By the time Eva Frank made it home, the storm had slowed—but it hadn't softened.
Rain still fell in heavy sheets, hammering against rooftops and windows like it had something to prove. The streets were flooded, the gutters overflowing, and the sky remained a deep, restless grey. It didn't feel like an ending. It felt like a pause.
Eva pushed open the gate, her clothes soaked through, her shoes dragging slightly from the weight of water. Her body was tired, but her mind was wide awake—still replaying everything she had seen.
The storm.
The impossible force of it.
And him.
Luke Steele.
The way he stood in the chaos like nothing could touch him… like he belonged to it.
Eva shook her head slightly as she stepped onto the porch. Focus on what matters. That had always been her rule. Survive first. Think later.
"Eva!"
The door burst open, and a small figure ran straight into her, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist.
"Paris," Eva said, steadying herself. "Careful—you'll get soaked."
"I don't care," Paris replied, holding on tighter. "You shouldn't have gone out. Dad said it's dangerous."
"It is," a firm voice came from behind her.
Olisa Frank stood at the doorway, his expression serious, his eyes scanning Eva quickly as if checking for injuries.
Eva gently removed Paris's arms from around her. "I'm fine," she said.
Olisa stepped aside to let her in, quickly locking the door behind her as thunder rolled again. "You shouldn't have been out there," he said. "This storm isn't normal."
"I know," Eva replied, walking further inside. "That's exactly why I didn't stay out longer."
He frowned slightly. "People were out there."
"And I helped where I could," she said calmly, turning to face him. "But I'm not reckless. I'm not going to risk myself for strangers when I have a family to come back to."
There was no guilt in her tone. No apology.
Just truth.
Olisa studied her for a moment, then nodded slowly. He understood her. Eva had always been protective—but selective. The people she loved came first. Always.
"Go change," he said. "You're drenched."
Paris immediately grabbed Eva's hand. "Come, I already picked your clothes!"
Eva raised an eyebrow slightly. "Of course you did."
As they walked to her room, Paris looked up at her. "Was it really bad outside?"
Eva paused briefly before answering. "Bad enough," she said. "But I handled it."
That was Eva—she believed in herself. Even in chaos, she trusted her ability to think, to act, to survive.
Inside her room, Eva changed into dry clothes while Paris sat on the bed, watching her closely.
"Eva?" Paris said softly.
"Hmm?"
"Do you think something is wrong with the world?"
Eva stopped for a second, her back turned.
Her mind immediately started analyzing. The storm's behavior. The unnatural force behind it. The way it felt almost… intentional.
And him.
But she pushed it down.
Overthinking never helped in the moment.
"What matters is we're safe," Eva said, turning to face her. "That's what you should focus on."
Paris nodded slowly. "Okay."
Eva sat beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "If anything happens, you stay close to me. Understand?"
"Yes."
"I mean it, Paris."
"I know."
There was a quiet strength in Eva's voice—not fear, not panic. Just certainty. She didn't waste time worrying about things she couldn't control. She focused on what she could protect.
Her family.
After a moment, Paris left the room, and Eva finally allowed herself to breathe.
Silence filled the space—except for the rain tapping steadily against the window.
Eva walked over slowly, her gaze drifting outside.
The storm had weakened… but something still felt off.
Then it happened.
The wind shifted.
Not randomly.
Not naturally.
Deliberately.
Eva's eyes narrowed slightly.
That feeling returned.
Stronger now.
That same pull she had felt earlier.
Her heart began to beat faster—not from fear, but from recognition.
She stepped closer to the window.
And for a split second—
She thought she saw a figure standing across the street.
Tall.
Still.
Watching.
Her breath caught.
Luke.
She blinked.
The street was empty.
Only rain.
Only silence.
Eva stared for a few more seconds before stepping back slowly.
"This is getting into your head," she muttered to herself.
But even as she said it, she didn't fully believe it.
Because deep down—
She knew what she saw.
And if she was right…
Then the storm hadn't just followed her home.
It was watching her.