010

Selene~

I stepped out of the office, still stunned, my pulse pounding from the emotional storm Dominic had stirred inside me. The air in the hallway felt thin, as if it had been sucked out the moment I left that room. My heels clicked against the marble floor, but the sound felt distant, muffled by the roar of thoughts in my head.

Until I saw Rachel.

She was waiting, leaning casually against a pillar near the reception with a cup of vending machine coffee in one hand and her phone in the other. Her face lit up the moment she spotted me, and she straightened, her smile bright and curious.

“There you are!” she said, stepping forward. “I was wondering how long you were going to be in there. So… how did it go?”

I gave her a faint smile, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “It was… fine. I think.”

Rachel tilted her head and raised a brow. “Just fine? You were in there for a long time, you know. That usually means either he loved you or he were trying to kick you out politely.”

I gave a soft laugh. “It wasn’t either of those. It was… complicated.”

She handed me the coffee she hadn’t touched. “Here. You look like you need caffeine more than I do.”

I took it gratefully and sipped, then glanced around the hallway before leaning in a little. “So… he told me about this program. It’s a female-led medical innovation initiative. Apparently, they pick a few women each year and fund them to build their own facilities.”

Rachel’s eyes widened, and she gripped my arm. “Wait—what? Like… fund as in how much?”

“Up to twenty million dollars in support,” I said quietly.

“Twenty million?” Rachel’s voice rose, her expression a perfect picture of disbelief and excitement. “You mean you could start your own hospital or research center?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Fully equipped. Staffed. Everything.”

Rachel gasped and almost dropped her phone. “Selene! That’s huge! That’s like dream-of-a-lifetime huge! Tell me you accepted it.”

I hesitated, sipping my coffee.

Her smile faded into a stunned expression. “Wait. You didn’t? Why the hell not?”

“I told them I’d think about it.”

She blinked rapidly. “You’d… think about it? Girl, is your brain even functioning right now? This isn’t one of those maybe-someday opportunities. This is now. It’s life-changing.”

“I know,” I said softly. “I just… need to breathe first. Today’s been… a lot.”

Rachel studied me for a moment, then nodded slowly. “Okay, okay. I get that. I’ll stop pressuring. But just know—I’ll personally haunt you forever if you let this slip through your fingers.”

I chuckled again, warmth seeping into me from her presence. “Duly noted Miss”

“Anyway,” she said as we started walking toward the exit, “where are you staying?”

“Oh.. that, I stay in a hotel for now. Just a few blocks from here.”

Rachel’s face lit up again. “Perfect. I’ve been looking for a roommate, you know. I got this new apartment down the street. Two bedrooms. It's a good place, modern kitchen, quiet neighborhood, and get this, it has a view of the river.”

I turned to look at her. “You want me to move in with you?”

She shrugged, a bit shy. “Well… yeah. I mean, I wasn’t sure I’d find someone I’d actually like to live with, and you seem chill. I’d love to have you around. Plus, it would be good to have someone who understands this whole med world chaos.”

My heart warmed again. “Rachel, that’s sweet. But are you sure you’d be comfortable with it?”

“Comfortable? I’m excited!” she said with a grin. “Say yes before I start bribing you with late-night hot chocolate and pizza.”

I laughed. “Okay, okay. I’ll just need to grab my suitcase and a few things from the hotel, and I’ll transfer half the rent to you once I settle.”

Rachel waved her hand. “Forget the rent for now. Just come over. Seriously. We’ll figure everything else out later.”

As we exited the building, I hailed a cab, and we slid in, heading straight to the hotel. The sky was glowing, sunset brushing the buildings in amber light, but my chest still felt like something heavy had settled in it.

We arrived few minutes later and I walked Into my hotel room, I packed quickly while Rachel looked around.

“This place is… okay,” she said with a wrinkled nose. “But it feels cold.”

“Exactly,” I murmured. “No soul in here.”

When I zipped my suitcase shut, Rachel helped me carry it downstairs. As we stepped outside, the peaceful street buzzed softly with traffic and conversations but there was a sudden noise.

CRACK!

CRACK!

It was Gunshots!

Screams tore through the evening as people scattered like startled birds. My breath caught in my throat. Rachel dropped my suitcase in shock.

“Oh my God! What's happening”

Another shot. It was closer this time.

“Run!” I grabbed Rachel’s wrist, pulling her with me as we ducked behind a parked car.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. My hands were shaking as I pulled it out and glanced at the message.

I told you I wasn't joking. You thought I was bluffing, You’re going to pay, Selene.

My lungs constricted. My entire body went cold.

“Oh my God,” I whispered. “Rachel, I'm in trouble. I thought it was just ordinary threats in the morning before I went for the interview”

Rachel looked terrified but focused. “Who, Selene? Who the hell are you talking about?”

“I don’t know!” I said. “I mean—I don’t know who he is. But I think… I think he or she has something to do with me.”

“Shit,” she breathed. “Come on. We need to get out of here. Now.”

We sprinted down the block, darting into an alleyway that was a bit dark as the sounds of tires screeched behind us. I turned just in time to see a black car peel around the corner.

Rachel screamed.

“The car'’s following us!”

We didn’t stop. We ran, my breath ragged, my feet pounding the pavement, the walls of buildings closing in around us. I held onto Rachel’s hand like it was the only anchor I had.

And then headlights shoved directly at me. A car swerved into the alley behind us.

I looked back, my heart racing and I saw the same black car lurch forward.

Straight toward us.