The return of devil

The sky was painted in a heavy shade of gray, the clouds thick and brooding as if they carried the weight of a secret no one was ready to hear. The rain poured relentlessly, drumming against the glass windows of the university like a thousand impatient fingers tapping on a locked door. The air was dense with the scent of wet earth, and the streets gleamed with reflections of neon lights as puddles grew into small lakes across the courtyard.

Amara stood on the balcony, her fingers curled tightly around the cold metal railing. The world below her seemed distorted, a blur of umbrellas and hurried students trying to escape the downpour. But then, something changed.

A shift in the atmosphere.

She felt it before she saw it. The weight in the air thickened, pressing against her chest like an unseen force. A hush spread across the courtyard, as if the rain itself was holding its breath in anticipation. And then, they arrived.

Two sleek black cars pulled up to the university's entrance. Their polished surfaces gleamed under the dim light, their tires splashing water as they came to a smooth halt. The doors remained closed for a moment, as if teasing the onlookers, stretching the suspense to its breaking point.

The first to step out was Victor Aldridge. Even from the balcony, Amara could feel the icy aura that clung to him like a second skin. He was dressed in a tailored black suit, pristine despite the rain, his silver hair neatly combed back. The way he moved was calculated, effortless, as though he owned every inch of space around him.

But it was the second car that truly stole the breath from Amara's lungs.

The door swung open, and he emerged.

A tall figure, dressed in all black. The rain seemed to hesitate as it met him, droplets cascading over his broad shoulders before slipping into nothingness. He was younger than Victor, but the resemblance was there—the same sharp jawline, the same air of untouchable power. Yet, there was something different about him, something colder, something even more dangerous.

His boots hit the wet pavement, sending ripples through the puddles at his feet. He lifted his head slowly, and just as his gaze swept across the university, something unnatural happened.

The sun broke through the storm.

A golden beam cut through the gray clouds, slicing through the rain like a sword of light. It fell directly onto him, illuminating him like a fallen angel stepping onto mortal ground. The wet pavement shimmered, and for the briefest moment, the world seemed to exist only for him.

And then, as if the universe itself had orchestrated it, the sunlight found its way to her.

Amara sucked in a sharp breath as the warmth of the sun brushed against her face. It felt like a hand reaching through the storm, a whisper in the chaos. The contrast between the icy rain and the sudden heat sent shivers down her spine.

She didn't know why, but an overwhelming sense of fear gripped her.

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as she stepped back from the balcony, her fingers trembling against the railing. The sight of Victor Aldridge was terrifying enough, but his son—

He was something else entirely.

Something worse.

She turned on her heel, her breath hitching as she bolted back inside. She didn't care that she was running like a coward. Every instinct in her screamed to get away, to hide before it was too late.

Her boots squeaked against the polished marble floors as she navigated the hallways, barely seeing where she was going. The walls felt like they were closing in, the air thick with an unspoken warning.

She pushed open the door to the library, her chest rising and falling with uneven breaths. The scent of old books wrapped around her, grounding her for a brief moment. She rushed between the shelves, tucking herself into a secluded corner, her hands pressed against her mouth to quiet her gasps.

Her mind raced.

Who was he? Why had he come here?

And why—why did it feel like the universe itself had acknowledged his arrival?

She squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to stay still, to blend into the shadows. But deep inside, she knew.

This wasn't just the arrival of another threat.

It was the beginning of something far, far worse.

The rain pounded against the glass, heavy and relentless, as if the sky itself was weeping. The campus was drowning in the storm's fury, the pathways glistening with puddles that reflected the dim university lights. Amara's breath came in short, uneven gasps as she clutched the edge of her coat, trying to steady the trembling inside her.

Something was wrong.

She could feel it in the way the air had thickened, pressing down on her chest like an invisible weight. The whispers around her confirmed her worst fears.

"He's back."

"I saw him with Victor Aldridge."

"Didn't he disappear years ago? Why now?"

