Chapter 67

Chapter 67

MADDIE

One month had passed quietly. One month of a calm, peaceful, and simple life in Oakridge.

In that short span of time, the townspeople had treated me like family. The neighbors who constantly handed me freshly picked fruit, the market vendors who always added extra to my groceries, and the warmth of the entire town—it all gave me the feeling that finally, I belonged somewhere.

My relationship with Julian remained in a safe, steady place. Neither of us rushed anything. We both knew where we stood. No pressure, no heavy obligations—just a quiet understanding that if the right time came for the two of us, it would happen naturally.

It was a typical day at the daycare. After feeding the children and putting them down for their afternoon nap, I went to the kitchen to brew some tea. I was used to Julian dropping by during lunch to check on us or bring a quick snack.

When I didn't see him, I walked over to Annie, who was sorting papers at the front desk.

"Annie, have you seen Julian today?" I asked.

"Ah, he's not around today, sweetie," Annie replied with a subtle smile as she arranged a folder. "He has something to attend to in the neighboring town. He wants to open another branch for his shop over there."

"Really? He's so hardworking," I commented, placing my cup on the table.

"Oh, Julian has always been like that," Annie smiled, seeming to look back on the past. "You know, ever since he and his ex-girlfriend broke up, he never stopped working to become a better version of himself. Work, business, helping the community—he did everything to improve himself."

Curious, I sat down across from her. "Has he dated anyone else here in town since then?"

"No," Annie shook her head quickly with a smile. "Plenty of girls tried to get close to him! But it's like he's saving his heart for the next girl who is truly meant for him. He doesn't want to play around."

My heart fluttered slightly at her words. Julian was a good man—driven, honest, and pure in his intentions. It was a gentle reminder of why I needed to be careful with every step I took with him.

Before we could continue our conversation, the daycare door swung open. Mr. and Mrs. Smith walked in—a respected older couple in Oakridge who were actively involved in local charity programs.

"Annie! Sofia!" Mrs. Smith greeted us warmly, holding her husband's arm. "We have wonderful news!"

"What is it, Mrs. Smith?" Annie asked, standing up from her desk.

"An old acquaintance of ours from the city contacted us earlier," Mr. Smith explained. "A large company wants to do an immersion program here in town as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility. They'll be donating free school supplies, books, and toys for the children here at the daycare and in neighboring villages!"

"That's fantastic news!" Annie cheered, clapping her hands. "When are they visiting?"

"Today!" Mrs. Smith replied. "Their delegates are already on the way to drop off the supplies and introduce themselves."

Excitement quickly filled the daycare. Annie and I worked together to arrange the room for our incoming guests. But as I was setting up the chairs, a cold knot of dread tightened in my chest as two large black vans pulled into the courtyard.

Emblazoned on the side of the vehicles was a familiar logo.

GRANT ENTERPRISES.

My entire body went numb. My world felt as if it had stopped spinning. Hades' company.

I wanted to run, to hide in the nearest room, but before I could take a single step backward, the daycare doors opened, and the delegates from Grant Enterprises walked in alongside Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

"Sofia! Come over here and meet them!" Annie called out to me.

There was no escape. I bowed my head slightly and slowly turned around, forcing my face to stay calm even as my chest hammered in terror.

A man in a sharp suit—the Head of Marketing and CSR for Grant Enterprises—approached. He froze the moment his eyes landed on me. His brow furrowed, his eyes widening as he examined my face.

"Oh, my..." the Marketing Head stammered, looking utterly bewildered. "I... I thought... you look so much like the wife of our boss! I mean, Mrs. Grant... you're a complete dead ringer for her."

I felt the color drain from my face, but I managed to force a small, simple smile. Shrugging my shoulders naturally, I cleared my throat.

"I get that a lot," I replied in a cool, casual, and polite tone. "But I'm just a small-town girl born and raised near the countryside. There are plenty of lookalikes in the world."

The Marketing Head rubbed his chin, still looking somewhat skeptical, but eventually nodded. "Ah, yes... of course. My apologies, I was just caught off guard. The resemblance is striking."

