The moment Lina sank into the plush leather seat of Daniel Viggo's car, she couldn't help but breathe out a sigh of relief. Her legs had been killing her, every step feeling like torture in those goddamn heels, but now—now she was off her feet, and it was like a fucking miracle. She muttered a quiet, "Thank you," barely above a whisper, but Daniel didn't respond. Not even a nod.
Typical.
She pressed her lips together, feeling a little stupid for expecting anything different. But despite his coldness, she couldn't help but send a small prayer for him in her heart. She might not know what kind of man he truly was, but at this moment, he had helped her—even if he was acting like it was an accident.
Her gaze shifted toward the darkened streets outside as the car moved smoothly through the estate. It was still strange to her that Daniel was even here. By now, most people had already left. The estate was home to the kind of elites who never wasted time lingering in places where they had no business. So why the fuck was he still around?
She turned slightly, stealing a glance at him. His face was unreadable, as always. Whatever he was thinking, it wasn't something she could figure out. And honestly? She wasn't about to waste her damn brain cells trying.
He was Daniel Viggo, after all. If anyone expected him to act like a normal human being, they'd be setting themselves up for disappointment.Daniel Viggo was unpredictable. No one could predict a man like him
Instead of dwelling on things that would only give her a headache, Lina allowed herself to take in the car's interior. And holy fuck.
The exterior alone had been enough to make her feel out of place, but now that she was inside? It felt even worse. The car was fucking insane.
The seats were made of the smoothest leather she had ever touched, with perfectly stitched seams and an intoxicatingly expensive smell. The dashboard was sleek, the buttons and controls practically screaming luxury. Even the fucking air inside the car felt rich, like it had been purified and filtered just for elite lungs.
She shifted slightly in her seat, suddenly too aware of herself.
She didn't belong here.
The weight of her own body felt like too much, like she might accidentally ruin the damn chair just by sitting on it. What if she left a crease? Or, God forbid, a stain? She had come from a middle-class family. This kind of car? It was the type she only ever saw in YouTube videos or flashy ads, driven by men who didn't even bat an eye when dropping millions on a fucking vehicle.
A small pang of sadness hit her. Not because she was jealous, but because she knew how far she was from this world. She had worked hard to get here—to be in places where people like Daniel Viggo even acknowledged her existence—but she still had a long fucking way to go.
One day.
One day, she'd make it.
She let out a quiet sigh, pushing the thoughts aside. She needed to focus.
But before she could even ground herself, Daniel spoke.
Except she didn't fucking hear him.
Lina had been so lost in her own thoughts that whatever he said completely flew past her.
Daniel frowned, his fingers tightening on the steering wheel, but instead of repeating himself, he did something much worse—he tapped the fucking brakes.
It wasn't harsh, but it was enough to make her jolt forward slightly, her heart nearly jumping out of her goddamn chest.
"What the fuck?" she blurted out, snapping her head towards him.
Daniel didn't even look at her.
He simply muttered, "Get down."
Lina blinked. "What?"
His grip on the wheel tightened slightly, his jaw clenching for a brief second before he turned his head to her. This time, his gaze was colder.
"I said, get down."
Lina's brows furrowed, her mind struggling to keep up. The car had come to a stop, but—what the hell?
She turned her head, looking outside.
Daniel had parked at a bustling road. Cars zipped past, headlights cutting through the night. Pedestrians moved along the sidewalks, lost in their own worlds. It wasn't exactly unsafe, but it sure as hell wasn't anywhere near her home.
"I haven't reached my place yet," she said, turning back to him.
Daniel raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "And?"
Lina hesitated. "And… I mean, if you were gonna help, shouldn't you finish helping?"
For the first time since she got in the car, Daniel actually looked slightly amused. Not in a friendly way. More like in a "this girl is fucking stupid" kind of way.
"You expect me to take you home?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.
Lina nodded. "I mean… yeah? Isn't that the whole point of—"
"Get down."
His voice was sharper this time. Annoyed.
Lina stiffened slightly, realizing too late that she had probably pushed her luck. But what the fuck? She wasn't asking for much. If he was gonna help, why the hell would he stop in the middle of nowhere?