Prologue: Her Number One Fan
THIRD YEAR
Naomi Ellis sat cross-legged on her dorm bed, her phone pressed tightly to her ear while scrolling through the analytics page of her small business. The white light from her laptop illuminated the exhaustion in her warm hazel eyes. The numbers hadn’t moved in days. Another night with no orders. Another night of wondering if all of this—the endless social media posts, the candle-making, the late nights spent crafting bracelets—was even worth it.
“I don’t know what else to do, Mom,” she said with a voice of exhaustion. “Maybe it’s time to shut it down.”
On the other end of the call, her mother sighed. "Sweetheart, I know things have been hard, but don’t give up yet. Something will come through.”
Naomi pressed her lips together, trying to ignore the familiar frustration bubbling inside her. “I don’t have time to wait for 'something' anymore. My tuition deadline is in two days. If I don’t pay, I’m out. That’s it. End of story.”
A heavy pause settled between them. Naomi knew what that silence meant, her mother had no solution, no magic fix. Not after losing Dad last year. Not with the bills already swallowing them whole.
“I miss him,” Naomi whispered, gripping the blanket beneath her fingers.
“I know, baby,” her mother said softly. “I do too.”
Her vision blurred as she exhaled shakily. "He would’ve figured something out."
"Your dad always believed in you. He knew you'd make it through this," her mother murmured. "And I believe it too. Which is why you shouldn't shut down your business, maybe you could—"
Something snapped inside Naomi at those words.
"You just don’t get it, Mom!" The words came out sharper than she intended, her chest tightening as all the frustration and helplessness she’d been holding in finally broke free. "I can’t keep doing this! It’s not working!"
She didn’t mean to yell. But it was the truth. And for once, she needed to say it out loud.
The only reason she could let herself unravel like this was because Clara, her dorm mate, was out partying for the night. If she were here, Naomi would’ve swallowed it down, pretended everything was fine. But it wasn’t fine. She was drowning.
Her mother’s voice softened, laced with concern. “Naomi, I know you're tired, but—”
A sharp ding cut through her mother’s words. Naomi glanced at her screen, her breath catching as a notification popped up.
$30,000 has been deposited into your account.
Her heart nearly stopped. Her breath hitched. That… that couldn’t be real.
She scrambled to open her banking app, her heart hammering. But the number was there. Clear as day. Thirty thousand dollars. Enough to cover her tuition and then some.
“Oh my God,” she gasped. “Mom, someone just sent me—” She stopped herself, unsure if saying it out loud would break the spell. “....money. A lot of money. Thirty grand!”
“What? Who?” Her mother questioned, disbelief thick in her tone.
“I—I don’t know.” Her hands shook as another notification appeared. A text from an unknown number.
Use it to support yourself.
A shiver ran down her spine. Her pulse pounded as she hesitated before typing back.
Who are you?
Three dots flickered on the screen. Then, finally, a reply.
Your number one fan.
Naomi inhaled sharply, staring at the words. Her chest tightening with something she couldn’t name. Relief. Disbelief. Gratitude so fierce it almost hurt. She felt the tears stinging her eyes.
A stranger had just changed her life in a matter of seconds.
She didn't know who they were, or why they had chosen to help her. But in that moment, none of it mattered. Because for the first time in a long time, she wasn’t drowning.
A slow, disbelieving smile crept onto her face as she wiped her tears, making a vow in her heart.
“One day, if I ever find you, I’ll make sure you know just how much you mattered to me… just how much you saved me.”
