I Enslaved The Goddess Who Summoned Me-Chapter 329: Siara’s dream (3)

And at that moment, with his sharp gaze fixed on the group of men, his usual indifference was replaced by something colder.

Nathan wasn’t smiling anymore.

His expression had hardened into something unreadable—his jaw tense, his dark brown eyes gleaming with quiet intensity. It was an expression he only ever wore in front of his father.

From an outsider’s perspective, Nathan’s appearance at that moment carried an undeniable charm. If one truly took the time to observe him properly, they would notice the faint traces of something more—something hidden beneath his usual demeanor. It was a fleeting glimpse of his true self, a version of him that had long been buried under layers of resentment and pain.

He had learned to hide it well after being called a monster by his half-Japanese stepsisters, and even more so after the unsettling incident with the twin step-siblings who had come after them. Those experiences had shaped him, forced him to suppress parts of himself, leaving behind only fragments of the boy he once was.

Siara, however, had already formed a negative opinion of him. She was incapable of seeing him objectively, blind to the nuances her friends seemed to pick up on. Their words suggested they saw something different in Nathan—something she couldn’t, or perhaps refused to, acknowledge.

Feeling an uncomfortable tension creeping up her spine, Siara quickened her pace, putting more distance between herself and him. She was afraid—afraid her friends would call out to him, afraid they might actually mean what they were saying. She didn’t want to hear it.

Skyler and Page exchanged glances, puzzled by Siara’s odd behavior. They couldn’t recall a time when she had reacted like this simply because someone happened to be walking near them. Normally, she would have ignored it, brushed it off without a second thought. But now, it was as if she were actively trying to escape. Despite their curiosity, they followed her lead, keeping pace with her hurried steps.

Unfortunately for Siara, Nathan had no intention of backing down. He easily matched their stride, steadily closing the gap between them.

Noticing this, frustration surged through Siara. Enough was enough.

Abruptly, she stopped in her tracks, whirled around, and stormed straight toward Nathan, her expression sharp with irritation.

"Siara?" Skyler called, confused.

"You two, stay here," she ordered, her tone so firm that neither of them dared to argue.

Nathan, who had also halted, watched as Siara approached, her gaze burning with barely contained anger.

Her piercing glare locked onto him as she spoke.

"What did I ask you before? What the hell are you doing getting so close to me and my friends? They’ve noticed you!" Her voice was sharp, demanding an answer.

Nathan met her glare with a calm expression. "Your mother asked me to watch over you."

Siara scoffed, her frustration only growing. "I don’t care! I told you to keep your distance and stay discreet! Stop following me around like some kind of creep!" Her voice rose slightly, her irritation spilling over.

Her fists clenched at her sides as she continued, her words laced with venom. "We aren’t siblings. We aren’t family. We’re not even acquaintances worth mentioning. Just because our parents got married doesn’t mean you have any obligation toward me! So stop acting like you do!"

She took a step closer, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Or… do you have some other reason?"

Her voice dropped slightly, and for the first time, there was something else in her gaze—something cautious, almost wary.

Was he trying something? Was he using her as an excuse to get closer to her friends instead? Was she just an obstacle in the way of whatever it was he actually wanted?

That thought made her stomach churn.

Nathan’s voice remained calm, steady, and unwavering despite Siara’s hostility.

"I just want to make sure you get home safely, as your mother asked. There are dangerous people around. I should stay close," he insisted, his gaze flickering away as if scanning their surroundings for unseen threats.

Unfortunately for him, that simple gesture only fueled Siara’s irritation.

It was as if he didn’t even care about her opinion.

Her fingers curled into fists at her sides. "Don’t make me repeat myself," she snapped, her voice dropping into a sharp, warning tone. "If you keep acting like this, I’ll tell your father that you’ve been behaving strangely around me and my friends."

She hadn’t originally planned to go that far, but once the words left her mouth, she didn’t take them back. A flicker of guilt stirred in her chest, but she swallowed it down, keeping her expression firm.

For a moment, Nathan simply looked at her. His brown hair caught the dim evening light, and something unreadable flickered in his eyes. Then, slowly, he smiled—a small, almost knowing smile.

Without another word, he took a step back, then turned and walked away.

The silence in which he left did nothing to ease Siara’s lingering guilt. Something about the way he had simply accepted her words, without argument, left a strange feeling in her chest. But she shook it off and turned back to her friends.

"I think you were a little harsh, Siara," Page said with a sigh.

"Yeah," Skyler agreed, resting a hand on her hip. "And, honestly? He looked kinda cute when he smiled like that."

They hadn’t heard the exact conversation, but it wasn’t hard to guess that Siara had spoken to Nathan harshly.

"Ignore him. Let’s just go," Siara muttered, brushing past them.

But then.

"Anyway, he’s nowhere near Jason’s level," she added under her breath, almost defensively.

Page’s lips curled into a sly grin. "Jason?" she repeated, her tone laced with amusement.

Siara stiffened. Heat crept up her neck as the mere mention of her handsome classmate filled her mind with uninvited thoughts.

"I...I didn’t mean it like that!" she protested, but it was too late.

Skyler and Page exchanged a knowing glance before they both broke into teasing laughter.

And just like that, the rest of their shopping trip turned into a relentless session of Siara being teased about her obvious crush. She grumbled and rolled her eyes, but even as she glanced around casually, Nathan was nowhere to be seen. He had truly left.

Eventually, after another half-hour of walking around, the three of them decided to part ways.

By then, the sky had darkened, and the bustling energy of the day had faded into the quiet hum of evening. The streets weren’t completely empty, but the crowds had thinned significantly.

"Let’s walk with you to your bus stop," Skyler offered.

"Yeah, just in case," Page agreed.

Siara didn’t argue.

