The city lights blinked overhead like a million artificial stars, but Eva felt more alone than ever beneath the glowing skyline.
She stood on the balcony of her new apartment, arms folded against the night breeze, her gaze lost in the buzzing streets below. Neon signs flickered. Horns blared. Strangers brushed past one another, sharing no more than a glance. It was a world alive with noise—yet none of it reached her.
After four long years of college, Eva had returned home full of hope—hope to reconnect, to feel that lost warmth from her parents once again. But that hope was quickly met with cold reality. They were never home. Work had consumed them completely, and their absence had hollowed out a space inside her chest.
Days passed in silence, broken only by the hum of her phone and the echo of unanswered calls. She tried to distract herself—maybe she'd buy a new TV, something bold and oversized, to fill the quiet. But when she stepped inside the apartment again, chaos greeted her.
Clothes were scattered. Dust clung to the corners. The bathroom smelled faintly of mildew, and the air felt stale. It looked like a place time had abandoned. So had her life spiraled this far?
Frustration surged inside her as she dialed her parents' numbers again. No answer. Again. No answer.
A knock at the door made her jump.
It creaked open to reveal the landlord—a tall, sharp-eyed man with deep wrinkles carved into his face. His voice was flat and final.
"You need to leave. Now."
Eva blinked. "What? Why?"
"No explanations. You didn't pay rent. That's it."
Before she could argue or explain, he turned away and walked down the hall, his steps echoing until they faded. Minutes later, the door clicked shut behind her—locked, sealed, done.
Homeless. Alone. Numb.
She found herself on a park bench nearby, arms hugging her knees as the wind picked up. Her only comfort was the familiar bridge she used to walk under as a child. Now, it stood like a distant memory of better days.
That's when she saw him.
A tall figure stepped out from the shadows at the edge of the bridge. His presence was calm, yet unnerving. He didn't speak at first, only stared at her with piercing blue eyes that showed no trace of warmth.
Then came a single word.
"Leave."
Confused, Eva stood slowly. "I—why?"
He didn't explain. He didn't need to. His tone was sharp, emotionless. A command, not a request.
As Eva turned to walk away, a strange sensation stopped her. She looked back. He hadn't moved. He stood as if rooted to the earth, watching the stars or something beyond them. A question formed in her mind but never reached her lips.
Just then, her phone vibrated.
Lily. Her best friend. Her lifeline.
Eva opened the message. The words were simple, but they cracked the shell she'd been holding together all evening. The tears fell freely now. With trembling fingers, she called Lily.
"I just don't know what to do anymore," Eva sobbed into the phone. "Everything's falling apart."
"I understand, Eva," Lily's voice was warm, steady. "Wait there. I'm coming to get you."
Minutes passed like hours, until finally headlights pierced the gloom. Lily's car pulled up, and the moment Eva slid inside, everything—the cold, the fear, the despair—eased, if only slightly.
Lily didn't say much. She didn't need to. Her presence said enough. She reached over and hugged Eva tightly.
"Thank you," Eva whispered, eyes red from crying.
"Always," Lily murmured. "You're not alone in this."
---
Meanwhile, across the park, another pair of eyes watched from a distance.
Max stood silently under the night sky, the glow of the moon reflecting in his eyes. From afar, he watched Eva disappear into Lily's car, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. A strange heaviness lingered in his chest.
The stars above flickered in the rippling river below, dancing like ghosts in the dark.
His phone buzzed.
"Max! Where the hell are you? I've been looking all over!" Alex's voice was loud, irritated—and worried.
"Lower your voice," Max replied, glancing around, tone cold as usual.
Alex took a breath, softening. "I'm sorry. But it's not your fault, okay? Just tell me where you are."
Max stared at the empty bench where Eva had been minutes ago. "The bridge. Near the villa."
A pause.
"You better come soon," Alex warned gently, then hung up.
Max turned to leave. Tiger, his loyal shadow, followed silently behind. Another call buzzed in.
"Head to the ABDS Club," Alex instructed calmly this time.
Max sighed. "Alex's voice is too loud," he muttered.
Tiger gave a small smirk, nothing more. Max didn't look back.
---
Back in Lily's home, Eva curled up on the couch, her phone still gripped tightly in her hand.
She tried again. One more call to her mother. Then her father. Still nothing.
"They're not picking up," Eva whispered, her voice cracking.
"They're probably just busy," Lily said gently, squeezing her hand. "We'll try again later."
"I just… I need them right now."
"I know. But I'm here, okay? I'm not going anywhere."
Eva leaned against Lily's shoulder, finally allowing herself to rest.
For the first time that day, she felt like she wasn't falling anymore.
She had someone who caught her.
And somewhere in the distance—between glassy city towers and starlit skies—fate had already begun to move.
******