I let out a big sigh and dragged my feet towards the damn door that led to the outside world. When I walked into my classroom and heard Ben talking for the first time, I immediately could tell that he was not your average Joe. He had this whole "I don't give a fuck" vibe going on, which was pretty evident when he talked to Nick right in front of the class.

“Miss Evans.”

My heart nearly stopped when I heard my name being called out. My gaze immediately shifted towards the source of the voice. Charles. Ben’s driver. He stood just a few feet away from me, looking at me like he had something important to say.

“Your name is Charles, right?” I enquired, feigning ignorance despite knowing the answer already.

“That is correct,” he replied frankly.

I adjusted my stance and fixed my gaze on him. "How did you come to know my surname?" I questioned, with a hint of aggression in my voice.

"Mr. Hunter informed me."

I was unaware of Ben's exact age, but when I saw Charles that night, I assumed he was not much older than Ben. Perhaps that was the case. But in the bright light of day, with a stern expression on his face, Charles appeared much older. My readers, the man looked damn fine. Tall and handsome. His physique was not as muscular as Ben's, but I could tell Charles had a well-toned body under that slick, perfectly tailored suit. Charles had some serious jawline games. It was strong, sharp, and defined. Do not even get me started on his eyes. They were this gorgeous, smoky grey.

"What is it that you want, Charles?" I demanded sharply. I felt irked, but I knew deep down that it was not Charles' fault. Despite my snappy attitude, he remained unfazed. It was almost as if Charles was accustomed to dealing with this type of behaviour regularly.

“Are you headed somewhere?” He asked.

The man's question caught me off guard. I arched my eyebrow. "What prompted you to ask me that?"

He motioned with his arm, and it suddenly dawned on me that I had strayed quite far from the hotel. My thoughts had consumed me, preventing me from realising my aimless strolling down the street.

“Mr. Hunter would not approve of you leaving without informing him first,” Charles sternly informed me.

"Is that so?" I said, crossing my arms. "How could you possibly know that? I am just a nobody. A mere breeze passing by. Don’t be too focused on me, Charles." I took a small step towards him, and I could see the intensity in his eyes and the way his jaw clenched. "I have no intention of staying here. Ben and I are on different paths. I will vanish from his side, and even his wealth and power won't be able to find me." I swore under my breath.

I headed towards Ben, who had just come outside of the hotel with Claire by his side. Honestly, I was not sure if it was a smart move to spill all my thoughts to Charles like that. Even so, I could have sworn I saw the hint of a smile on his face before I turned and left. Maybe it was my imagination or wishful thinking. As I walked closer to Ben, I wondered where the heck I would go once I left his side. It was not a question of whether that crazy person would come after me as soon as he was able. It was just a matter of when. With all the drama and chaos that seemed to follow my life and the type of man my mother dated... it was only a matter of time before someone showed up looking for trouble.

The instant we got inside the car, I felt the tension looming in the air. Claire was sitting up front with Charles, trying to strike up a conversation to alleviate the awkwardness. Ben and I were in the backseat.

"Your family happens to be the owners of this hotel, huh?" I remarked sarcastically. My gaze was glued to the passing scenery outside the car window.

Ben let out a deep sigh. "Yes. My family is quite renowned throughout the city. We are also involved in a vast number of hotels throughout the Caribbean and so forth."

I was just freaking irritated and pissed off. Everything was just annoying me and getting on my nerves at this point.

“I suppose you view me as a fool," I remarked. Traces of amusement were absent from my voice.

“Why would you say that? I have never seen you as an idiot."

“Come on, let's be real,” I said. “I may be young, but I am not blind. I know what you are thinking."

"Tell me, what is going through my mind?" Ben's voice was demanding.

“That I am just a silly little girl who you can use for your own pleasure."

“Thalia…!” Ben said in warning. “Look at me.”

Not only did I not respond to what Ben was saying, I did not even give him a single damn glance. I knew that if I looked at him, my anger would just dissipate like air from a popped tire. I was trying my hardest to hold onto my frustration and not let him off the hook too easily. That was why I kept my eyes glued outside the window, pretending to be completely engrossed in whatever was passing us by.

"You are a man who possesses everything one could desire. What possible reason would you have for keeping company with someone like me? Surely you deserve a sophisticated and accomplished woman like Dr. Grace. Not a troubled adolescent with personal issues."

Ben growled. He was absolutely angry. But who the fuck cared?

"Are you even listening to me?" Ben asked, trying to touch my hand. I pulled away, not wanting any physical contact with him.

“Do you expect me to continue with this talk?” I shot back.

"Please, look at me." The desperation in his voice was apparent. "I promised I would clarify everything, did not I?"

Of course, he had spoken those words, and to be fair, it truly was not Ben's fault that others constantly explained things before he had the chance to. Despite this, I held onto my frustration. The trust was--I was destined to be on the run again. Hiding out in some dingy motel room or abandoned warehouse, living like a damn rat. It was just the way my life went, and thinking about it had me all riled up.