"My master said my fated one is nearby."
Sabrina Clarke stood at the edge of the villa district, holding a compass and her life-bound jade pendant.
Suddenly, the pendant started heating up like crazy.
She winced, feeling the heat sink deep into her palm. Her eyes flew wide open as she looked around in all directions, a little panicked.
Don’t tell me…
Could the person destined for her really be that close?
Muttering a chant under her breath while drawing symbols in the air, Sabrina quickly followed the direction the compass pointed.
It didn’t take long before she spotted a man standing beneath a tree.
He was wearing a black short-sleeved training shirt, his haircut was super short, skin tanned, and there was a cigarette between his lips. His expression was frosty as he spoke into his phone, “What? Missing? Get a team on it, now.”
“I want the whole city locked down ASAP, especially the train and bus stations. We need to find him.”
Once he ended the call, Sabrina finally stepped forward to block his path.
The man clearly didn’t have the patience. His face was cold, eyes flicking down at her briefly like she was a nuisance. He only said one word: “Move.”
“Finally found you.”
Sabrina’s eyes sparkled as she grabbed the corner of his shirt, trying to keep him from walking off. Her voice was calm, with a touch of softness to it: “My master sent me down the mountain to find you. You're my destined one.”
Nathaniel Bennett looked down. Standing in front of him was a short girl, maybe around 167cm, wrapped in a faded Taoist robe that looked like it’d gone through one too many washes.
Her headwear was slipping sideways, almost hiding half her face. She looked dusty and a little out of place, but her eyes were so clear, it felt like they could see right through you.
He didn’t care what she said though — just found the encounter annoying as hell. Frowning, he snapped, “What do you want?”
“I really do have something to talk to you about.”
Sabrina gave him a serious nod. “You’re supposed to be my husband. That’s why I came down the mountain. Oh, right…”
She flipped her hand and pulled out a tiny compass from her sleeve. The needle twitched nonstop.
“Mind telling me your birth date and exact time? I want to do a deeper reading on your—”
Destined what now?
“Are you nuts?”
Nathaniel didn’t even let her finish. His face darkened, tone sharp and impatient. “I don’t have time to play pretend with you. Take that act to a psych ward!”
Seeing he didn’t buy a single word, Sabrina blinked, unfazed. “I’m serious. Why won’t you believe me? Your family’s in business, right? You’re the eldest grandson, joined that special training camp at sixteen, didn’t you…”
“You’ve been digging into me?” Nathaniel let out a cold laugh.He had a cigarette dangling from his lips as he sized her up, eyes brimming with mockery. "Let me be straight with you—I’m not into you at all. I like girls with curves, long legs. Not chubby ones like you. If you're eyeing the Bennetts, drop it now."
Sabrina Clarke instinctively touched her waist.
Was he serious?
Among her fellow disciples, she was practically the skinniest.
Tilting her head, Sabrina said, "I just need to know your birthdate. It's not like I—"
Before she could finish, a big hand suddenly grabbed the collar of her shirt from behind, lifting her clean off the ground like a kitten.
The space between them vanished in an instant. She was close enough to notice the stubble on his sharp jawline, and his face, all angular and defined like it was carved from stone. Even his arms were all lean muscle, radiating a palpable heat.
Before she could even process what was happening—
She was tossed to the side.
Nathaniel Bennett strode off, long legs moving fast. The only thing he left behind was the faint smell of smoke. Sabrina couldn’t even catch a glimpse of his back before he disappeared from view.
Her compass spun wildly in her hand.
Sabrina, looking totally deflated, ran her fingers over it and mumbled, "Hey, Lil' Compass, did I say something wrong just now? Master said he’s the one I’m fated to be with… and that he’d definitely come to like me one day. But what on earth was that?"
The compass gave a tiny shiver, almost like it felt her mood.
She almost turned around and marched straight back up the mountain to confront her master about this nonsense.
But then she remembered—she still had to find her birth parents. So she held back.
Watching as Nathaniel didn’t look back once, Sabrina’s smile dropped. She frowned and tucked her soul pendant back into her shirt.
Right then, a middle-aged woman rushed past her, talking frantically on the phone. Her face was pale with worry: "I’ve checked the whole neighborhood three times and still no sign of the young master. He might’ve been taken! If I’d just—" She stopped abruptly.
Because Sabrina had gently placed her pale hand on the woman’s shoulder, making her jump in surprise.
"What are you doing?" the woman blurted out reflexively, turning around.
Sabrina looked up at her, expression serious. "Are you looking for someone?"
Her voice was light and cool, like autumn air. That calm tone finally steadied the woman, who looked like one of the house staff. "Yeah. The young master went missing half an hour ago."
She hurriedly pulled out a photo of a little boy. "Have you seen this child?"
The kid in the picture had delicate brows, a broad forehead, a well-defined face—definitely a child from a good family. He even looked like he got along well with his siblings, one of those lucky types you read about.
But from Sabrina’s point of view, a storm was looming over his fate. If he could survive it, he’d coast through life. But if not…
As she gently brushed the photo with her fingers, ready to study it more closely, her hand froze. Her brows furrowed deep.
The boy... according to the divination, he was the brother of her fated person.
And this big trial? It had already begun.
The younger brother of her destiny match—kidnapped?