The night fell heavy over the Grand estate.
Guards stood at every corner, their silhouettes sharp against the darkened windows.
Inside, the family tried to sleep or at least pretend.
Annie lay curled up in her bed, the heavy duvet pulled up to her chin.
Her eyes fluttered closed, but peace did not come.
Instead, the dream returned darker, crueler this time.
She stood alone on the long, winding driveway leading up to the estate.
In front of her, her parents' sleek black car was engulfed in roaring flames.
Through the cracked, burning glass, she could see them Parker and Alexa
banging against the windows, their faces twisted in terror.
"Annie! Annie, help us!
Her mother's voice broke through the fire's roar.
She ran to them, her hands beating helplessly against the burning doors,
but the heat pushed her back,
her legs felt like lead,
her screams were swallowed by the crackling inferno.
Tears blurred her vision and then she saw them.
In the smoke, standing just beyond the
flames
the two masked figures.
The man and woman from before.
Watching.
Waiting.
Their masks grinned at her mocking, cruel.
Fueled by rage, Annie lunged toward them, reaching out, clawing at the nearest mask.
Her fingers brushed the cool surface almost tearing it free when a heavy blow struck the side of her head.
Pain exploded through her skull.
She collapsed, the world tilting, spinning.
Before darkness swallowed her, she heard their laughter
low, chilling, victorious.
And then
Annie jolted awake with a scream, drenched in sweat, heart hammering against her ribs.
The room was dark, but safe.
Safe, for now.
But the terror clung to her skin like smoke.
Somewhere deep inside, Annie knew
This wasn't just a nightmare.
It was a warning.
And whatever was coming was getting closer.
The Next Morning Preparing for the Birthday
The Grand estate buzzed with quiet excitement.
Annie's eighteenth birthday was only two days away, and preparations were already underway.
Florists arrived with cascading blooms.
Event planners rushed through the halls, measuring and whispering.
The scent of fresh-baked pastries drifted from Madam Rose's kitchens, sweet and inviting.
From the outside, it looked like a house ready to celebrate.
But inside Annie's heart, a storm raged.
She sat at the long breakfast table, untouched tea cooling before her.
Her hands twisted in her lap, restless.
Every sound, every footstep, every closing door made her flinch.
She had barely slept after the nightmare.
The image of her parents trapped in a burning car haunted her mind, the masked figures' laughter echoing in her ears.
Across the table, Parker Grand watched his daughter carefully.
The dark circles under her eyes hadn't gone unnoticed.
Maybe," Parker said gently, setting down his tablet, "you and your friends should Go shopping. Buy anything you want. Spend a million if you have to."
Alexa Grand smiled warmly, brushing Annie's hair back from her face.
"You deserve to have some fun, sweetheart," she said softly.
"We'll pick out the perfect dress for your party."
Annie forced a smile but said nothing.
A small voice inside her warned: Something isn't right.
And she wasn't wrong.
Unseen by them, hidden in the shadows of the grand staircase, someone watched Annie closely.
Their eyes cold. Calculating.
Not a stranger from outside but someone who belonged here.
Someone trusted.
The masked strangers had failed the first time.
Shopping Scene — The Encounter
Annie wasn't in the mood for shopping, but Ophelia and Olivia wouldn't take no for an answer.
"You can't hide forever!" Ophelia teased, looping her arm through Annie's as they crossed the glittering marble floors of the Grand Galleria the city's most luxurious mall.
Olivia, practically bouncing with excitement, held up a designer bag.
"And besides," she said with a grin, "shopping is good for the soul. Doctor Olivia's orders!"
Annie smiled faintly, allowing herself to be tugged into a bright boutique filled with silk and sparkle.
For a while, it worked she laughed with her friends, tried on silly hats, twirled in front of mirrors.
The heavy feeling in her chest lifted slightly.
Until Grace Morgan appeared.
Grace, the daughter of a steel tycoon, and a master of subtle cruelty.
She strolled toward them, all sharp heels and sharper words.
"Aw, look," Grace said, voice dripping with fake sweetness, "the charity case came out to play."
Ophelia froze.
Olivia narrowed her eyes.
Annie took a slow breath.
She wouldn't give Grace the satisfaction of seeing her upset.
"We're just shopping, Grace," Annie said calmly, brushing a stray curl behind her ear.
"You should try it. It might improve your personality."
A few nearby shoppers chuckled under their breath.
Grace's smile tightened but before she could snap back, a voice spoke up behind Annie.
"Maybe you should stop embarrassing yourself, Grace."
Annie turned and her heart skipped.
There, leaning casually against a display of leather jackets, stood Andrew Carter.
Messy dark hair, a mischievous glint in his green eyes the same Andrew who used to sit two rows behind her in high school.
The same Andrew who once lent her a pencil without saying a word.
Annie blinked, surprised.
He'd grown taller. Stronger.
And somehow even more handsome.
Grace, meanwhile, looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole.
"Andrew!" she gasped, plastering on a wide, desperate smile.
"I didn't see you there!"
Andrew didn't even glance at her.
His eyes were only on Annie, warm, amused, a little shy underneath it all.
"Need a rescue?" he asked Annie, smiling crookedly.
Annie found herself laughing real, light laughter and shook her head.
"I think I can manage."
But Andrew stayed close anyway.
And Grace
Grace looked like she might actually exploded
A Little Help Choosing a Dress
Olivia and Ophelia exchanged quick glances, grinning behind Annie's back.
They could see what Annie still hadn't noticed the way Andrew's eyes never really left her.
Annie, flustered but trying to act normal, turned back toward the rack of evening dresses.
Her fingers brushed over silky fabrics, though none of them felt right.
Andrew stepped closer, his hands casually tucked into his pockets.
"You know," he said, his voice easy and warm, "if you're picking a dress for your birthday party, you should pick something that makes you feel... unstoppable."
Annie looked at him, raising a brow.
"Unstoppable, huh?"
He shrugged, a playful smile tugging at his lips.
"It's your day. You should look like you rule the world."
Annie laughed, truly amused.
"You sound like you've done this before."
Andrew chuckled. "Maybe once or twice."
Before she could respond, he reached out and pulled a gown from the rack a stunning midnight blue one, elegant but bold, with a subtle shimmer that caught the light perfectly.
He held it out toward her.
"This one," he said simply.
Annie blinked down at the dress.
It was... gorgeous.
Exactly something she could imagine feeling strong and beautiful in.
Behind them, Grace watched with thinly veiled fury, her nails digging into the expensive leather of her purse.
"Of course," Grace said loudly, trying to regain control of the conversation, "someone like Annie would need help picking a dress. She's not exactly fashion-forward."
Andrew turned his head slightly, his smile gone.
"If you were half as graceful as your name, Grace," he said coolly, "you might have been helpful too."
Olivia and Ophelia both gasped, barely holding in their laughter.
Annie covered her mouth to hide her grin.
Grace, red-faced and seething, spun on her heel and stormed off without another word.
Andrew turned back to Annie, his easy smile returning.
"So," he said lightly, pretending nothing had happened, "want to try it on? I promise not to judge."
Annie shook her head, laughing.
"You're impossible."
"But," she admitted, taking the dress from him, "you have good taste."
She walked toward the fitting room, feeling a little lighter than she had in days.
For the first time in what felt like forever, someone wasn't treating her like she was fragile.
And maybe just maybe she liked that.