"I hate rain."
Aurelia Vale muttered under her breath as she stood at the nearly empty bus stop, watching the rain fall in relentless sheets.
Her blazer was damp. Her hair clung to the side of her face. And the folder pressed tightly against her chest was slowly absorbing the moisture in the air.
Inside that folder were the documents she had worked years for — proof that she had finally completed her Juris Doctor and finished the California Bar Exam.
And now they were getting soaked.
She checked the road again.
Still no bus.
"I swear," she sighed, shifting impatiently, "if this rain ruins my documents…"
Just then, headlights appeared through the grey curtain of rain.
The bus.
Finally.
Aurelia hurried forward, clutching the folder tightly as she ran toward the curb. After waiting nearly an hour in the rain, she wasn't about to miss it now.
But fate had other plans.
Just as she stepped forward, a tall figure collided with her shoulder.
The impact knocked the folder from her hands.
Papers scattered across the wet pavement.
"My documents!"
She dropped to her knees instantly, scrambling to gather them before the rain could do more damage.
"Are you blind, mister?" she snapped, glaring up at him. "Because of you my documents are soaked!"
The man standing before her looked just as drenched. Rain dripped from his dark hair, but his expression remained calm.
"I'm sorry," he said politely. "I didn't mean to cause trouble."
Aurelia shoved the damp papers back into her folder and stood up — just in time to see the bus doors closing.
The bus drove away.
Her jaw dropped.
"You've got to be kidding me."
She turned back to him, clearly irritated.
"You ruined my documents and made me miss my bus."
The man glanced down the empty road, then back at her struggling with the papers.
"The next bus should arrive in about thirty-five minutes," he said.
Aurelia stared at him.
"Thirty-five minutes? In this rain?"
He thought for a moment before speaking again.
"If you need to reach somewhere quickly, I can book you a ride."
She hesitated.
Normally, accepting help from a stranger wasn't something she would even consider.
But her phone was completely dead.
And standing here in the rain for another half hour sounded miserable.
She sighed.
"I actually do need a cab," she admitted. "My phone died, otherwise I wouldn't be stuck like this. If you could book one for me, I'll pay you back when I get home and charge my phone."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"That won't be necessary," he said. "Consider it compensation."
Aurelia studied him for a moment before nodding.
"Fair enough," she said. "Deal."
Fifteen minutes later, the cab arrived.
After sending her the ride details, the man watched as Aurelia climbed inside and the car disappeared down the rain-soaked street.
For a moment, he simply stood there.
He should have asked for her name.
Her eyes had been striking — bright even beneath the dull sky. And her smile carried a warmth he hadn't expected.
Strange.
For a brief moment, standing beside her in the rain had felt… peaceful.
"SIR! Sir!"
The voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
He turned to see a security guard jogging toward him.
"Sir, the car is fixed. Sorry for the delay!"
The man nodded and started walking toward the parking area.
But halfway there, something caught his eye.
A blue wallet lay near the curb.
He bent down and picked it up.
Curious, he opened it.
The name on the ID card made him pause.
Aurelia Vale.
A slow smile spread across his face.
"Well," he murmured quietly.
"Looks like fate isn't done with us yet."