Chapter 15 :
"You can't actually be serious, right?!" Lena's voice rose in disbelief.
Will didn't even flinch. "I already said what I wanted to say. If you're done, be on your way. I have work to do."
Her lips parted, ready to argue, but a sharp knock on the door stopped her. Director Stacy entered, tablet in hand, her eyes glued to the screen.
"Sorry to disturb you, Sir. It's about the new proj—" She froze mid-word as her gaze finally landed on Lena. The lunch neatly laid out on the table said everything. "Is… this a good moment? Who is she?"
"Don't worry about it. She was just leaving." Will's tone was final. His eyes shifted to Lena, a silent dismissal.
Heat rose to Lena's face. She grabbed her bag and left, anger simmering in her chest.
The receptionist at the lobby handed her a pass card with a kind smile. "For next time — you can come straight up."
Lena barely managed a polite nod before stepping into the elevator. As the doors slid shut, she sighed — only to bump into someone as she turned.
"Lena?"
Her head shot up. "Stephen? Oh my god! What are you doing here?"
He grinned. "I should be the one asking what you're doing here. This is where I work."
Colleagues passing by stole glances, whispering behind their hands. Is this the girl he's been turning everyone down for?
Stephen scratched his head awkwardly. "Let's catch up somewhere else? If that's okay."
Lena followed him to a quiet café near the building. Once seated, coffee steaming between them, they spoke at the same time.
"So tell me—" they both began, then laughed.
"You go first," Lena said, a little more at ease.
"As you can see…" he tapped his badge, "…I work here as a director. But what about you? Why were you at Lumina?"
"It was just a quick delivery." Lena tried to sound casual, though the memory still irritated her.
"I see." Stephen smiled. "Still, it feels like fate — the first time we met was also in front of Lumina, remember?"
"Of course," she said softly.
His expression turned more serious. "Look, I don't want to take too much of your time, but… I want to know you better. What you like, what you dream about. I can't stop thinking about you."
The honesty in his words made her pause. Nobody had ever spoken to her like that.
Before she could respond, his phone buzzed. Duty called.
"I'm so sorry. Work needs me." He stood, hesitating. "But… this isn't our dinner date. I still plan to make that happen. Take care, okay?"
Lena watched him leave, her heart still fluttering, then headed to her part-time job.
On the way, a crowd blocked her path — protesters chanting:
"We don't want to lose our homes!"
"Keep your technology out of our lives!"
Before she could escape, someone bumped her hard, nearly knocking her down — until a steady hand caught her.
"Are you okay?"
Lena blinked up — Rowan. Her heart skipped.
"Yes, thank you," she said, smiling despite the chaos. "What's happening?"
"They want to modernize this district," Rowan explained, still holding her hand as he guided her away from the crowd. "People think it's just another way to control them, so they strike."
"I see…" Lena bit her lip. "I don't know what I'd do if I were them."
"For me," Rowan said thoughtfully, "innovation is like upgrading from a phone snapshot to a real camera. The photo might already be nice, but when you capture its essence with better tools, it's something new, something alive. But with people's homes… it's more complicated. Everyone's protecting their own way of life."
Lena looked at him, touched by how deeply he saw things. "I've never heard you talk about your work like that."
He smiled faintly. "Sorry if I'm rambling."
"No — it's admirable." She hesitated. "Everything is changing so fast… you really have to keep up, or you'll get left behind."
She thought of her parents, worried about them learning to use even the shop's cash machine.
Rowan caught the shadow in her eyes. "Hey… is everything okay? Last time I saw you, you were crying in the rain. You don't have to handle it all alone. You can count on me, Lena. I want you to."
Her face turned red. "W-what do you mean, I can count on you?"
He stepped closer, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I may not be where I want to be yet, but I want you to know — I've got your back, if you ever need help please call me first. Just… think about it, okay?"
He likes me… right? At least he cares for me right? He was so cool, oh my God I can't.
At work, she kept replaying the moment in her head, smiling to herself — until a customer snapped her out of it.
"Hey! I've been waiting forever for my food!"
"Coming!" Lena forced a polite smile, though her cheeks still burned.
Late that night – Lumina Corp
Will ended a call, leaning back in his chair.
"I already have one confirmed," he muttered to himself, satisfied.
But as he sat in the quiet office, exhaustion washed over him. His head dropped back, and sleep claimed him.
The dream came again — the flash of headlights, his father's hand shoving him away.
"Run, William! Don't look back. Don't trust anyone. Carry my legacy. Rise alone — with no woman by your side."
Then a softer voice pierced through the nightmare.
"William… can you hear me? It's me, your mother. You still love me, don't you?"
Will jolted awake, drenched in sweat. "No. No."
Grabbing his keys, he drove himself to the shooting range — the only place he could think.
Jin, watching from the building entrance, sighed. When he drives himself… it's always the shooting range.
Later – On a Quiet Street
"Good work today, Lena. Be careful, it's late," her boss reminded her.
She nodded and headed to the bus stop — only to wait nearly forty minutes with no sign of her bus.
"You're out of luck," a passerby told her kindly. "Saw your bus break down. You'll have to walk to the next stop."
"Thanks," Lena said, starting down the dimly lit road.
Her mind wandered to the day's events — Stephen's words, Rowan's touch, Will's cold eyes — until a shadow stretched behind her.
She walked faster. So did the shadow.
Her heart thudded. She broke into a run.
But before she could reach the next street, someone grabbed her from behind, pulling her into an alley.
"Please!" she cried, breathless. "I don't have anything valuable—"
"Yes, you do."
A rough voice hissed the words just before a black bag went over her head. A strange, sweet smell filled her nose, and her world went dark.