[INT. HARRIET'S ART ROOM – MORNING]
Sunlight seeps through dusty windows as Harriet sits before a blank canvas.
Her hand trembles slightly, brush dabbing muted colors onto the empty white.
On the canvas — half-drawn — are faded glimpses of her parents.
A moment of laughter. A stolen hug. Her mother's bright eyes.
Tears blur her vision.
Suddenly — her phone buzzes.
Rufei. Again.
Harriet stares at the name flashing on her screen.
But it feels so far away...
Like another lifetime.
She sets the brush down quietly, wipes her hands on her jeans, and picks up the half-finished painting, leaning it against the wall.
Without a second glance, she grabs her books and rushes to her lecture.
---
[INT. UNIVERSITY LECTURE HALL – DAY]
The professor's voice drones on about molecular formulas and scientific ethics.
Harriet sits stiffly in her chair, notes forgotten.
Her mind drifts —
— to Fred's battered body —
— to Liam's warnings —
— to the storm, the blood, the truth buried in her veins.
Everything feels wrong now.
Even breathing feels wrong.
---
[INT. FRED'S PRIVATE SUITE – SAME TIME]
Fred stirs awake on crisp white sheets, bandages binding his ribs.
His loyal guard bows lightly.
GUARD
"Sir... you're awake."
Fred's voice is hoarse.
FRED
"...Where is Harriet?"
The guard lowers his eyes.
GUARD
"She returned to her apartment. We made sure she was safe."
Fred leans back against the headboard, a rare, small smile touching his lips.
FRED (softly)
"Good."
He gazes out the window, the morning light cutting golden lines across his face.
For the first time in months, a little peace flickers inside him.
---
[EXT. HARRIET'S APARTMENT – ONE WEEK LATER – EVENING]
The clock ticks 7:00 PM.
Harriet unlocks her door, shoulders heavy with exhaustion.
She tosses her bag aside, kicks off her shoes, and heads straight for the bathroom.
Warm water steams around her, washing away the dirt — but not the heaviness.
Afterward, she wraps a towel around her body, another twisted atop her damp hair.
She pads barefoot into her room...
...when suddenly —
Strong arms wrap around her from behind.
Harriet gasps in pure terror, ready to scream.
RUFEI (urgent whisper)
"Hey — it's me! It's Rufei, babe — don't scream!"
Harriet shoves him away, clutching the towel tighter around herself, heart pounding.
HARRIET (panicked)
"Rufei?! How did you get in?! What are you doing here?!"
Tears glitter in Rufei's dark eyes.
RUFEI (pleading)
"You gave me the password, remember? You trusted me once... Did you forget everything between us?"
Harriet steps back, shaking.
HARRIET (cold)
"Rufei... Get out of my house. Or I swear I'll call the cops."
Something inside Rufei cracks —
The pride, the pain, the endless loneliness.
He stares at her — the girl who once smiled just for him —
and now looks at him like a stranger.
Without thinking, he grabs her wrist, pulling her closer.
RUFEI (voice raw)
"Tell me, Harriet. Tell me if you ever even loved me."
Harriet's breath hitches.
She sees the Rufei she once admired — the boy with stars in his eyes —
but that boy feels long dead now.
HARRIET (soft, broken)
"I liked you once... But now... I don't feel anything."
The words hit Rufei like a slap.
Before he can stop himself —
he pushes her onto the bed.
Harriet cries out, clutching her towel as it loosens.
RUFEI (desperate)
"Don't lie to me..."
He leans closer — eyes dark, hands trembling and touching her thighs desperately..
Harriet sobs, shoving at his chest, shaking her head.
HARRIET (screaming)
"Don't do this, Rufei! Don't make me hate you!"
Those words slice through the haze clouding Rufei's mind.
He freezes — horror flooding his face —
then stumbles back from her like he's been burned.
RUFEI (hoarse)
"I... I'm sorry... I didn't mean..."
Harriet frantically readjusts her towel, tears pouring down her face.
With shaking hands, she locks the door behind him as he flees.
