I stared out the window while watching the rain pour down in heavy sheets. Each drop against the glass seemed to echo in my mind, increasing the unease that gnawed at me. I hugged myself, trying to shake off the familiar dread that always came with thunderstorms. The dark clouds mirrored my mood, the relentless downpour matching the turmoil inside me.
"Hey, Auri." Yue's voice pulled me from my thoughts. She stood beside me with an umbrella in hand. "Do you want to go home with me? My car's just outside, and I can drop you off."
I shook my head. "Thanks, Yue, but I think I'll wait a bit. It's still raining pretty hard out there."
She frowned and glanced out the window. "Are you sure? It doesn't look like it's going to let up anytime soon."
"I'll be fine," I insisted. "I don't want to trouble you."
She sighed before nodding reluctantly. "Alright, but if you change your mind, let me know. I'll be around for a little while longer."
I nodded and watched her walk away. I sat back down, staring at the clock as the minutes ticked by. Thirty minutes passed, and the rain showed no sign of stopping. The thought of Silas, waiting outside in the rain troubled me. I don't have his number, so there is no way to call him and find out where he is.
I finally decided to grab my bag and headed for the door. This is ridiculous. I can't wait here forever.
As I stepped outside, the cold rain immediately began to soak me. I braced myself to dash through the downpour when suddenly, an umbrella appeared over my head, shielding me from the rain. I looked up in surprise and saw Silas standing beside me.
"Good evening, miss," His blue eyes meeting mine with a reassuring gaze.
"Silas!" Relief flooding through me. "How did you-"
"I've been waiting for you," he interrupted gently. "I couldn't let you walk in the rain."
"Have you been waiting long?"
"I knew you'd come out eventually," he replied with a small smile. "Shall we go?"
I nodded, feeling the tension in my shoulders ease as we walked together under the umbrella. Despite the storm around us, I felt a strange sense of security with Silas by my side. He opened the door and I entered immediately. He turned around and got inside the driver's seat.
We were both quiet as Silas drove off. The rhythmic hum of the car and the gentle sway of the vehicle lulled me into a sense of calm. Knowing it would take thirty minutes to get home, I decided to doze off. As expected, I drifted into another dream, but this time it was starkly different from the happy ones I'd had before.
I found myself standing in a dimly lit room, tears streaming down my face. I was crying, my body wracked with sobs. In front of me stood a man and I was clutching his hands desperately. "Please," my voice breaking. "You have to help me. I can't go through with this marriage."
For the first time, I could see his face clearly. My heart skipped a beat as I realized he looked exactly like my butler, Silas. "My love," he said softly, his voice filled with anguish. "Please stop crying."
"Silas," my grip on his hands tightening. "I can't marry him. I don't love him. I love you."
He looked at me, his expression torn. "I want to help you, my love. But this marriage... it's not just about us. There are so many others involved, so many consequences."
"I don't care about the consequences!" I cried out, my voice echoing in the room. "I care about us. I care about being with you."
Silas took a deep breath. His eyes reflecting his internal struggle. "You have to trust me. I will do everything I can to help you. But you must wear the necklace I gave you. Promise me you'll wear it."
I nodded while tears still streaming down my face. "I promise, Silas. I promise I'll wear it."
He pulled me into an embrace. "We'll find a way," he whispered into my hair. "I won't let them take you from me."
The intensity of the dream was overwhelming, and just as Silas was about to say something else, I was jolted awake by the sound of my butler's voice. "Miss Aurora, we're home."
I opened my eyes, and found myself staring into Silas' blue eyes.
For a moment, the lines between dream and reality blurred. His voice echoed in my ears, and the realization struck me like a ton of bricks. Not only did my butler share the same name as the man from my dreams, but they also looked exactly alike. Their voices, faces, and names were all the same. How could this be? I had been dreaming of that man long before Silas became my butler.
"Miss, are you alright?"
I nodded slowly, still trying to process everything. "Yes, I'm fine. Just... a strange dream.
I looked at him, my mind racing. What tied my dreams to the real Silas? And why did waking up feel like my heart was being shattered every time?
As I stepped out of the car and walked towards the house, I couldn't shake the feeling that my dreams were more than just figments of my imagination. They were pieces of a puzzle.