I came home exhausted after another long day of coaxing rich brats. Huge dark circles had formed beneath my eyes as I fumbled with my house keys. I hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in days, all thanks to my so-called job.
Memories of my day flooded my mind—students bullying me by deliberately spilling my cleaning water, mocking me for my job, and making fun of the way I dressed. The school's pretty brats had even gone as far as calling me ugly.
I had tried so hard to hold back my tears in front of them. I knew all too well how much more mockery my tears would bring.
I was just a simple janitor trying to make a living in a world filled with rich people. Having to deal with them every single day was exhausting.
I sighed and opened the door, only to be greeted by the foul stench of Robert's litter.
There he was, sitting innocently nearby and licking his paw while I was left to deal with the mess he'd decided to leave behind as my welcome gift.
I sighed again and reluctantly approached the litter box.
After cleaning up Robert's mess, I sank onto the couch, my exhausted limbs threatening to give out beneath me. I grabbed my phone and finally continued the long-awaited novel I had been reading.
My eyes immediately lit up with excitement.
I had been waiting forever to reach the twelfth chapter—the chapter where the plot finally took off with the meeting and introduction of the werewolf king.
The scene was fascinating, filled with tension.
The protagonist, Jasmine, was attending an engagement ceremony with her arranged husband. She wore a dazzling green dress with delicate netted sleeves. The flowy fabric was decorated with artificial green leaves that stretched from her shoulder down to her waist. Shining crystals adorned the dress, glimmering beneath the fluorescent lights.
A pair of green glass heels completed her outfit, their transparent material revealing her pale feet.
Her ginger hair had been neatly pulled back into a bun, drawing attention to the diamond earrings that sparkled against her ears. Her complexion was pale, and although she wore no makeup, her soft pink lips were enough to make even a beast fall in love with her.
She looked like an absolute goddess.
A maid gently lifted the back of her dress as Jasmine stood there, radiating both delicacy and elegance.
However, her expression didn't match her beautiful appearance.
She trembled uncontrollably, faint traces of tears glistening on her face.
Her mate noticed her condition, yet completely ignored it.
The two were supposed to go and greet each other's families, but Jasmine suddenly broke free from the maid's grasp and bolted out of the hall, leaving the guests completely stunned.
She didn't dare turn around, even though she could practically feel their eyes burning into her back.
Her mother shouted angrily for her to come back, but Jasmine didn't listen.
She kept running until she finally reached the garden behind the hall.
The moment she was alone, she wailed uncontrollably, pulling off her heels and tossing them aside. She poured out all her frustrations to the few animals nearby, the only creatures willing to listen.
Meanwhile, the werewolf king was nearby, talking on the phone.
Then he heard her voice.
He calmly ended the call.
Sunlight reflected off his sharp features as he stood there. His crisp white suit complemented his black shoes perfectly. His black hair had been temporarily tamed into a stylish arrangement, while his fair skin made him look almost like a small god.
He looked marvelous.
Wonderful.
Absolutely gorgeous.
Thunder cracked across the sky with authority as lightning flashed outside.
I shifted on the couch, nearly shrieking at the image of the werewolf king I had formed in my head.
I had developed a crush on him simply from reading his description in the novel.
I was so lost in my imagination that I didn't even realize when I subconsciously wished to become his mate.
Heat crept up my neck at the thought.
Just as I was about to continue reading, my phone suddenly died.
"What?!"
I scrambled to find my charger, unwilling to wait even a second longer.
While I waited for my phone to charge, my mind returned to the werewolf king.
I found myself fantasizing about him, heat creeping up my neck every time another thought entered my mind.
I was still daydreaming when suddenly—
BOOM!
The ground shook.
A violent wind blasted through my window.
"What the—?"
I rushed to close it, but before I could reach it, my television screen suddenly flashed.
The channels began switching on their own.
Then my blender started going crazy, its blade spinning at a frightening speed.
My toaster began shooting out pieces of toast even though I hadn't touched it.
One electronic device after another went completely haywire.
Everything in my apartment seemed to have lost control.
Then my phone, which had been completely dead only moments ago, suddenly switched on by itself.
The screen began scrolling through the very novel I had been reading.
My eyes widened.
"What is happening?"
The ground continued shaking violently beneath my feet.
I stumbled toward the window and looked outside.
My blood ran cold.
A strange purple void had appeared in the sky.
The wind became even stronger, twisting violently beneath the mysterious void until it formed a massive tornado.
I froze.
I had no idea what to do.
Then the tornado suddenly grew larger.
And before I could react, a powerful force seized me.
"AHHH!"
I was sucked toward the tornado.
"HELP!"
I screamed as loudly as I could, desperately struggling against the force pulling me away.
But everyone outside was too focused on saving themselves to care about my screams.
I continued fighting, refusing to give up.
But eventually, the force became too strong.
The tornado swallowed me whole.
I was dragged straight into the purple void.
Then everything went dark.
And quiet.
There was nothing.
No sound.
No light.
It felt as though I had been thrown into the middle of nowhere.
Then suddenly, images began flashing before my eyes.
Memories.
Fragments of my past.
One after another, they appeared in the darkness.
And I could only watch.