An Encounter With A Familiar Face

Adira's POV

"Ahh!"

I fell on the floor, blinded by the lights of the car. It was my mistake to run without looking. It was suffocating for me to even stand in front of Xavier, the man who killed me.

"Miss, are you alright?" the panicked driver asked me.

I looked at the fresh bruise that appeared on my palm when I felt a shadow loom over me. My eyes widened seeing the man sitting in the car that I almost forgot about, the man whom I killed because Xavier wanted me to— Alessandro Hunter.

‘How can he be alive? Wait! I have returned in time. He was alive at that time. Gosh! Why do I have to meet him?’

I hid my face using my hand, and I quickly stood up. “I am fine. I have to go now.” I managed to walk past when a hand pulled my arm.

My breath caught in my throat as I stopped blinking. It was Alessandro, and his crimson eyes met mine. The murderous look in his eyes made my heart race as if it would come out of my chest.

When did he come out of the car? I thought as I lowered my head, still wanting him not to even remember my face.

“Miss, you are hurt. I will take you to the hospital,” the driver insisted, his voice laced with concern as he stepped closer.

“There’s no need for that.”

Alessandro’s voice cut through the air. “She wasn’t even walking properly, and got hit on her own. Besides, she already said she’s fine.”

For a second, I just stared at him. And I swore to the Moon Goddess, I wanted to kick him hard.

All the fear that had been choking me moments ago burned away, replaced by a surge of anger.

“Your car literally hit me!” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. So what if I had been trying to escape just seconds ago? That didn’t give him the right to act like I was the problem.

He could have apologized. What if I had died and lost my only chance of revenge?

The thought struck deeper than it should have. I just got reborn. I came back for a reason.

For my revenge on Xavier and June.

And this arrogant man almost ruined everything before I could even begin.

“I could file a complaint against you,” I continued, my chin lifting slightly despite the tremor in my body. “Report this to the Sentinels and have charges pressed.”

The driver shifted uncomfortably, clearly caught between fear and confusion.

But Alessandro?

He snickered as if my words were nothing more than mild entertainment.

Then he stepped closer. Instinctively, I froze.

“You shouldn’t speak with such confidence,” he said in an intimidating tone. “Do you even know who you’re talking to?”

A chill ran down my spine, but I refused to step back.

Ah. Now I see.

No wonder Xavier despised him so much in that timeline.

This man wasn’t just arrogant; he thrived on it.

“Do I even need to know you? And if you think I’ll get on my knees and bow to you,” I muttered, my fingers curling at my sides as I forced myself to meet his gaze again, “then you’re terribly mistaken.”

I took a step back from him, putting a careful distance between us. “Unlike you, my time is precious,” I said, my voice carrying a sharp edge that I didn’t bother to hide. Then, lowering my voice just enough to make it sound like an afterthought, I muttered, “Idiot.”

Without waiting for his response or risking another second in his presence, I turned and walked away.

Even without looking back, I could feel the intensity of his burning gaze fixed on me.

As I continued down the road, the evening had already begun to settle in. The sun hovered low on the horizon.

I pulled out my phone and checked the time, and the moment I saw it, my brows drew together in fear. I was late, and I already knew what that meant. A quiet breath left my lips as I slipped the phone back into my pocket before hurrying to the home where I served.

Years ago, when my parents died, my uncle and aunt had made their decision without hesitation. To them, I had never been anything more than an inconvenience, a responsibility they didn’t want to bear. Instead of raising me, they sold me.

Just like that, I was handed over to a high-ranking Alpha family of the Silver Shadow Pack, not as a person. From that moment on, my life had no longer belonged to me.

By the time I reached the house and stepped inside, the familiar heaviness in the air wrapped around me instantly.

It didn’t matter how many years had passed; the atmosphere of this place never changed. My eyes lifted, and I immediately saw Melinda standing there, as if she had been waiting for my arrival. The sharp glare in her eyes made it clear that she was already aware of how late I was.

I straightened slightly and tried to speak before she could say anything. “Sorry, I—”

The words never left my mouth.

Her hand struck my cheek with force, cutting me off mid-sentence. The impact was sudden and harsh, sending my head snapping to the side.

For a brief moment, my vision blurred and my ears rang faintly, the shock of the slap settling in before the pain followed.

A burning sensation lingered on my cheek, growing more intense with each passing second.

I slowly brought my hand up, not in defense, but to steady myself as I faced forward again. My expression remained composed, even though I could still feel the heat from the strike.

“Do you think you can come here and leave whenever you like?” Melinda’s voice rang out sharply, filled with anger and disdain. “You are a slave in this house, yet the way you carry yourself…” She paused, looking me up and down with clear contempt. “Your attitude is no less than a queen’s, as if you own everything here.”

Her words were meant to belittle me, to remind me of my place, but instead of breaking me, they only hardened something within me.

Just then, a familiar voice echoed in the room. "Melinda, how can you slap Adira?"