Chapter 7
Volume 2 : Red Virus
The sun was setting on the horizon, bleeding streaks of orange and crimson into the sky. Birds glided through the cooling air, their wings cutting through the silence. Skylar leaned her head against the car window, her fingers ghosting over the glass as the wind teased loose strands of her hair. The scent of asphalt, mixed with the lingering aroma of a distant food stall, drifted into the car. A small smile tugged at her lips.
"Thank you," she whispered, her breath fogging up the glass for a fleeting moment.
She was thanking the girl from last night. If she hadn't heard that scream, Skylar would be dead right now. And she would have been forced to watch… watch as her family lived a happy, stress-free life without her.
"Do you know what kind of company you're going to work for?"
The smooth voice shattered the silence, making Skylar flinch. She turned to look at Jordan, his sharp gaze locked onto the road ahead, his fingers tapping a steady rhythm against the steering wheel.
She shook her head. "No… I don't." Her voice was hoarse, her throat raw from all the crying. The taste of salt still lingered on her lips.
"Ahh… It's a cybersecurity and AI company," Jordan said, scratching his head. The truth was, he didn't actually know much about cybersecurity—or AI.
Skylar's fingers tightened against her lap. AI. Her family's business revolved around AI and robotics.
"Really? My family's business deals with that too," she murmured, turning her head slightly—only to be met with an intense gaze.
Techna's lazy yet piercing eyes were on her, half-lidded but unreadable. The dim glow from the dashboard cast shadows across her sharp features. There was a certain weight in her stare, something that made Skylar's stomach tighten.
Was she an Alpha?
No, that wasn't possible. She couldn't smell any pheromones on her. But still, there was something about her presence that made the air feel heavier.
"Do you know anything about it, though?"
Skylar fully faced Jordan and nodded. "Yeah, I do."
Jordan nodded in return, his expression unreadable.
A thought suddenly struck her. Her hair.
She glanced at the dull strands falling over her shoulders, lifeless and unkempt. It still held traces of her past self—one she no longer wanted to see.
"Can we stop at a salon first?" she asked, her voice steady but quiet.
Jordan frowned, about to ask why, but she beat him to it.
"I want something to change in my life. And for the first time, I want to be responsible for that change."
"You want to dye your hair?" Techna asked, her voice as smooth as silk, yet carrying a quiet strength that made Skylar envious.
She'd heard what happened to Techna from Jordan. And yet, after everything she'd been through, she was still this steady. She didn't break. She didn't act irrationally. Her voice remained calm. Steady. But still, in the end, so kind.
How did she do it?
For Skylar, trusting again would be impossible. Even so… they told her it was fine. That she would learn, eventually, to leave everything in the past. But not to forget. Not like her family did.
Skylar remained lost in thought for the rest of the ride.
"What color do you want to dye your hair?"
The question came from a blue-haired girl with tattoos covering her arms. The strong scent of hair dye filled the air, stinging Skylar's nose.
"White," Skylar said, watching her reflection in the mirror as the stylist ran gloved fingers through her hair.
As the color set, the chemicals tingled against her scalp, a sharp contrast to the numbness she had felt for days.
Once her hair was dyed, she turned—and bumped into someone.
Then—click.
The unmistakable sound of a camera shutter.
Skylar's breath caught in her throat. A cold wave of dread crashed over her as she whipped around, only to be met with a blinding storm of flashing lights.
Dozens of journalists surrounded her, their cameras clicking incessantly, their voices a cacophony of sharp demands.
"SKYLAR LAROSA! HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AT YOUR WEDDING?"
She flinched at the sheer intensity of the voices, her pulse hammering in her ears. The flashes made it impossible to see, the white bursts searing into her vision like miniature explosions.
"WAS IT EVEN YOUR WEDDING TO BEGIN WITH?"
Her throat closed up. She couldn't breathe. The questions kept coming, relentless and suffocating. Fingers reached out, grabbing at her arms, nails pressing into her skin.
A sharp, searing pain shot through her ankle as someone shoved too hard. Her balance faltered.
She was falling—
But before she hit the ground, a hand caught her.
A calming scent filled the air. Peaches and tea. Warm and soothing, wrapping around her like a protective shield.
Skylar blinked, dazed, and turned her head.
A sea of black hair filled her vision.
"Are you okay?" the girl asked, her voice gentle, concerned.
Skylar took a shaky breath, stepping back. "Who are you?"
The girl smiled, the kind of smile that could rival the sun in its warmth.
"I'm Emily."
Skylar's mind reeled. Memories rushed back, hitting her like a wave.
The girl from that night.
The one who saved her.
"You're—"
Before she could finish, Emily suddenly bowed, a full ninety degrees.
"Thank you, sister! Without you, I don't know what would have happened to me!" Her voice trembled, tears welling up in her eyes. Her pale cheeks flushed pink as she sniffled.
Skylar froze.
She… was thanking her?
People usually looked at her as if she were obligated to help them. As if it was her responsibility to do what she did.
But Emily… Emily was sincere.
And it scared her.
She stared at the girl, unable to speak.
Emily straightened, her expression shifting.
And Skylar saw it.
Pity.
A nauseating feeling twisted in her stomach.
So, everyone knew.
They knew what happened to her.
And they pitied her. Skylar clenched her jaw. She didn't want anyone's pity.
She wanted their shock. She wanted them to watch, dumbfounded, as she rose from the dirt.
With that in mind, she met Emily's gaze one last time.
"You're welcome," she said.
Then, she walked away.
When she climbed into Jordan's car, she slumped into the seat beside Techna with a sigh.
"Are you done?" Jordan asked, referring to her hair.
"Mm." Skylar hummed, running her fingers through the now-silken strands.
I'm done living in the shadows.