MY FATE IS IN MY HANDS

A new beginning

PHOEBE

I woke slowly the next morning, soft dawn light filtering through the curtains.

For a moment, I just lay there, blinking at the unfamiliar ceiling above me. My head still felt heavy from everything that had happened the night before. I was dressed in a clean nightgown, it was soft and comfortable, nothing like the clothes I remembered wearing. The sheets were warm. The mattress beneath me was plush.

It was such a sharp contrast to the cold asphalt of the road… and the biting chill of the pond.

I pushed myself up slowly.

My legs were normal again. No shimmering tail and scales. The transformation from last night had faded but the feeling hadn’t. Something extraordinary still pulsed quietly inside me, like an echo beneath my skin.

My heart beat a little too fast.

I slid off the bed and walked hesitantly toward the door. I tried as much as possible to not let out a sound as I made my way down the stairs. Curiosity pushed me forward, even as a thread of unease tugged at my chest.

At the bottom of the staircase, I froze.

A cheerful but composed woman stood in the kitchen.

“Good morning, young miss,” she said warmly. “my name is Valerie. I'm the house keeper and I’ve prepared breakfast for you.”

I blinked.

The table was neatly arranged with steaming tea, eggs, bread, fresh fruit on it. The scent alone made my stomach tighten painfully.

For a moment, every question in my head Where am I? Why am I here? How did I get here? faded in the presence of something so simple.

Food!!

“Breakfast… thank you,” I murmured, trying to gather myself.

Then, hesitantly, I asked, “Mrs. Valerie… how did I get here? Last night…”

My voice faltered.

Her expression softened.

“The young master brought you here Miss, he insisted you be safe and comfortable. He brought you himself, I was instructed to prepare the room and take care of you.”

I stared at her.

The young master?

My mind struggled to reconcile if i have any memory of last night but efore I could think any further, the smell of food hit me again.

And I forgot everything.

I hurried to the table and sat down, picking up my fork almost desperately. I ate quickly, too quickly. I barely stopping to breathe. Each bite felt made me feel alive.

With every mouthful, the fear and confusion of yesterday retreated a little further.

I focused only on eating.

The front door opened quietly behind me and sensed movement on the stairs.

I turned slightly and I froze.

A handsome young man was descending the staircase, he looked like he just walked out of a painting.

Dressed in a crisp suit, his posture straight, his expression neutral but commanding. His dark eyes swept across the room and landed on me instantly.

My fork paused mid-air, my mouth was still full. Oh my God, why me!!

My breath caught, he was… striking.

Dark hair falling perfectly into place. He has sharp features, presence that radiated authority and control without effort. I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen someone so composed, I wasn’t sure I ever had.

Before I could find my voice, he walked toward me.

“I’m going to a meeting,” he said calmly, stopping beside my chair. His voice was smooth and precise, but there was something beneath it something warmer than I expected. “When I return, we’ll talk more.”

I opened my mouth.

I wanted to ask everything.

Where am I?

Why did you help me?

What am I doing here?

But no words came out.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek black card.

Without hesitation, he placed it gently on the table in front of me.

“Use this,” he said. “Buy whatever you need.”

I stared at it.

A card, I hesitated. How can someone I barely know give me something this valuable?

I had never held something like that before, never imagined being able to buy whatever I wanted. What if he have other motives? I thought silently to myself.

My fingers hovered over it before I picked it up.

“Thank you,” I managed softly.

He nodded, his expression was unreadable.

Then he turned and walked away.

The front door closed behind him with a quiet click, leaving silence in its wake.

I remained seated, staring at the card in my hand.

A mixture of astonishment and gratitude swirled inside me but I was curious, how could someone so young, so powerful, be capable of both cold authority and quiet kindness?

The thought made my heart beat faster.

Eventually, I finished my breakfast, slower this time.

When I stood, I carefully cleared my plate, unsure if I was truly allowed to move so freely but no one stopped me.

The black card gleamed faintly in the morning light.

A thought entered my mind "shopping".

The word alone felt foreign.

I had never wandered through stores choosing things for myself. Never experienced the simple joy of picking something because I liked it.

I took a slow breath.

Possibility stirred inside me.

The memories of being beaten, humiliated, ignored, they didn’t vanish. But they stepped back. Just for now.

I decided to take a bath.

The thought of warm water washing away the dirt, the stress, the lingering traces of last night filled me with quiet anticipation.

I stepped into the bathroom and let the water run.

When I finally leaned back under the stream, I closed my eyes and let it flow over my skin.

It washed away more than dirt, It washed away

For the first time in years, I allowed myself to imagine something different.

When I stepped out, wrapped in a fresh towel, skin warm and clean, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a very long time.

Hope.

Today would be different.

For the first time, the world felt larger than the road that had once trapped me. Brighter than the house that had broken me.

And somehow, impossibly, that new beginning started with a young, handsome man who carried me to safety

And a black card resting in the palm of my hand.

"I really hope this works"