As Rhys slipped out of the college gates, he kept his head low, careful not to attract the attention of his bodyguards. The last thing he needed was another confrontation.
That was until he spotted a familiar black sedan parked across the street. His father's driver stood beside it, holding the door open.
Rhys sighed. Wow… not this again. But I guess it's a good way to escape for now. They'll stop following me once they know I'm home.
The ride was quiet, just the faint hum of the engine filling the space. When he finally reached his father's house, the silence stretched even further — straight into dinner.
Only two plates. Two people. And too many things unsaid.
His father, ever composed, glanced at him between bites. "You can use the car daily if you'd like," he said calmly.
Rhys shook his head. "No need. I prefer walking."
His father simply nodded, though the slight crease in his brow gave away his disappointment. He'd always been gentle, but beneath that softness was a constant push — a quiet insistence that Rhys would one day take over the company.
Rhys excused himself soon after and went to his room. The folded paper on his desk caught his eye — the one she had given him.
Seraphine Calder. The girl who'd thrown his world off balance in less than a day.
He leaned back against his chair, staring at the contract and chuckling to himself. "What a weird girl… Why would she even do this?"
His lips curved slightly, an involuntary smile tugging at the corner. But before he could think any further, his phone buzzed on the table.
A new message.
> Hii. Let's go together tomorrow.
He froze, his mind instantly recognizing that tone.
"She didn't…" he whispered, unlocking his phone.
But she did. Her name wasn't saved, yet he knew. There was only one person bold enough to text him like that.
He frowned. "How the hell did she even get my number? I didn't talk to anyone."
He stared at the message for a moment, then chuckled under his breath. "Of course she did. She's not normal."
He set the phone down, shaking his head. But even as he tried to brush it off, a small, reluctant smile lingered.
Rhys tossed his phone onto the nightstand and lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling fan spinning lazily above him.
He wanted to sleep — he really did — but his mind refused to settle. Every time he closed his eyes, her voice echoed in his head.
> "You weren't given a choice. I thought you were smart enough to tell that."
He sighed. "She's impossible," he muttered, turning onto his side.
Still, something about her tone lingered — confident, sharp, but not cruel. Like someone who'd learned to stay two steps ahead of everyone else.
He thought back to her eyes — the way they had studied him that first time, not with curiosity, but with recognition. As if she already knew who he was, long before introductions.
That thought alone sent a chill down his spine.
"How much does she really know about me…" he whispered to the empty room.
He rolled over again, pulling the blanket up, trying to convince himself that she was just another strange girl with too much confidence.
But deep down, he knew that wasn't true.
There was something about Seraphine Calder that didn't make sense — and something inside him that wanted to understand her.
His phone buzzed once more.
A follow-up text.
> Don't be late. I don't like waiting.
Rhys groaned softly. "She's definitely not normal," he said, half amused, half exhausted.
But a small smile found its way to his lips before sleep finally claimed him.
Day Two
The morning sun barely peeked through the clouds when Rhys stepped out of his dorm, hands in pockets, hair slightly messy, eyes half open. He hadn't even had breakfast, and yet there she was — leaning against a sleek black car parked at the gate, arms crossed, sunglasses on, like she owned the entire street.
"Wow," he muttered under his breath. "She's early… and dramatic."
Seraphine smirked the moment she saw him. "You're five minutes late."
Rhys blinked. "It's 7:55. Class starts at eight."
"I said don't be late," she replied casually, pushing herself off the car. "You should've known I meant for me, not the class."
He stared at her, torn between annoyance and disbelief. "You do realize normal people don't stalk someone's schedule and show up uninvited, right?"
"Good thing I'm not normal then," she said, brushing past him toward the car.
Rhys sighed. "You're unbelievable."
She looked back, lowering her glasses slightly. "And yet, here you are."
He groaned but still followed, muttering, "This is how kidnappings start."
Once they were inside, the silence was oddly comfortable. She sat beside him in the backseat, scrolling through her phone like she didn't just hijack his morning. Rhys glanced at her, curiosity finally getting the better of him.
"So… are you gonna tell me what this hundred-day thing actually is? Or do I just keep guessing?"
Seraphine didn't look up. "You'll figure it out."
"That's not an answer."
She tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into a faint smile. "That's the point."
He leaned back with a sigh. "You really enjoy making people question their sanity, don't you?"
"For some people, it's the only way to make them see things clearly," she said softly.
That caught him off guard. Her tone wasn't teasing anymore — it was distant. Thoughtful. Almost sad.
Rhys turned to look at her, but she was already gazing out the window, the morning light catching in her hair. For the first time, he couldn't come up with a witty reply.
He didn't know what her game was — but he was starting to feel like he was part of something much bigger than a silly 100-day deal.
The day went by surprisingly… normal.
Classes, lunch, quiet halls — it almost felt like routine now. No one whispered. No one stared. No chaos.
For a brief moment, Rhys thought maybe, just maybe, things were starting to make sense.
That was until Seraphine appeared again after class, standing beside her car like she'd been waiting for him all along.
"I'll drop you off," she said simply.
He sighed. "You really don't have to. I'm not even going to the same place today. I've got somewhere else to—"
"I know."
Rhys blinked. "Of course you do," he muttered under his breath, rubbing his temple. "You know everything, apparently."
She gave him a sly glance. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
"It is when I feel like I'm being blackmailed without realizing how," he said, sliding into the passenger seat anyway. "Everything with you feels forceful. Like I don't even get a say."
Seraphine smirked as she started the car. "And yet, you still follow me around. Doesn't really scream 'victim,' does it?"
He turned to her, incredulous. "Follow you? I—"
The car rolled to a gentle stop
Rhys stared out the window, completely dumbfounded. "What— wait, what?!" he said, turning to her with wide eyes. "Did I just get kidnapped again?!"
Seraphine chuckled under her breath, stepping out of the car. "Relax. You'll live."
He groaned, running a hand through his hair. "You really need to work on your definition of normal, you know that?"
She looked over her shoulder with a teasing smile. "And miss the fun of watching you panic? Not a chance."
"What the hell have I gotten myself into this time…" he muttered under his breath.