Chapter Nine

*At the talent school*

Amidst the confines of the talent school, Daniel found himself recounting the situation to his mother, his countenance betraying a mixture of anxiety and concern. "It was here that I left her, with Abigail," he explained, his words punctuated by a sense of urgency.

Curiously, Vivian inquired, "So, where is she now?"

A heavy sigh escaped Daniel as he struggled to put his bewildering experience into words. "I wish I knew. I called Abigail on the phone and asked about Selma's whereabouts. To my surprise, she claimed not to know who Selma was and insisted she's been in London since last week—still there." He added, running his hands through his hair in a display of uncertainty, "It's baffling. I distinctly recall seeing Abigail today and instructing her to stay with Selma."

Vivian's disbelief was evident as she reiterated, "But you saw Abigail today and clearly told her to be with Selma."

"Yes, that's correct. That's why I'm utterly bewildered," Daniel responded, his voice carrying the weight of his confusion.

His confusion was palpable. If Abigail was in London, then who was the girl he encountered before? He couldn't help but notice another odd detail—Abigail had always been averse to hugs, yet today she embraced him tightly. Could it be possible that someone had impersonated Abigail?

[What the fuck was going on]

In the midst of his contemplation, a female receptionist —her hair a cascade of sun-kissed blonde and her eyes a warm shade of brown—called out, diverting Daniel's attention. In response, Vivian sprang to her feet, hastening toward the source of information.

Eagerly, she inquired, "Yes? Have they found her?"

"Please, take a moment to steady yourself. I just received a call, informing me that she was discovered beside a gutter," the receptionist relayed with a gentle tone, as if aware of the emotional turbulence that such news could induce.

"Gutter? How? Where?" Vivian's words tumbled forth, her shock evident in her voice.

Daniel's eyes widened in shock, though he internally reassured himself, [Hold on, she didn't mention finding her lifeless.]

[But what the heck was she doing on the ground beside a gutter]

"Ma'am, please calm down. They've taken her to a hospital. Here's the address," the receptionist handed Vivian a piece of paper bearing the information.

"Thank you so much," Vivian expressed her gratitude, her fingers curling around the proffered address. Without hesitation, both she and her son departed for the hospital.

Selma's Perspective:

I shut my eyes, bracing for the expected searing pain as I took what I thought might be my final breath. Yet, moments passed without any sensation. Instead, the sounds of passing cars filled my ears. Tentatively, I opened my eyes and surveyed my surroundings.

Astonishment surged within me. Somehow, I had departed from DD. I found myself seated beside a drain, leaning against a streetlight.

This unexpected change left me bewildered. I couldn't help but think, "Why is this happening to me? All I yearn for is to return home and rest peacefully in my own bed." My existence had rarely been devoid of challenges and complications.

My musings were interrupted when an old woman with grey hairs cascading to her shoulders approached. Strands of hair occasionally brushed against her weathered face, and her dim brown eyes fixated on me, awaiting a response.

Confusion overwhelmed me, and I could only stare back at her. The potent aura emanating from her further piqued my curiosity about her identity.

"Why are you seated here beside a drain, dear?" she inquired with concern, her gaze unrelenting. My discomfort surged, and I evaded her eyes.

"I don't understand how I ended up here," I offered in explanation, still avoiding her gaze. A sense of intimidation inexplicably arose within me.

Gently, she helped me rise and guided me to a nearby chair. My body protested, throbbing with discomfort. My appearance was a mess: disheveled hair, dirt-stained clothing, mud-covered legs.

"I look utterly dreadful," I thought to myself.

"Can you provide your parents' contact number?" she asked, and I nodded. She handed me her phone, and I dialed my uncle's number. He answered promptly.

"Hello, who's calling?"

"It's Selma, Uncle," I responded.

"Good Lord, where are you? Are you safe?"

Before I could respond to my uncle, the woman took the phone from my hand. She explained to him how we had met. After the call, she directed me to stand so we could rendezvous with my uncle at a nearby store.

Upon reaching the location, I spotted my uncle.

"Uncle!" I exclaimed, embracing him tightly. He returned the hug.

As he pulled away, concern clouded his expression. "Selma, where have you been—" He halted mid-question, his gaze falling upon my disheveled state.

[My appearance is truly dreadful] I realized.

"What on earth happened to you?" he eventually managed to ask.

"It's a lengthy tale. Let's head home first; my body is aching," I replied, lacking the energy to recount my harrowing experience in DD. The memory was something I preferred not to discuss.

**************************

After expressing gratitude to the woman, Sam accompanied Selma to a nearby shop where he could obtain a bottle for her. Oblivious to their surroundings, both Sam and Selma remained unaware of the elderly woman's fixed gaze. Her eyes, once a warm brown, underwent a transformation into a vivid shade of emerald that exuded intensity.

*

Having procured water for Selma, he guided her towards his car. Just as Selma was on the brink of entering the vehicle, an unforeseen mishap occurred—she slipped and fell, losing consciousness in the process. Panic surged within Sam, his heart racing as he rushed to her aid.

In a distant vantage point, a pair of exquisitely beautiful, cold, glassy, and sparkling blue eyes fixated intently from a skyscraper onto the elderly woman, who continued to maintain her unwavering focus on Selma.

"What brings Melissa here in such a disguise?" questioned the possessor of the arresting eyes, his voice resonating with a deep and husky timbre that seemed to fill the room with an icy aura.

"I'm at a loss as well," responded a man with vividly intense red eyes.

"Immediately find out what she is up to," commanded the voice, its tone carrying an even colder aura as it gave the directive