Ch 14: First step is to get Money- Part 1

The night air was cool against Selene's skin as she moved through the dimly lit corridors of the estate.

It was almost laughable how easy this was for her to be able to get away now compared to her past. 

In her past life, escaping from this place had been an impossible hurdle to cross.

Back then, she had been watched constantly—a stain on the family name, someone who needed to be monitored and controlled.

But now?

She was just a quiet, invisible shadow. 

Her body was weaker than before. She had lost all the muscle and endurance she had gained from years of training. But even though her strength was gone, her mind was not.

Selene's eyes felt sharper as they looked around for any openings she could exploit. Her hands also felt much more coordinated compared to before.

Her habits—her instincts—remained inside her even when she had returned to the past.

She had spent years memorizing every weakness in the estate's security. Since Serene had been tasked with the twin's security before, she knew where the estate lacked and where it shined when it came to protection.

The guards' shift changes, the blind spots in the cameras, the way certain lights flickered just enough to cast deeper shadows- you name it and she knew it. That knowledge carried over to the past as well.

And now, those old habits made slipping through the gaps effortless.

Selene moved carefully, her steps light and silent.

She maneuvered past the guards without so much as a whisper, using the dark corners of the estate to her advantage.

Even when she passed by the main gate—a place heavily guarded by cameras—she knew exactly where to stand to stay out of sight.

Five seconds.

That was how long the blind spot lasted when the cameras rotated.

She waited.

One…

Two…

Three…

She moved.

By the time the guards turned in her direction again, she was already gone.

For the first time in both her lives, Selene Vale walked out of her family's house freely.

And she didn't look back.

…Or at least, she tried not to.

Just before she stepped off the estate grounds, her body froze.

The image of two young faces flashed through her mind.

Noah and Nora.

Her siblings.

Her past.

For a moment, her heart clenched, but she shook the feeling away.

She was not that girl anymore. Or rather, she did not want to be that girl anymore.

Without another glance, she turned and walked away.

______

Selene had one rule for her escape:

Leave no trace.

Using digital payments or personal accounts was out of the question. If her family found out she had accessed the security funds, they would hunt her down.

That was why she used cash.

She took a taxi to the nearest bus station and boarded public transportation.

No ID checks. No transaction records. No evidence.

She made sure to get off one stop before the bank.

If anyone ever looked into her movements, they would only see that she got off at a random street, not near a financial institution. It would make tracking her much harder.

Especially with her mask on which would hide her from the initial scanned search.

Once she was off the bus, she started walking to her next stop. She made sure to be with the crowd so it would become harder to spot her body shape.

The city streets were just as she remembered. Bustling, bright, and filled with people going about their lives, completely unaware of how fragile it all was.

How soon it would all fall apart. It was a testament to how fleeting peace was and how quickly it could change.

Selene moved with purpose, blending into the crowd.

It didn't take long before she reached the bank.

Standing before the tall glass doors, she took a deep breath.

This was the real test.

If the bank refused her withdrawal, she would have to find another way.

And if they alerted her family—

No. She wouldn't allow it.

Squaring her shoulders, Selene stepped inside.

To her relief, no one spared her a glance. People were too busy to glance at a random stranger who happened to walk into a high-traffic building.

For the first time in her life, she felt grateful that her parents had neglected her.

Unlike Noah and Nora, who had been paraded around like perfect heirs, Selene had been nothing more than an unwanted footnote in the Vale family legacy.

No photographs of her had been published. No articles had ever been written about her. At most, her name was associated with her family. 

But since she was not a household name, it was clear that she was not going to get noticed in such a setting.

And now, that worked in her favor.

She walked up to the front desk, keeping her posture relaxed but confident.

The clerk barely looked at her as he greeted her with the usual scripted politeness.

"Welcome. How can I assist you today? Please be quick because I need to head back and assist others as well."

Selene placed her ID card on the counter. She had packed it up and this was the last test she needed to overcome before her mental peace could be returned to her once more.

"I'd like to make a withdrawal."

The clerk glanced at her name, then at her ID, then back at her. He seemed to be having a hard time keeping a straight face.

His expression did change a little in surprise, and Selene caught the flicker of hesitation in his gaze as well.

Her name—Vale was a problem here.

That name carried weight.

She could see the gears turning in his head. The man surely had a lot of questions and she could even hear some of them.

Why is a Vale personally making a withdrawal?

Should I report this?

Selene didn't give him time to think.

Calmly, she reached into her pocket and slid a folded bill across the counter.

The clerk's hesitation vanished instantly.

His smile widened, and he quickly nodded.

"Of course. Right this way, Miss Vale."

______

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