She slides down to the floor, sobbing into her knees —
everything broken, everything bleeding.
Outside, Rufei stands in the hallway, punching the wall once — hard enough to draw blood —
before disappearing into the night.
---
Harriet tossed the towel aside in frustration and walked straight to her bed. She collapsed onto it, her mind racing. Her phone buzzed again. She checked the screen and saw it was Fred.
She took a deep breath before answering.
Harriet: "Hello?"
Fred's voice was cold and demanding.
Fred: "Open the door."
Harriet's eyes widened in shock, her heart pounding. She stood up, wrapping the towel back around her body, her hands shaking.
Harriet: "What do you mean? Why do I need to open the door?"
Fred didn't waste any time answering. His voice, still sharp, echoed through the phone.
Fred: "Open the door."
Flashbacks of earlier flooded Fred's mind—Fred had seen Rufei in her apartment, had seen the tears and desperation in his eyes.
Harriet hesitated, her eyes darting toward the door. She needed a moment to think. She was overwhelmed by everything that had happened, but Fred's words left no room for hesitation.
Harriet: "Now? I need time. I need to change my clothes."
Fred's reply was immediate, cold and direct.
Fred: "No need. Just open the door."
Her pulse quickened. She reluctantly walked to the door, her mind spinning. When she peered through the peephole, she saw Fred standing outside, looking calm and collected. She opened the door slightly, enough to see him clearly.
Harriet (nervously): "What do you want, Fred? I'm not in the right state to talk right now."
Fred didn't answer right away. His eyes studied her for a long moment and looked down, his expression unreadable. Then, without warning, he kicked the door open, forcefully grabbing her wrist. Harriet was stunned, barely having time to react as the towel she had wrapped around herself loosened in the struggle. She quickly grabbed it with one hand, holding it tightly.
Fred looked down at her, a cold smirk appearing on his face.
Fred (mocking): "So you really wore this to seduce Rufei, didn't you?"
Harriet's anger flared instantly. She glared up at him, her face flushed with humiliation and rage.
Harriet (shouting): "Who are you to judge me?!"
Fred's gaze darkened. He twirl her hand and get closed to him .. she is half naked and her skin is brushing him against
Fred: "Fine. Keep your secrets. But I'll make sure your story gets told to the world. You'll come with me to my apartment ..Fred Looked down her body and said
Harriet froze, her stomach dropping at his words. The thought of him revealing everything about her — her parents, her past — made her blood run cold. She swallowed hard, struggling to maintain composure.
Harriet (nervously): "What are you talking about? Why should I listen to you?"
Fred's voice dropped to a chilling whisper, his words sending a shiver down her spine.
Fred (leaning in closer): "You want to know about your parents, don't you? If you want the truth... come with me. Or you'll die just like they did."
The words hit Harriet like a slap to the face. She recoiled, her mind racing. The urge to find out the truth about her parents—the truth she'd been searching for—was overwhelming. But at what cost?
For a moment, she thought about running. About calling for help. But deep down, she knew this might be her only chance to uncover the secrets that had haunted her for years.
Harriet (quietly): "Maybe this is my chance."
Fred, satisfied by her response, pulled her toward him. Harriet didn't fight him. She knew she had no other choice.
---
HARRIET (whisper): "...Fine."
Fred's lips twitch slightly — not a smile, but something almost... satisfied.
FRED (low): "Good girl. Get dressed. You have five minutes."
He releases her hand.
For a moment, they just stand there —
Harriet breathing heavily, towel-clad and cornered;
Fred towering over her like a dark storm, but somehow... her storm.
She rushes to her wardrobe, pulling out the first clothes she finds — jeans, crop top
Her hands tremble so badly she struggles to back hook the top
Fred watches her in silence, jaw tight, fists clenched at his sides as if battling some inner urge.
When she's done, he turns on his heel.
FRED (curt): "Bring nothing else. You're safer with me."
Harriet stares after him, heart pounding, mind spinning.
What have I just agreed to?
She doesn't know.
But something tells her...
There's no turning back now.
---
[TO BE CONTINUED…]
***