Encounter

Far away from the village, nestled in the serene countryside, stood a luxurious hotel that exuded elegance and charm.

Within its opulent walls, a captivating scene unfolded. A young man, exuding an air of confidence and charm, sat comfortably amidst the plush surroundings, sipping on a delightful glass of wine. Adorned with striking features, he appeared to be in the prime of his twenties, with an irresistible allure. Engrossed in conversation, he spoke eagerly into his phone, his voice filled with hostility and disdain. 

Seated gracefully on his lap was a stunning young woman, her beauty radiant and captivating. 

After the call ended, his anger boiled over, and he couldn't contain it any longer. Frustration morphed into rage, and without a moment's thought, he hurled the wine glass towards the floor. Shards of glass scattered in every direction, mirroring the scattered pieces of his emotions. The crash echoed through the room, a deafening punctuation mark to his outburst.

The girl sitting on his lap trembled, her body trembling with each shiver of fear that coursed through her veins. 

"Mr.... Mr. Liam?", the girl tried to ease his anger as she attempted to speak.

Lian pushed her away and stormed out of the room.

Meanwhile, Aalia was completely engrossed in her own world, blissfully ignorant of the lurking storm that was closing in on her. Oblivious to the dark clouds gathering overhead, she went about her routine, going about her daily tasks with a sense of calm and tranquillity. Little did she know that fate had its own plans for her.

"Miss Aalia, the principal asked you to meet him", a teacher said to her while walking inside the staff room.

Aalia was typing the students' names and their personal information in the spreadsheet and looked up at her.

"Alright, thank you'', Aalia said with a smile as she saved the data and stood up.

Aalia knocked on the door of the principal office.

"Come in'', a middle-aged man's voice sounded reaching Aalia's ears through the air.

She opened the door and went in. In the principal room of the grand estate, the air carried an aura of importance and power. The room was adorned with simple and exquisite furniture. 

In the principal room, other than the principal, there was also a handsome young man. His chiselled jawline and piercing black eyes exuded an air of confidence as he sat there, observing his surroundings with a calm demeanour.  He looked at her indifferently at her.

He was not an entirely unfamiliar man to her, as she had met him earlier in the corridor. As her gaze landed on him again, there was something about him that stirred a faint sense of recognition deep within her. She furrowed her brows, trying to place where she had seen him before. Snippets of memories surfaced, but they were fragmented, like pieces of a puzzle she couldn't quite fit together. However, her memories seemed to be broken, and the short glimpses of familiarity were abruptly cut off, leaving her feeling disoriented. As her head began to ache, and deep inside her heart was felt a sense of despair and uneasiness.

"Miss Aalia?'', as the principal greeted her she was pulled back to her senses. 

"Principal'', she greeted as well.

"This is our esteemed guest Mr. Yash. He has come here to inspect our school'', the principal introduced them to each other.

After the both of them finished greeting each other, the principal said in a seemingly casual tone.

"Show him around the school'', he said as he sneaked a peek at the young man in front of him.

He was well aware that the request to assign a newly hired female staff member to give a tour of the school was completely unreasonable. After all, she was not yet familiar with the school premises herself. However, it was the man himself who proposed this idea, leaving him in a difficult predicament. Outright rejection was not an option, as it would risk undermining the authority of the man making the request. So he could only comply.

"Alright", although Aalia said and nodded her head, she skeptically looked at the principal and the young man. The principal broke into a cold sweat while the young man merely looked at her indifferently.

"Aalia'', as they two walked out of the sight of spectators the young man called her.