Back to School
The days at the estate flew by too quickly, and soon, it was time to return to school.
Sophia found herself torn between relief at escaping the charged atmosphere of the house and an inexplicable longing to stay.
The night before their departure, Sophia stood in the courtyard, staring up at the moon. Her thoughts swirled around Mr. Lee—the intensity in his eyes, the near-kiss, and the dark power she’d glimpsed.
“Lost in thought again?” Ji-hyun’s voice broke through the silence.
Sophia turned, managing a smile. “Just thinking about school. Are you ready to go back?”
Ji-hyun shrugged. “As ready as I’ll ever be. But you… you’ve been different lately. Is it Oppa?”
Sophia’s cheeks flushed. “Why would you think that?”
Ji-hyun smirked knowingly. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you. And the way you look at him.”
Before Sophia could respond, a shadow moved in the corner of her vision. She turned sharply, her heart racing, but there was nothing there.
“Unnie?” Ji-hyun asked, following her gaze.
“It’s nothing,” Sophia murmured, but a chill ran down her spine.
---
The next morning, Mr. Lee stood by the car as the girls loaded their luggage. His usual cold demeanor was firmly in place, but Sophia couldn’t help noticing the slight tension in his jaw.
“Be careful,” he said as Ji-hyun hugged him goodbye.
When it was Sophia’s turn, she hesitated. “Thank you for everything, Mr.—Lucius.”
His eyes met hers, and for a moment, she thought she saw a flicker of warmth. “Stay out of trouble, Sophia.”
As the car pulled away, she glanced back to see him standing there, his hands in his pockets, watching them go.
---
Back at school, life resumed its usual rhythm, but Sophia couldn’t shake the feeling that something was different.
One evening, as she studied in the library, a strange sensation prickled at the back of her neck.
She looked up, expecting to see someone nearby, but the room was empty.
“You feel it, don’t you?”
Sophia jumped, spinning around to see Min-jae standing behind her.
“Feel what?” she asked, trying to steady her breathing.
He tilted his head, his expression unreadable. “The energy around you. It’s… changing.”
Sophia frowned. “What are you talking about?”
Min-jae hesitated before stepping closer. “There’s something about you, Sophia. Something powerful. And dangerous.”
Before she could respond, the lights flickered, and a cold wind swept through the room. Min-jae grabbed her arm, his eyes wide. “We need to leave. Now.”
---
That night, as Sophia tried to sleep, her dreams were filled with fire and shadows. She woke with a start, her room unnaturally cold.
“Can’t sleep?”
She gasped, sitting up to find Mr. Lee—Lucius—standing by the window.
“What are you doing here?” she whispered, her voice trembling.
“I felt it,” he said simply, his eyes glowing faintly in the dark. “You’re in danger.”
Sophia frowned. “From what?”
“From yourself. And from those who want to use you.”
He stepped closer, and she felt the air around him crackle with power.
“You’re starting to awaken, Sophia. Your power is calling to others, drawing them in. You need to be careful.”
“Power?” she repeated, shaking her head. “I don’t have any power.”
“You do,” he said, his voice firm. “And it’s only a matter of time before you can’t control it.”
Sophia stared at him, her heart pounding. “What am I?”
Lucius hesitated, his gaze softening.
“You’re more than you know. But you’re not ready for the full truth.”
Before she could press him further, he reached out, his fingers brushing her temple. The room blurred, and she slipped into unconsciousness.
---
Over the next few days, Sophia began noticing strange things. Books slid off shelves when she was upset, lights flickered when she walked into a room, and she started hearing whispers in her mind.
One afternoon, she was walking back to her dorm when she noticed a shadowy figure following her. She turned sharply, but no one was there.
“Sophia.”
She whipped around to see Min-jae, his expression serious. “You need to come with me.”
“Why?” she asked, backing away.
“Because they’re coming for you.”
Before she could respond, the ground beneath them shook, and dark tendrils erupted from the shadows. Min-jae grabbed her hand and pulled her into a run.
“Who’s coming?” she shouted.
“The ones who want your power,” he said.
As they ran, a figure stepped out of the darkness, his eyes glowing crimson.
“Lucius!” Sophia exclaimed, relief flooding her.
He raised a hand, and the shadowy tendrils dissolved into ash. “You’re reckless,” he said, his gaze on Min-jae.
“She needs to know,” Min-jae argued.
“I’ll decide what she needs to know,” Lucius said coldly.
Sophia stepped between them. “Stop! Someone tell me what’s going on!”
Lucius sighed, his expression softening slightly. “You’re awakening, Sophia. Your power is drawing attention, and not all of it is good.”
“What power?” she demanded.
Lucius stepped closer, his eyes locking onto hers. “The kind that could destroy worlds.”
---
Later that night, Lucius found Sophia in the garden, sitting by the fountain.
“You should be resting,” he said, his tone gentler than usual.
She looked up at him, her eyes filled with questions. “Why do you care so much?”
He hesitated before sitting beside her. “Because you’re important.”
“To who?” she asked.
“To me,” he said softly.
Her breath caught as he leaned closer, his hand brushing her cheek. His eyes burned with an intensity that made her heart race.
Just as their lips were about to meet, a loud crash interrupted them.
“Unnie!” Ji-hyun’s voice called. “Are you out here?”
Lucius pulled back, his expression hardening. “Go inside, Sophia. Now.”
She hesitated before obeying, her heart pounding as she disappeared into the house.
Lucius stayed behind, his eyes glowing as he stared into the darkness. “If they want her, they’ll have to go through me.”
---
The tension between Sophia and Lucius continued to build, each moment pulling them closer together while the dangers of her awakening loomed ever larger. Secrets unraveled, alliances shifted, and the line between love and destiny blurred.
YOU ARE READING
SMITTEN BY HER (unedited)
Romance"Beyond Shadows" In a world where darkness reigns, a young orphan's dreams of becoming a veterinarian are shattered by her aunt's cruelty. But when she's drawn into the mysterious world of enigmatic Mr. Lee - a powerful figure rumored to be "more th...
