Zephyra's Diary: I got scouted?!

   Rules and I never had much of a relationship. Growing up in an orphanage, you learn pretty quickly that life doesn’t care about your plans or the rules other people try to impose on you. The staff did their best to keep us in line, but I wasn’t the type to sit quietly and obey.

   I had my own way of doing things.

   By the time I was eight, I’d perfected the art of slipping through the cracks. When the orphanage became too stifling, I’d disappear into the streets, making my way to the market.

   The market was a game I had learned to master. I knew how to blend in, how to pick a target, and how to lift a wallet or some food without being noticed. And most of the time, no one even realized what had happened. But everything changed that one day…

   It was when I was sixteen. 

   That morning started like any other—until I looked out the window.

   Parked in front of the orphanage was a sleek, black limousine.

   It was striking against the worn-down building, polished to perfection. The kind of car that didn’t belong anywhere near a place like this. I watched as two security guards stepped out, their movements sharp and deliberate. Then the third guy emerged, his suit pristine, his presence commanding.

   My stomach twisted into knots as I recognized that guy.

   “Damn it. That’s him.”

   Just yesterday, I’d gone out for a routine hunt—saw some rich-looking guy. Looked naive enough, so I tried my luck and walked away with his wallet. Or at least, I thought I had.

   How the hell had he found me? I knew I hadn’t been followed—my escape had been clean, my steps precise. For a moment, I thought it must have been a mistake, but something nagged at the back of my mind.

   I ran to my bed and yanked the wallet from its hiding spot. Flipping it open, I sifted through the contents. Credit cards. Cash. Business ID. Then—something small, cold, and metallic caught my fingers.

   A small GPS transmitter, tucked neatly into one of the inner pockets.

   “You’re got to be kidding me.”

   I glanced toward the door, considering my options. I could run, try to disappear into the streets before anyone noticed. But before I could make a move, the caretaker’s voice rang through the halls.

   “All children, please come to the cafeteria!”

   I froze, my heart pounding.

   Stay calm. He doesn’t know it’s you. They don’t even know the wallet is in my hands.

   I took a deep breath, forcing myself to think clearly. It wasn’t over yet. They knew the wallet was here, but they had no way of identifying the thief.

   As long as I play it cool, they won’t suspect a thing.

   My hands worked quickly, even as my heart pounded in my chest. I pulled the small transmitter out of the wallet and glanced at the window. A bird perched on the sill, its feathers ruffled as it eyed me curiously.

   “Perfect,” I muttered.

   Carefully, I tied the transmitter to the bird’s leg, whispering a silent prayer that it wouldn’t shake it loose. The bird tilted its head but didn’t resist. With a quick motion, I nudged it into flight. It flapped its wings and disappeared into the morning sky, carrying my problem far away with it.

   I took a deep breath, stuffing the wallet into my pocket. I didn’t have time to celebrate my small victory. I straightened my clothes and made my way downstairs, joining the rest of the children who were already lining up in the cafeteria.

   The room was filled with the low murmur of voices. I scanned the line nervously, noting how the staff hovered near the walls, their eyes alert. And then I saw them.

   The two security guards flanked him like living statues, their stances rigid and intimidating. But it was the boy between them who caught my attention.

   He couldn’t have been much older than eighteen. His polished black suit was perfectly tailored, his dark hair swept back in a way that screamed wealth and status. His sharp blue eyes surveyed the room with an intensity that made my stomach twist.

   Miss Victoria—our caretaker­­—stepped forward, her hands clasped together as she addressed us.

   “I see that everyone has already gathered. Well, today we have a very important guest.” She gestured toward the boy with a wide smile. “This is the first son of the Naberius family, Lucian Naberius.” Everyone looked at him and felt overwhelmed by his mysterious aura. “Mr. Naberius, please go ahead.”

   Lucian Naberius. The name sounded familiar, though I couldn’t quite place where I’d heard it before. My pulse quickened as his gaze swept across the rows of children, slow and deliberate.

   And then his eyes landed on me.

   My breath hitched.

   I fought to keep my expression neutral, but my panic was bubbling just beneath the surface. He started walking toward me, his movements calm and calculated.

   I wanted to look away, to do anything but meet his piercing stare, but I forced myself to hold my ground. He stopped mere inches from my face, leaning in just enough that only I could hear his next words.

   “I found you,” he said quietly.

   A shiver ran down my spine, cold and unforgiving.

   Before I could react, he straightened and turned to the caretaker.

   “It’s this girl,” he said, his voice steady and firm.

   The caretaker nodded without hesitation, her tone warm. “Understood.”

   I felt like the ground had opened beneath me, pulling me into some kind of final judgment. My mind raced, grasping for any possible escape.

   And then the caretaker’s next words nearly knocked the air out of me.

   “Congratulations, Zephyra. We will miss you.”

