Before You Found Me

The alarm rang at 5:30 a.m. Isla Bennett didn't need it. She had already been awake for twenty minutes, staring at the cracked ceiling above her bed while the darkness slowly faded from the room. Another day. Another shift. Another reminder that life never slowed down just because she was tired. With a quiet sigh, Isla pushed herself upright and rubbed her eyes. The small apartment was silent. Too silent. Six months had passed since her grandmother died, but sometimes Isla still expected to hear her voice coming from the kitchen, complaining that Isla was skipping breakfast again or reminding her to take a jacket before leaving the house. But there was nothing. Only silence. Isla hated the silence. It reminded her that she was alone. She reached for the framed photograph on her bedside table. Her grandmother was smiling in the picture, warm and gentle as always. Isla stared at it for a few seconds before a small smile touched her lips. "I'll be okay, Grandma." She swallowed. "I promise." The words sounded stronger than she felt. She placed the photograph carefully back on the table before getting out of bed. After a quick shower, Isla dressed in her usual work clothes, tied her hair into a loose ponytail, grabbed her bag, and headed out. The morning air was cold against her face. She pulled her jacket tighter around herself and started walking toward the café. It wasn't far from her apartment. She had made the walk so many times that she could probably do it with her eyes closed. By the time she arrived, the café was already busy. The coffee machines hissed. Cups clattered against the counter. Customers hurried through the doors, ordering coffee before rushing off to work. "Morning, Isla!" her manager called. "Morning." Her manager looked at her carefully. "You didn't sleep again, did you?" Isla smiled. "I'll sleep when life gives me permission." Her manager laughed. "You always joke when you're tired." "It's cheaper than therapy." They both laughed. For a moment, Isla forgot how exhausted she was. Then another customer walked in. "Two coffees and a sandwich!" "Coming right up." The morning passed in a blur. Isla moved from one table to another, took orders, cleaned tables, prepared drinks, and smiled at customers even when her feet began to ache. She had become good at pretending everything was fine. People saw the smile. They didn't see the exhaustion behind it. They didn't see the little apartment she returned to every night. They didn't see the photograph beside her bed. And they certainly didn't know how often she missed her grandmother. By noon, the rush had finally settled. Isla stepped outside with a cup of coffee in her hands. She leaned against the wall beside the café and closed her eyes. The autumn air was cool. Leaves drifted lazily across the sidewalk. Cars moved along the road. People walked past her, each one busy with their own lives. For the first time that morning, everything felt peaceful. Isla took a slow breath. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad. Maybe she could get through another ordinary day without anything going wrong. Then- Screech! A terrifying sound tore through the street. Isla's eyes snapped open. A black sedan swerved violently across the road. Someone screamed. The driver lost control. The car jumped the curb before crashing into a streetlight. Bang! The impact shook the ground. Isla dropped her coffee. The cup hit the pavement and rolled away. For a moment, everyone seemed frozen. Then the shouting started. "Call an ambulance!" "Someone call the police!" "Don't go near the car!" Smoke began pouring from the front of the vehicle. Isla stared through the windshield. There was someone inside. A man. He wasn't moving. "He's still breathing!" Isla shouted. Nobody answered. She looked around. People were gathering, but most kept their distance. One person had already pulled out a phone. Another was telling everyone to wait for the ambulance. But Isla couldn't wait. She ran toward the car. The driver's door was badly damaged. She grabbed the handle. Nothing. She pulled harder. Still nothing. Smoke filled the air around her. "Come on!" She looked through the broken window. The man was still unconscious. His head rested against the seat. Blood ran down the side of his face. "Someone help me!" A man from the crowd stepped forward. "I'll help!" Another followed. Together, they tried opening the door. It wouldn't move. Isla looked around desperately. Then she spotted a loose brick near the sidewalk. She picked it up. "Miss, what are you doing?" She didn't answer. She raised the brick. One strike. The window cracked. She struck it again. Two strikes. The glass shattered. Sharp pieces scattered across the seat. Isla ignored the pain in her hands. She reached through the broken window and unlocked the door from the inside. "Pull him out!" The two men grabbed the injured driver. Together, they dragged him away from the vehicle. Isla helped as much as she could. They had barely moved several feet when- BOOM! The front of the sedan erupted. The crowd screamed. Isla stumbled backward and fell onto the pavement. For a few seconds, she couldn't move. Her heart pounded violently. She looked at the burning vehicle. Then at the unconscious man lying several feet away. They had gotten him out just in time. "Are you okay?" someone asked. Isla nodded. "I'm fine." But her hands were shaking. She looked down. There were small cuts across her fingers. She barely noticed them. Her attention returned to the man. Even unconscious, there was something different about him. He didn't look like an ordinary businessman. His white shirt was stained with blood, but the quality of the fabric was obvious. A dark jacket covered his shoulders. A cracked luxury watch remained around his wrist. Everything about him suggested money. Power. Influence. But his face was strangely calm. As though even in unconsciousness, he was used to being in control. Isla stared at him. Who was he? Why had he been driving alone? And why did she have the strange feeling that the accident hadn't been an accident at all? Sirens sounded in the distance. An ambulance arrived moments later. Paramedics rushed toward the injured man. "Everyone move back!" They quickly examined him before placing him carefully onto a stretcher. Isla stepped away. She had done enough. She should leave. She had work waiting for her. She had responsibilities. She didn't need another problem entering her life. But just as the paramedics began moving the stretcher toward the ambulance, something happened. The man's hand moved. Isla froze. His fingers suddenly closed around her wrist. She stared at him. His eyes opened. Dark. Steady. Unforgettable. For one brief second, their eyes met. There was something in his expression that made Isla's heart skip. Fear. Not for himself. For something else. Someone else. He looked directly at her as though he had been searching for her. His lips moved. His voice was barely audible. "Don't let them find me..." Isla's eyes widened. "What?" The man's grip loosened. His eyes closed again. His hand slipped from her wrist. The paramedics immediately continued moving him toward the ambulance. Isla stood completely still. She couldn't understand what had just happened. Who was them? Why would someone be looking for him? And why had he trusted a complete stranger enough to say that? The ambulance doors closed. The vehicle pulled away. Isla watched until it disappeared around the corner. Only then did she realize she was still standing in the middle of the street. Her manager came running from the café. "Isla!" She turned. "Are you hurt?" "I'm okay." Her manager looked at her hands. "You're bleeding." Isla glanced down. "I didn't even notice." "You need to get those cleaned." "I will." But even as she said it, her mind remained on the stranger. Don't let them find me. The words repeated in her head. She didn't know who he was. She didn't know who was looking for him. And she certainly didn't know why their paths had crossed. All she knew was that the ordinary Monday she had expected was gone. Something had changed. Something she couldn't explain. Isla looked toward the road where the ambulance had disappeared. She had no idea that the unconscious stranger would soon become the most dangerous-and most unexpected-person in her life. And she had no idea that saving him would be the first step toward uncovering secrets that were never meant to reach her. Her ordinary life was over. She just didn't know it yet.