VENGEANCE IN THE SHADOWS [KIM MINGYU]

{9} Stranger in the night

Chapter 9

"Stranger in the night"

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Alara stood near the car, her breath visible in the chilly night air, as she watched the bodyguards struggle with the engine.

She was about to tell them to hurry when the low purr of an approaching vehicle caught her attention.

A sleek, black sports car pulled up silently beside them, its glossy exterior gleaming under the faint light.

The window rolled down smoothly, revealing the man from earlier that night the same guy from the hills and now from the event, only now his eyes seemed darker, his expression unreadable.

She doesn't even know his name.

"Car trouble again?" His voice was calm, almost too calm for the situation.

Alara straightened, her instincts firing warning bells in her mind. "Yeah, we're fine. We have a backup car on the way."

He glanced at the car, then back at her, his eyes lingering on her just a second too long. "You're out here in the middle of nowhere. It'll take a while for them to get to you."

"I'll manage," Alara said coolly, but there was a hint of discomfort in her voice. She could feel his gaze on her, heavy and assessing.

"Don't be stubborn." Mingyu stepped out of his car, moving with that same casual grace she'd noticed earlier.

He was wearing the same dark, tailored suit as before, but out here in the night, his presence felt different more intense, more dangerous.

He moved toward her, and she instinctively took a step back, the chilly night air brushing her skin as she met his gaze.

"I'll take you home," he said softly, his voice low but firm. "It's safer. I'm sure your bodyguards can handle the car."

Alara crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. "I barely know you. Why would I get in a car with you?"

Mingyu's lips curved into a slow, almost amused smile, but there was something dark beneath it something possessive. "You don't have to know me, but I don't think you have much of a choice. It's either wait here in the dark or take the faster option."

Her phone still had no signal, and the wind was picking up, biting against her skin. She glanced at her bodyguards, who were now looking at each other in uncertainty, clearly out of options.

"I said no," she repeated, her voice sharper this time. "I'll wait for my own car."

Mingyu's smile widened, but his eyes grew colder. He took another step closer, closing the distance between them. "You're stubborn. I like that about you, but don't confuse your independence with foolishness. You'll be safer with me."