She didn't need to hear his name to know.

Her body already knew.

Rafael Aldridge.

The storm outside was nothing compared to the storm inside her. Her fingers curled into her palms, nails pressing into her skin as flashes of the past began clawing their way back.

A boy with sharp blue eyes. A cruel smile. The way his presence alone had made her feel small, like a helpless pawn in his twisted game.

Flashback

A dark corridor. Her breath coming in shaky gasps.

Footsteps behind her, slow and deliberate.

"Come on, little rabbit," he had murmured, his voice like silk hiding a blade. "You're no fun if you don't run."

She had tried.

She had stumbled.

And then he had caught her.

His fingers had twisted in her hair, his breath warm against her ear as he whispered, "You're mine to break, Amara."

End of Flashback

She sucked in a sharp breath, shaking the memory away. The past wasn't supposed to follow her here. She had thought she was free.

She had been so, so wrong.

Her heart pounded violently as she turned on her heel, her only thought to escape—to get away before he saw her. Her feet moved on their own, carrying her toward the library where she had left her bag.

She needed to grab her things and disappear.

The university halls stretched endlessly before her, the storm outside making the corridors feel darker, more suffocating. The shadows twisted with every flicker of lightning, playing tricks on her vision.

The library doors loomed ahead. She pushed them open, stepping into the dimly lit space, the scent of rain-dampened books filling her lungs.

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

She moved carefully, her steps light, barely making a sound against the polished floor. The air felt thick with something unspoken, something unseen, and yet—

She felt it.

She wasn't alone.

She swallowed hard, eyes darting around. The massive bookshelves stood like towering walls around her, casting long shadows. Beyond them, the large windows overlooking the storm-ridden campus stretched across the far side of the room.

And that was when she saw him.

Rafael Aldridge.

Standing by the window, his back turned to her.

A silhouette of power and dominance, framed against the lightning-lit sky.

His broad shoulders were rigid yet relaxed, his posture as effortless as it was commanding. The dim light reflected off the wet strands of his dark hair, some of them curling at the nape of his neck, still damp from the storm. He was taller now, his frame stronger, carved with the weight of years that had only sharpened the edges of his presence.

She could barely breathe.

He hadn't noticed her. Not yet.

Amara's instincts screamed at her to run, but she knew any sudden movement would draw his attention. Her bag was right there—on the table, just a few feet away from where he stood.

But reaching for it meant stepping closer to him.

Every second stretched into eternity as she weighed her choices. The storm outside raged on, the thunder masking the sound of her rapid heartbeat.

Lightning flashed again, illuminating him in a fleeting burst of silver light. His hands were in his pockets, his head tilted slightly, as if lost in thought. But Amara knew better.

Rafael Aldridge was never lost in thought.

He was always calculating. Always waiting.

A cruel game of patience.

Slowly, carefully, she took a step forward. Then another. The distance between her and her bag grew smaller.

Her fingers brushed against the strap—

But then—

He shifted.

Just slightly. A movement so small, yet it sent a bolt of terror through her veins.

Her breath hitched, her entire body freezing as if trapped in ice.

Had he sensed her?

She stood motionless, waiting for him to turn. Waiting for those sharp blue eyes to find her like they always did.

But he didn't move again.

A second passed.

Then another.

The storm outside howled, the rain hitting the glass in furious waves.

Amara gritted her teeth, forcing herself to move. She grabbed her bag in one swift motion, clutching it tightly against her chest.

She needed to get out of here.

Now.

Her legs trembled as she took a step back. Slowly. Carefully. Her pulse roared in her ears as she reached the doorway, fingers tightening around the handle—

And then—

Rafael exhaled a slow breath.

So quiet. So subtle.

But she heard it.

A shiver ran down her spine.

She pushed the door open, stepping into the hallway, the library's silence still clinging to her like a ghost. She didn't dare look back.

She didn't need to.

Because deep down, she knew.

He had known she was there all along.