Aren brought Ealina home and gently laid her on the bed. He turned to Lyra, who had followed in a rush.
"Call the doctor," he said urgently. "She's hurt. She has burns and scars on her body… from saving Ryan."
As Lyra scrambled to make the call, Aren sat by Ealina's side, soaking a towel in cold water. With slow, careful movements, he began wiping her wounds. His expression tightened with guilt.
"I'm sorry, Ealina," he whispered, his voice thick. "I wasn't there to protect you."
A single tear slid down his cheek, but before Lyra could notice, he quickly wiped it away.
A few minutes later, the doctor arrived and examined Ealina carefully. His brows furrowed as he looked over the burns on her arms and legs.
"How did she get hurt like this?" the doctor asked. "These burns... it's like she's been through fire."
Aren lowered his eyes. "It was my fault. She got caught in it while trying to save someone... Please, treat her first."
After the doctor left, Lyra gently dabbed Ealina's forehead with a damp cloth. She glanced at Aren.
"You were furious at Ryan last night. Why?" she asked quietly.
Aren replied in a low voice, "I was just... worried about her."
Lyra gave him a look. "Worried? Then how did she faint? What exactly happened there?"
"Why are you asking me all this?" Aren deflected.
Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Because the way you yelled at Ryan... you were furious. And scared. Just admit it."
But Aren didn't respond. Instead, he stood and walked toward the window, changing the subject.
---
The Next Morning
Ealina slowly opened her eyes, wincing as the pain hit her. She looked around in confusion.
"What happened last night?" she asked, sitting up. "How did I get hurt? The last thing I remember... I saw Ryan. He was tied up in chains. And then... everything's blank."
She turned to Lyra. "How's Ryan? Who did that to him?"
Lyra hesitated, remembering Aren's warning not to reveal her anything. She gave a careful smile. "Ryan is okay now. But it wasn't our business to interfere, so we didn't ask for details."
---
At the Office
Later that morning, Ealina arrived at the office and walked over to Aren's desk.
"Where were you last night?" she asked, her eyes scanning him.
Aren smirked. "Me? I was at the party. You two were the ones who vanished." He lightly placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, we're late."
They sat down at their desks, but just then, an employee approached them.
"The manager wants to see both of you," he informed them.
Ealina and Aren exchanged glances. As they entered the manager's office, they froze. Ryan was standing there with his assistant, Jace, by his side.
The manager looked at them. "Mr. Ryan has personally requested Ealina to join his company."
Ryan nodded at Jace, who stepped forward and extended an offer letter.
Ealina took one glance and shook her head. "How many times do I have to say this? I don't want to work for your company."
She turned to leave, but Ryan stood up, adjusted his collar and suit, and said in a calm but firm tone, "Ms. Ealina, this is the last time I'm asking you politely. Next time, you'll be responsible for everything."
Ealina narrowed her eyes. "What are you going to do?"
The manager steps forward and says, "Ealina, I want you to accept his offer. It's the best choice for you—and for everyone else."
Ealina is about to ask, "What do you mean by 'best for everyone else'?" but before she can speak, Aren's phone rings.
It's Lyra.
"Aren, I'm in trouble," her voice trembles. "Some people are following me."
Hearing that, Ealina turns to the manager and says firmly, "Sir, I respect you—but I'm sorry. This time, I can't follow your order."
---
Ealina and Aren rushed to the location Lyra had mentioned. As they turned the corner, they saw a group of men surrounding her, shouting and threatening her.
"A few years ago, When Lyra was 17 years old and her father had taken a loan from them to save his company. But when the business failed and her parents passed away, the burden fell entirely on her. Despite paying back every penny over the years, they continue to ask her for more."
"You think we'll let you go that easy? Your father borrowed money—now pay up!"
Lyra stood firm, her voice shaking. "I already paid back every penny after my parents died. I won't give you more. She warns them that she's going to report them to the police."
They are loan sharks—relentless and corrupt. One of them raises his hand to strike her when suddenly, Aren steps in, blocks the attack, and punches him hard. The man crashes to the ground.
Ealina rushed to Lyra, holding her protectively as Aren fought off the rest. She had already called the police, and moments later, the sirens wailed as officers arrived and arrested the gang.
Ealina handed a bottle of water to Lyra. "It's okay now. Breathe. Everything's fine."
Tears streamed down Lyra's face as she hugged Ealina tightly. "Thank you... both of you. I was so scared."
Aren chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Of course we came. Who else would I argue with if you weren't around?"
Lyra laughed through her tears and hugged him too.
"Stop crying," Aren said gently. "We're friends, and we'll always stand together. No matter what."
---
Later That Day – Amusement Park
To blow off steam, the trio went to an amusement park. They laughed, screamed on roller coasters, and spun around on the Ferris wheel. For a moment, the darkness of the past few days faded.
As they left and waited by the road for a taxi, something shifted.
Ealina suddenly gasped. Her eyes turned an unnatural shade of blue.
She clutched her head and stumbled, hearing and feeling a rush of emotions—voices, sorrow, fear, despair. Everyone around her… their pain overwhelmed her. The sadness of strangers, the burdens they carried—some even thinking of ending their lives.
She dropped to the sidewalk, pressing her hands over her ears, trying to shut it out.
Aren and Lyra noticed immediately. They had seen this before.
"When Ealina's eyes turned blue, she gained the power of vision—she could see emotions, hear thoughts, and sometimes... glimpse the future."
Lyra knelt beside her and gently covered Ealina's eyes with her hands, calming her.
But a vision suddenly struck Ealina like lightning.
She saw a child walking across the road. A truck was hurtling toward him—its brakes had failed.
Without thinking, she jumped to her feet and ran, grabbing the child just in time. The truck lost control and swerved.
Aren, seeing the chaos, used his hidden powers to stop time itself. Everything froze. In that frozen moment, a dark portal opened in the wall nearby, and demons began pouring out—headed straight for the civilians.
Aren was about to run toward them when he saw Lyra already in action. She hurled nearby objects at the demons.
"Lyra has the power to move objects with her mind."
The two stood back-to-back, summoning their swords. Together, they fought, slicing through the horde.
When the battle ended, the portal closed, and time resumed.
Lyra expects Aren to ask her about her powers, but he remains silent. Instead, he walks over to Ealina, who is still shaken, and gently helps her.
Ealina slowly returns to her normal condition, her breathing steadying as the blue glow in her eyes fades.