Chapter One

She gripped the handle of her luggage and slowly budged it on the cream marble floor. It was heavy. She wanted to pull it harshly and broke it. Locks of hair were brushing her pink cheeks. Her face was impassive. The Ends of her locks were pinching on her soft skin. She left the luggage. It fell with a thud on the floor. She tucked her hair behind her ears and gathered them in one hand while combing it with the fingers of her second hand. She gathered them in a loose bun. She exhaled in irritation. She turned towards the mahogany door and open it. 

      She inclined down and grabbed it again. Shoving it near the Queen size bed, she kicked out her black heels. Her lips twisted in a small when her body realized the cool floor beneath her feet. She whirled toward the main door and collected another two heavy bags and hauled them inside her room.

       She got the luggage in her new room. She was thankful to her Kami (Caretaker) who had already cleaned the house. She unzipped her one bag and took out her sandals. She slid her feet in it. She was looking a bit relieved. 

      Grabbing the keys of the house, she rushed out in the lawn passing through it and locked the main door. Security guards were in their way and they called her that it would take them an hour. The permanent caretaker of the house would shift in this house till the evening. She strode back in her room. She turned on the security cameras. 

      She walked into her room. She was tired after her long journey back to California. She plopped on the mattress, it didn't take her much time to fall asleep. 

      ' How do you smell things so easily? ' Her mother's words rang in her ears. 

     She smiled in her sleep. She inhaled through her nostrils deeply as she perceived a strange smell. It wasn't bad, but she couldn't tell what smell it was. She never smelt it before. She felt a strange power of attraction. She wanted to open her eyes, but her eyelids were too heavy to lift. She inhaled the same scent again, a most delicious scent that reminded her of fresh wood after the first rain. 

     Her mesmerizing dream was broken by the sudden ringing of her phone. She opened her eyes with an irk, a shallow frown on her forehead. She popped up on her both elbows. She cracked open her eyes and grabbed the phone from the nightstand. 

     " Hello, " She answered the call and put her head back on the pillow, " Don't you have spare keys. I'm sleeping. " Her frown deepened as her head was feeling unnaturally heavy. She always had a mild headache. This headache made her eyes look tired. 

     She pushed herself on her feet. She stopped with the same deep frown as she heaved the air around her, " I'm gonna mad. How's it even possible that I can smell the same delicious scent with my open eyes which I smelled in my dream? " The doorbell rang. 

     She hauled herself out of her room. Her steps froze, hen she glanced all the lights off. She blinked and It immediately turned on. 

    She heaved a deep sigh. She rushed at the door to let them in, " Finally, you guys are here? " She said, feeling relief. 

      " How are you, madam? " Kami cheerfully asked. 

      " I'm doing great. " She took her in a tight hug. 

      " You must be hungry. I should cook something for you. " Kami asked with a smile. 

      She glanced behind her. Omen was issuing orders to the security guards, " No, you should rest. Did he act the whole way the same? Weird! " She gave him a look of disbelief. 

      " Actually! He did. " She hesitantly said. 

      " I'm going to sleep again. I'll see you at dinner. Take some rest before heading toward the kitchen. " She told her and turned away from her to saunter back to her room. 

      The slight smell of the scent caught her attention again. She wasn't feeling sleepy anymore. She stared at her bag and thought to unpack her things. 

      After unpacking her things, she walked in the washroom. She simply dressed up and headed for the kitchen. She smelled the delicious food, " It smelled good. " She said with a watering mouth. 

     " Everything is your favourite," Kami said, coming out of the kitchen. 

     " Where's Omen? " She asked her, sitting on the chair. 

     " Your bodyguard would have his dinner with security guards. " 

     " He's impossible. " She said, with a shake of her head. 

     She was considerably adult to make her decision. Still, her father wanted a bodyguard around her. Omen didn't interfere in her life, not trouble walking with her. He was like an elder brother figure to her. They ate their food together in silence. 

      She pushed the chair away and walked at the main door, " Are you going somewhere?" Kami asked her. 

     " Yes, for a walk. " She said, as she tied the knot of her shoe. 

      " I know this place. Should I join you? If you don't mind. " Kami hurriedly put all the dishes in the sink. 

      She slightly shrugged her one shoulder with a smile, " Why would I mind? " She jogged at the iron gate. 

      Kami followed her and struggled to match with her running. She walked on the gravel road surrounded by tall and thick trees. It was giving her a haunted movie look. She saw green fields lying ahead of her sight. She sighted the beauty, standing there, admiring mother nature, although it was cultivated by humans. She looked back at the gravel road and then at the narrow road made by hard soil. 

        " Madam, it's private land. No one is allowed here. There's a river while crossing the gravel road. We shouldn't go there. It could be dangerous." Kami was looking perturbed. 

       " You can go home back. I'll explore the land myself. I've walked on gravel roads my whole life back in London. And we're the same age. So please use my name, Jasmine. " She smiled and extended her hand out. Long grass of wheat was tingling her palm. 

       She heard the thud of Kami's footsteps, " It really could be dangerous. It's private land. " Kami repeated her words with more worry. 

      " We're not purloining their things. I'm just praising the beauty they have. I've never been around such a beautiful and peaceful place. Can't you feel it? " She asked Kami gleefully. 

      " It just scared me. " Kami wrapped her arms around her chest and stared around with fear in her eyes as someone would jump at her from behind the wheat growth. 

       The sky was blue, with no clouds. She lowered her gaze at the green field. Her lips were fully stretched in a smile, " Who are you? What are you doing here? It's private land. " A crude and heavy voice came from her behind. 

      She startled and yelled a high pitched sound. She hurriedly whirled to see but stumbled on her feet and fell on the ground. 

      " Jasmine! Are you alright! " She heard Kami's loud tone. 

     " Stay on your feet, young lady? " She heard that menacing voice again. 

     She felt something cold, wet beneath her. Her body felt the soft land beneath her. She lifted her hand in front of her eyes, " Oh! Gross! I'm covered in mud, Kami. But I like the smell of soil, wheatfield. " She smiled looking at her creamy hands which were enclosed by mud now. 

      " Are you alright, young lady? " She raised her hand to see a menacing personality, like his voice. His brown eyes were looking down at her with a frown, his long dark hair was neatly tied together, his moustache and long beard were covering his neck. He was holding a rifle in his hand, luckily it wasn't pointed at her, " Did I scare you? You shouldn't trespass my land. " He said and extended his hand. 

      " No, but my friend seemed scared of you. I did not mean to trespass. But I couldn't ignore the beauty. " She held his hand and the old man easily pulled her up on her feet. His strength was betraying his look. 

     " Uncle, we heard a girl shouting. " She heard another loud male voice. It was heavy but not menacing like this bearded man. 

    Her eyes turned on three men running in their direction. Her heart seemed to stop when her eyes rested on the last figure among them. He was taller than two, sharp jawline, full lips, dark hair. A gust of air made his black shirt clung to his chest. His top two buttons were unfastened, showing his broad, built chest which could gain only after hard work of hours in the gym.