Y/N's POV
I walked down the road like a lost puppy, my heart heavy with uncertainty.
"Maybe I should call James and tell him about this…"
With a sigh, I pulled out my phone, my fingers hovering over the screen. But before I could press call—
(Honk! Honk!)
A loud car horn startled me. My head snapped up, and my breath caught in my throat when I saw who it was.
Kayden?
"What is he doing here?"
I stood frozen as he stepped out of his car, his tall frame moving toward me with quick, determined strides.
"Y/N?" His voice was laced with concern. "What are you doing here?"
I swallowed hard, unsure of what to say.
"You're supposed to be at the café, right? I was just heading there!" His brows furrowed in confusion.
I lowered my gaze. "I-I was going home," I mumbled.
Before I could react, he grabbed my hand. "Let's go, then. I'll drop you off." His voice was gentle, but his grip was firm, as if he wasn't going to take no for an answer.
Without waiting for my response, he led me to the car. He opened the passenger door, gesturing for me to get in.
I hesitated before sliding into the seat. Kayden walked around, got in beside me, and started the engine.
As I reached for my seatbelt, I heard him chuckle.
I turned to him. "What?"
"Nothing," he said, smirking. "You just look so serious about buckling up."
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at my lips.
Once we were on the road, his tone turned curious. "So… why aren't you at the café?"
I hesitated before answering. "The café is closing tomorrow…"
His eyes widened. "Really? That's… sad."
But I noticed something—there was a flicker of happiness in his expression. He wasn't sad at all.
"Yeah…" I muttered, looking away.
Kayden drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. "Oh, by the way, my offer still stands."
I frowned. "Offer?"
"Yeah. I still need a secretary for my office."
I blinked. "Oh… really?"
He nodded eagerly. "Yes! I'll pick you up tomorrow."
I turned to him in shock. "Wait, what?"
Then I noticed something—he was driving in the wrong direction.
"Kayden, take a left!"
He glanced at me, confused. "But… your house is the other way."
I hesitated before responding. "I-I… no, I'm staying with a friend now."
Kayden suddenly hit the brakes, pulling the car to a stop. His expression shifted from confusion to seriousness.
"What? Why?"
I looked down, fiddling with my fingers. "It's… a long story, Kayden."
He sighed. "Then tell me. I have plenty of time."
"We'll talk when we get there, okay?" I said firmly.
He let out a breath but nodded. "Fine. Tell me the address."
I gave him the address, and the car filled with silence. The only sound was the hum of the engine and the rain that had started drizzling outside.
After a few minutes, he suddenly asked:
"Y/N… do you trust me?"
I turned to him, caught off guard. "W-I mean… yeah."
The words slipped out before I even thought about them—because they were true. I did trust him.
Kayden smiled slightly. "Hmm. Thanks. But please, Y/N… don't ever hide anything from me. I'm asking you as a friend."
I looked at him, confused. "What… what are you talking about, Kayden?"
Before he could answer, the sound of heavy raindrops filled the air. I glanced out the window—it had started raining hard.
I inhaled deeply, savoring the fresh scent of rain. "Mmm… amazing. I love this smell."
When I opened my eyes, I noticed Kayden staring at me. His gaze was intense, unreadable. Then, slowly, he leaned in slightly.
My heart pounded. "W-What are you doing?"
Without a word, he pressed a button, rolling up my window to keep the rain from coming in. Then, he restarted the car and kept driving.
I could tell he wanted to say something, but he stayed silent. And honestly, so did I.
After a few minutes, he finally broke the silence. "I—uh… look, we're here."
He parked the car and quickly got out, walking around to open the door for me.
As I stepped inside, I turned back to him. "Come in and sit down for a bit."
Kayden hesitated before following me inside. He sat on the couch as I moved toward the kitchen. "I'll get something to drink."
Before I could take another step, he grabbed my wrist gently. "No, I'm fine. Just sit down and tell me why you're staying here."
I sighed and sat beside him. "Hmm… okay, first—one night, I went out to buy something to eat. But… a guy—I mean, not just a guy, a thief—started following me."
Kayden's eyes widened. "A THIEF?! Y/N, WHY WERE YOU OUT ALONE AT NIGHT?!"
I winced at his outburst. "First, listen to me, Kayden," I said, trying to calm him down.
He sighed heavily but nodded.
"So, he stole my money. But later that night, while I was sleeping… he returned it."
Kayden looked at me like I had lost my mind. "WHAT THE—HE BROKE INTO YOUR HOUSE?!"
I bit my lip. "Enough. I'm not telling you the rest of the story if you keep interrupting me."
Kayden ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Okay, okay… I'm sorry. I just— I care about you, Y/N."
I sighed. "I know, Kayden. But please, trust me. I didn't do anything on purpose."
He exhaled, shaking his head. "This is really scary, Y/N."
I nodded. "I know… it was terrifying."
Kayden clenched his jaw. "Then what happened?"
I hesitated before continuing. "So… I found out he returned the money the next morning. And later, I got a message from him."
Kayden's body tensed. I could tell he was holding back his anger.
"Then… you remember that movie night when you dropped me off?"
He nodded.
"Well… later that night, he broke into my house again. I-I was sleeping… but when I woke up, he was—he was hugging me."
Kayden shot up from his seat. "ENOUGH!!! WE'RE GOING TO THE POLICE STATION RIGHT NOW!"
I stood up too. "Kayden, he didn't harm me!"
Kayden glared at me. "WHAT, Y/N?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
His voice was so loud that I flinched. He must've noticed because his expression softened. He exhaled sharply and rubbed his forehead.
"Y/N… do you realize how dangerous this is? He could've done anything that night."
I took a step back. I didn't even know why I did it, but I did.
Kayden noticed. His eyes softened. "Hey… don't be scared."
He sighed. "Okay… do you have his number?"
I hesitated before nodding.
Kayden's jaw tightened. "Good. Then let's handle this the right way."
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