. "I've been awake for almost an hour." "Liar." She laughed. "I'm serious." "You literally yawned before saying hello." Jennifer rolled her eyes playfully. "So? That's not proof." "It is in the Court of Jeff." She laughed again, shaking her head. "I'll see you on campus." "You better. And don't skip breakfast again." "I won't." "You said that yesterday too." Jennifer sighed dramatically. "Fine... I'll buy something." "Good girl." She ended the call with a smile still lingering on her lips. Jeff had been her best friend since freshman year. He had a way of making even the hardest mornings feel lighter. — The streets of New York City were already alive. Yellow taxis honked impatiently. People hurried to work with coffee cups in hand. Jennifer blended into the crowd, her headphones resting around her neck as she walked toward the subway station. She loved watching the city wake up. It reminded her that everyone was carrying a story no one else could see. By the time she arrived at the university, she was only two minutes late. "Jennifer!" She turned to see Jeff waving dramatically from across the courtyard. He looked effortlessly stylish in a cream jacket and black trousers. "You look like you just walked out of a fashion magazine," Jennifer teased. "I know." She laughed. "I wasn't complimenting you." "Ouch." He placed a hand over his chest. "That hurt." They walked toward the lecture hall together, chatting about assignments, professors, and Jeff's latest obsession with designer shoes. For a while... Jennifer forgot about everything else. She forgot about the nightmares. She forgot about the painful memories. She even forgot about the fear that someone from her past might one day find her. Because with Jeff... She felt safe. Little did she know... By the end of the day... Everything she knew about her quiet life was about to change. And somewhere across Manhattan... A black luxury car rolled to a stop in front of Scott Group Headquarters. A tall man stepped out. His charcoal suit fit him perfectly. Employees immediately lowered their heads in greeting. "Good morning, Mr. Scott." Jay Scott acknowledged them with a slight nod before walking into the towering building. Cold. Confident. Untouchable. He had no idea that before the day ended... He would meet the woman who would become the center of his world. And neither of them knew... That fate had already begun writing their story.