Beneath His Shadows

CHAPTER 2

Are you okay?”

The voice was deep, belonging to a man. But I couldn’t utter a word. My body trembled, chilled by a mix of cold and fear.

When suddenly a jacket was draped over me and I felt warmth. Strong arms lifted me effortlessly.

I gasped lightly, instinctively clutching onto this unknown man as he carried me.

After a short walk, we came to a stop.

A car door opened, and he carefully placed me onto the seat. The door shut. Seconds later, he slipped in beside me through the other door.

“Um…thank you sir” I whispered,my voice barely above a whisper.

Silence loomed over us, then out of nowhere… “Are you insane?”

I flinched

“What?” I asked, completely caught off guard.

He scoffed. “So you just sat there and let teenage girls push you around? Almost drown you?”

His voice was sharp with frustration. “I…” I started, but he interrupted me .

“What were you doing out alone so late?”

“ I…I came with my mom” I stammered, my fingers curling around the edge of the jacket.

“So where is she?” he demanded

“I…she”

“ Can you speak up and stop acting like a child?” he snapped.

I sniffled, tears streaming down my face.

“T…thank you, sir, for saving me.” I whispered, my voice barely holding steady.

I reached for the jacket. “Did you please pick up my cane? “ I asked softly

“Your cane?” His confusion was obvious.

‘What are you talking about?”

I took a shaky breath. “I need my cane to walk.” I said, my fingers gripping the door handle. “I'm blind.”

Silence.

Before he could respond, I pushed open the door and stepped out.

**********

My business partner, David. He invited me to a party, I hadn't wanted to come. Sending a gift would have been enough, but my right-hand man, Dante, insisted. It would be good PR, he said . Let the world see the billionaire CEO of Ricci Holdings in person.

So here I was.

“Zain, it's so good to see you. Thank you for honouring my invitation,” David greeted me warmly, leading me inside.

I gave him a polite nod. I knew this was his daughter's graduation event, but i had no intention of staying for the whole ceremony.

Just then, my phone buzzed, I excused myself and went towards my car. I answered, already irritated.

“Dante, I can't afford to lose a whole truck of gold. Handle it…and bring me the rat”

Before he could respond, a sound cut through the night, a faint but desperate cry.

I turned my head towards the noise.

A group of girls stood near a fountain, dragging someone between them. She was smaller than the rest. Helpless. Then, without warning, they shoved her head into the water.

I hung up immediately.

“What are you doing to her ?” I roared.

The girls froze. Then, like cowards, they scattered, disappearing into the night.

I carefully approached the trembling girl, her back turned toward me, her posture stiff with fear.

“Are you okay?” I asked, barely audible over her chattering teeth.

I finally faced the girl, and the breath was knocked out of my lungs.

She was beautiful…angelic. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with innocence, while her lips quivered , tinged with blue from the cold and shock.

I cleared my head, shaking off distraction. Focus was key right now.

Without hesitation, I slipped off my suit jacket and wrapped it gently around her frail frame, hoping the warmth would bring her some small measure of comfort .

Her body trembled as I pulled her into a warm embrace, she nestled in, her fingers clutching my shirt for dear life.

A sudden surge of protectiveness swept through me

I quickly rushed her to the car, my mind still reeling from what had just happened.

After helping her into the car,I got in beside her, and the silence that followed was deafening.

Just as I opened my mouth to break the silence,her whisper stopped me. “Th…thank you, sir.”

My frustration finally boiled over, fueled by anger at the girls who had hurt her and at myself for not acting sooner.

“Are you insane?” I barked, my voice sharp. She flinched. Good.

“What?” she said, her voice trembling.

I shook my head, the words escaped my mouth before I could censor them “So you just sat there and let teenage girls push you around? Almost drown you?” I could feel the heat rise in my chest. How could she let that happen?

“I…” she tried to speak, but I wasn’t done.

“What were you doing out alone?" I demanded.

“I... I came with my mom,” she said, her voice so small, so fragile.

“So where is she?” I boomed, not sure why I was pushing her so hard.

“I... she…”

I cut her off, the irritation building. “Can you speak up and stop acting like a child?”

I couldn’t quite place my finger on it, but something about the way she gazed up at me or the way she clutched my shirt earlier had struck a chord within me . But something about her…this girl, this fragile soul…was already getting under my skin.

Her gentle sobs filled the quiet car, and as tears streamed down her face, a pang constricted my chest .

“T...thank you sir," she whispered, her voice barely audible "for saving me."

I nodded mutely, lost for words. The weight of the moment made it difficult to find a comforting phrase. Then, her voice broke the silence once more, laced with emotion.

“Did you… please pick up my cane?”

I blinked in confusion. “Your cane? What are you talking about?”

She paused, and I heard the faint sound of her drawing a trembling breath.

"I'll need my cane to walk, " she murmured softly, her words laced with a quiet hint of dependence

And that’s when it hit me. Blind. She was blind.

The weight of her words settled in, and for a moment, I was speechless, my eyes fixed on hers in stunned silence . In the chaos of the rescue, her struggles hadn't even crossed my mind

"I'm blind," she whispered, and suddenly, everything made sense.

Without another word, she slipped out of the car, her steps slow and measured as she tested the ground beneath her. Her movements were slow and calculated, her small frame relying on other senses to navigate the world around her.

Before I could stop her, she was gone.