[Evening – Side Street, Singapore]
Adeline emerged from the convenience store, a water bottle in hand. She was mere blocks from the hotel.
She looked at her phone—4 unread messages from Charlotte, one missed call from Nathan, one from a number she didn't recognize.
She sighed, pushed the phone into her pocket.
Footsteps. Too close.
She turned abruptly.
"Lost?" a man asked. Local, mid-30s, smile too wide.
"No," she said, voice even. "Just heading back."
He didn't move. Another man stepped out from behind the alley wall.
"Pretty girls shouldn't walk alone at night."
"I'm fine, thanks."
She turned to walk—but one grabbed her wrist.
"Let go of me!"
"Relax, sweetheart. Just being friendly—"
"Let. Go."
Suddenly—
"Step away from her."
Elias.
The two men turned.
Elias stood at the end of the alley, calm, unreadable—and holding a tire iron.
One of them laughed. "What's this? Your boyfriend?"
No," Elias replied. "I don't like touching people. But I have no issue breaking bones."
They hesitated.
Then one attacked.
Elias didn't blink—just stepped aside and crack—the iron connected with the man's ribs. He fell.
The other fled.
Adeline stood transfixed.
Elias dropped the iron to the ground, pulled out a sanitizer wipe, and methodically wiped his hands clean.
"Are you injured?"
She shook her head slowly.
"You look pale."
"I—I didn't expect you to."
"Follow you? You weren't picking up on my phone.
"I went to purchase water."
He regarded her for a long beat. "Next time, don't go by yourself."
Her voice shook a little. "Why did you actually come after me?"
"I don't know."
There was silence.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Elias merely nodded.
"Let's get you back."