Shadows in the Rain

prologue

Rain stood in the middle of the large garden, the rain pelting down on her like shards of glass in the darkness of the night. She felt a strange sense of calm amidst the storm, the soothing sound of the rain providing a comforting backdrop to her thoughts.

As she stood there, lost in her own world, she noticed a figure standing at the glass door of the garden's conservatory.

"Show yourself. I know you are there," Rain called out, her voice steady despite the pounding of her heart.

The figure hesitated for a moment before stepping forward into the dim light. To Rain's surprise, it was her private psychologist, Yuan Morgan.

"Yuan? What are you doing here?" Rain asked, confusion lacing her words.

Yuan sighed softly, her expression pained. "Rain, we need to talk."

Rain furrowed her brow, her curiosity piqued. "About what?"

Yuan took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she had to say. "I need to be honest with you, Rain. I'm not who you think I am."

Rain's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm not a real psychologist. I... I've been lying to you," Yuan admitted, her voice heavy with guilt.

Rain felt like the ground had been pulled out from beneath her feet. "Why would you do that?"

Yuan looked down at her feet, unable to meet Rain's gaze. "I'm a con artist, Rain. I've been pretending to be a psychologist to gain access to wealthy clients like you."

Rain's heart sank as the truth sank in. She had trusted Yuan, confided in her, believed that she was helping her through her grief. And now, it was all a lie.

"I'm sorry, Rain. I never meant to hurt you," Yuan said, her voice trembling with emotion.

Rain felt a surge of anger and betrayal rising within her, but beneath it all was a sense of sadness and loss. Despite everything, she had formed a connection with Yuan, a bond that she couldn't deny.