   “…”

   “…What?” The word escaped my lips before I could stop it.

*    *   *

   The soft hum of the limousine’s engine was the only sound as I sat stiffly in my seat, my hands clenched tightly on my lap. Across from me, Lucian Naberius reclined in his seat with the ease of someone entirely in control.

   The plush interior should have been comforting, but all it did was make my unease worse. My mind raced, flipping between confusion and relief. I hadn’t been caught—or at least, I wasn’t being dragged off to face punishment. But none of this made sense.

   Taking a steadying breath, I finally broke the silence. 

   “Why am I here?” 

   Lucian raised an eyebrow, his piercing blue eyes locking onto mine. “Are you sure that’s the question you wanted to ask?”

   I frowned. “What do you mean?”

   He leaned forward slightly, the corner of his mouth twitching upward in what looked almost like amusement. “I don’t know. For example, ‘Why haven’t you been punished for stealing my wallet?’ or something like that.”

   My stomach twisted into knots, my breath hitching. Panic threatened to bubble to the surface, but I shoved it down, forcing a mask of innocence onto my face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I replied, trying to sound calm.

   “Rest assured, I don’t have the slightest intention of punishing you.” He leaned back, folding his arms casually. “After all, I intentionally let myself be robbed.”

   My confusion deepened. “What?”

   He studied me for a moment before continuing, his tone measured and deliberate. “I’ve been watching you for some time.”

   The knot in my stomach tightened.

   “On the surface, you look like a simple thief. But your actions tell a different story. They’re calculated, carefully analysed. You never rob the same place twice in a row. You choose targets in highly populated areas or far from police stations, minimizing the chance of getting caught.

   “And,” he added, his eyes narrowing slightly, “you only steal from people who won’t suffer from it in the long run. That suggests empathy, even if you’re trying to convince yourself otherwise. You’re not just a thief—you’re a smart, resourceful, and oddly kind one.”

   I stared at him, narrowing my eyes as his words lingered in the air. Finally, I let out a soft, exasperated breath and then said. 

   “...Stalker.”

   For the first time, Lucian’s calm demeanour cracked. His brow twitched, and his lips pressed into a thin line. 

   “That’s not nice. I’m not a stalker.”

   “Okay, Mr. ‘non-stalker’.” I emphasized the air quotes, watching his expression tighten further.

   “Why the quotation marks?” he interjected, his irritation barely masked.

   I ignored him, pushing on. “I think I already understand. You 'watched' me to figure out my theft system. Then you used that data to 'meet me'. And finally, you used the GPS tracker in the wallet I stole from you to find out where I live.” I leaned forward, smirking slightly. “Sorry, but I’m not creative enough to come up with quotation marks for that last one.”

   “And are quotation marks even necessary?” 

   “You tell me.” 

   He held my gaze for a moment, his jaw tightening briefly before he let out a measured sigh. “You asked why you’re here, right?”

   He’s avoiding the subject, I thought as I watched him carefully.

   Before I could say anything, he continued. “I was looking for someone like you. You have talent, but you’re using it the wrong way. You need someone who can guide that potential and—”

   “No offense,” I cut in, folding my arms, “but the whole ‘you have untapped potential that shouldn’t be wasted’ speech doesn’t work on me. Get to the point.”

   Lucian sighed, leaning back slightly in his seat. “I can see that you have a strong character,” he said with a faint smirk. “Be that as it may. My family specializes in the field of technology development. As the future head of the family, great achievements are expected of me. However, I must painfully admit that I can’t do it alone. I need someone to support me—a partner.”

   I raised an eyebrow. “Your family won’t help you find someone? Surely there are plenty of qualified people on the market—”

   “They’re all people much older than me,” Lucian interjected sharply, his expression tightening. “They see me as nothing more than an inexperienced brat, and I hate it when they look down on me. I have a feeling you share my opinion on that field.”

   I leaned back slightly, arms crossed. “I won’t deny it.” 

   People are always looking down on me. It doesn't even matter at this point if it's because I'm a kid, or an orphan. It always makes me pissed exactly the same way. 

   “So what, I’m supposed to be your assistant?”

   Lucian’s smirk widened. “Interested?”

   I hesitated, mulling it over. No matter how you look at it, this is suspicious. Besides it is not like I hate my current lifestyle.

   “Well, I don’t know—”

   “I’ll finance your daily needs,” Lucian interrupted smoothly, “not to mention providing a pay check for your work.”

   He pulled out his smartphone, his fingers gliding across the screen. “I think this will suffice,” he added, holding up the screen with a number that made my eyes widen.

   “...Seriously?”

   “Seriously.”

   “...”

   “...”

   “I look forward to fruitful cooperation,”

   “Glad to hear it,”

    And that’s how I met Lucian—the person who changed my life forever.