The short program and supply distribution began. Every passing minute felt like hell. I could feel his occasional glances toward me as he handed supplies to the kids.

When the distribution wrapped up, their media team brought out a camera.

"Alright! Gather around for a corporate photo, everyone!" the photographer called out.

"Sofia, come stand in the middle!" Annie yelled.

"Ah, Annie," I quickly bluffed, gripping my bag tightly, "I just need to grab something from the other room real quick so I don't forget it. Go ahead and take the photo first!"

Before they could respond, I stepped away swiftly, heading toward the back exit. I couldn't handle it anymore. Every second I stayed was far too dangerous. If anyone recognized me or if that photo made its way to Hades' headquarters, everything would be over.

I pulled Annie aside quietly near the door. "Annie, I'm so sorry... I suddenly feel unwell. I need to head home and rest."

"Oh, go ahead, Sofia! Get some rest, we'll take care of things here," Annie replied with concern.

I nodded and rushed out the door. My steps quickened as I held the strap of my bag, practically running away from the daycare building.

However, right before I cleared the main gate, my eyes caught a figure near the parking area.

The Marketing Head was standing there, his back turned to me as he talked on his phone. His posture was tense, his voice low and fast as he spoke into the receiver.

"Yes... I'm currently at the Oakridge outreach project..." he said quietly to the person on the other end. "I saw someone here. Sir, an exact copy..."

My heart hammered against my ribs. I didn't waste another second—I rounded the corner and sprinted toward my house, the icy grip of terror consuming me once again.

The moment I slammed my front door shut and locked it, my phone buzzed frantically in my hand. My shaking fingers swiped the screen to answer.

"Maddie!" Lizzie's voice erupted through the speaker, sounding breathless, shocked, and panicked. "Maddie, are they really there?! Oh my god, I just heard—they're in Oakridge?!"

"Lizzie..." I sobbed quietly, leaning my head back against the heavy wooden door as tears finally spilled over. "The Marketing Head... he saw me. He called someone right as I left..."

"I am so, so sorry, Maddie!" Lizzie pleaded, her voice laced with guilt and distress. "I didn't know! CSR and Marketing handle their own internal outreach projects completely separately from executive operations... I totally overlooked it. I had no idea Oakridge was on their schedule for this month!"

"What do I do, Lizzie?" I whispered, my voice trembling uncontrollably. "He's going to know. Hades is going to come here."

"Listen to me carefully," Lizzie urged, taking a sharp, decisive breath. "Stay low in your house. Keep the curtains drawn, lock every door, and do not step outside for any reason. I'm already working on it—we're going to think of a Plan B right now. Just hang tight, okay? Don't panic."

The line went dead.

I slid down against the wooden door until I was sitting on the cold floor, my chest heaving as a full-blown panic attack seized my body. My throat constricted, making every breath feel like drawing glass into my lungs. The walls of the quiet cottage seemed to close in on me, suffocating and terrifying.

Stay low. Don't panic.

How could I not panic? Hades knew. Or at the very least, he was seconds away from knowing.

My mind spiraled into chaos. I needed to leave Oakridge right now—this very minute. But where would I go? I didn't know the routes, and I was completely trapped. I couldn't do this all by myself. Not here. Not like this.

I dragged myself up, my hands trembling violently as I grabbed my phone again. Guilt clawed at my chest—I didn't want to drag Julian into this dangerous storm, but he was the only person in this town I could trust.

I dialed his number.

It rang twice before he picked up. "Hey, Sofia? Is everything alright?"

"Julian..." I gasped out, my voice cracking, barely holding together as tears blurred my vision. "I... I need to talk to you."

"Sofia? What's wrong? You sound terrified," Julian's tone shifted instantly, filled with deep concern.

"Sofia? What's wrong? You sound terrified," Julian's tone shifted instantly, filled with deep concern.

"I have something to tell you..." I breathed, clutching the phone tightly against my ear. "Please... can we meet? I really need your help..."

"Where are you right now?" Julian asked urgently, the sound of car keys jingling in the background. "Stay right where you are. I'll pick you up at the end of your street in five minutes, and we'll go to the little secret spot near the lake."