The bus stop was fairly isolated, tucked along the edge of a dimly lit street. To their relief, it wasn’t crowded—

In fact, it seemed deserted.

Almost too deserted.

A faint unease settled in the air as the three girls sat on the bench, waiting. The distant sound of cars and city life buzzed in the background, but the area around them felt strangely still.

Siara glanced around idly. There was no one.

Or at least… it seemed that way.

Then, the sound of footsteps.

A group of four men approached, their voices loud, their laughter sharp and cutting through the quiet night.

Siara stiffened.

Something about them set off warning bells in her head. The way their gazes flickered toward them—assessing, predatory.

"Girls…" Skyler’s voice was quiet, urgent.

Siara and Page didn’t need to be told twice.

Without hesitation, they stood up from the bench and started walking away, their pace brisk but controlled.

"Hey, girls!"

The voice rang out behind them.

Siara’s heart jumped.

They quickened their pace, but before they could get far, two of the men suddenly moved ahead of them, blocking their path.

Their grins were wide. Too wide.

And their eyes?

Dark with something far more dangerous than amusement.

"What do you want?" Siara asked, her voice sharp, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

The man in front of them grinned, an unpleasant smirk stretching across his face as he casually shoved his hands into his pockets. His stance was relaxed, but there was an undeniable arrogance in the way he carried himself.

"Come with us," he said smoothly, his tone laced with confidence. "Let’s hang out together, girls. You’ll have a great time, I promise." A low chuckle followed, the kind that sent an uneasy chill creeping up Siara’s spine.

Page, standing beside her, forced a smile, her lips twitching slightly as she took a small step backward. "We’re not interested," she said politely but firmly, turning to leave.

She had barely taken two steps when she felt a rough grip on her wrist. Her breath hitched.

"Hey! Let her go!" Siara shouted, her voice rising with anger. Without hesitation, she raised her hand and slapped the man across the face. The sound cracked through the air like a whip.

For a moment, silence reigned.

The man who had grabbed Page didn’t react right away. Instead, his expression darkened, his jaw tightening. Slowly, he turned his head back toward Siara, his eyes glinting with something dangerous.

His hand shot forward, reaching for her.

But before he could make contact—

DUH!

Something whizzed through the air at incredible speed.

A sickening, wet impact followed.

"GAAH!" The man let out a strangled cry, staggering back as blood spurted from his right eye. He clutched his face, his fingers smeared red as he stumbled, collapsing onto the pavement in agony.

"Who—?!" one of his companions exclaimed, eyes darting frantically around.

"What the hell just happened?!" another demanded.

"Look around! Find whoever did that!"

Their frantic search lasted only a few seconds before one of them pointed ahead.

"There! Over there!"

Siara’s breath caught in her throat.

Standing a short distance away, beneath the dim glow of a streetlamp, was a familiar figure.

Nathan.

He smirked, his expression almost lazy—provocative even. His posture was relaxed, hands stuffed into his pockets, but his eyes gleamed with amusement as he met their gazes. Then, without another word, he turned and bolted.

"Catch that bastard!" The injured man, still clutching his bleeding eye, forced himself to his feet with a furious roar. The remaining three, without hesitation, took off after Nathan, their footsteps pounding against the pavement.

Siara stood frozen for half a second before Page grabbed her wrist, snapping her out of it.

"Siara! The bus is here! We need to go!"

Skyler was already running toward the waiting vehicle, and without further thought, Siara allowed Page to drag her along. The doors hissed open, and they scrambled inside just before the bus lurched forward.

The entire ride home passed in a blur.

Siara stared blankly out of the window, her mind miles away. She barely registered the chatter of the other passengers, the occasional bumps in the road, or even the worried glances Page and Skyler occasionally threw her way.

When the bus finally pulled to a stop near her home, she stepped off without a word.

"Siara, are you okay?" Page asked hesitantly.

Siara gave a stiff nod.

Page and Skyler exchanged glances but didn’t press further. They assumed she was simply shaken by what had happened—after all, they were too. With a small wave, they left her standing at the bus stop.

But Siara’s thoughts weren’t on the incident itself.

They were on Nathan.

The moment she reached her house, she stopped in front of the door, staring at it without moving.

What was she supposed to say if her mother asked about Nathan?

How could she explain that he had put himself in danger—for her?

Four men had chased after him, and they weren’t the type to let an insult go unpunished. She knew that much just from the look in their eyes.

Nathan had risked himself because of her reckless actions.

And now, she had no idea if he was safe.

Or if he was even still alive.

Siara’s heart pounded so violently that she could hear it echoing in her ears. A cold sweat clung to her skin, and an uncomfortable lump formed in her throat, making it difficult to breathe.

She couldn’t shake the anxiety gripping her chest.

Nathan… what had happened to him? Had he escaped? Was he hurt?

She clenched her fists, trying to calm herself, but the unease only grew stronger.

"Siara? What are you doing just standing there?"

Her mother’s voice suddenly broke through her turmoil, making her flinch.

Siara snapped her head up, realizing that her mother was watching her from inside the house, peering through the window with mild curiosity.

She stiffened.

Before she could gather herself, her mother disappeared from view, and moments later, the sound of the front door unlocking echoed through the quiet night.

Siara’s breath caught.

Her mother stepped out, smiling warmly. "You’re a little late today, but I’m glad Nathan brought you home safely. Thank you, Nate."

Siara’s body went rigid.

Nathan?

Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she spun around so quickly she nearly lost her balance.

And there he was.

Nathan stood behind her, calm and composed as ever, his usual smirk absent. He looked completely unbothered, as though nothing had happened at all.

"It was nothing, really," he said casually, his voice even.

Siara just stared at him, unable to form words.

He made it back? But how?

What happened to the men who had chased him down?

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Her mother, oblivious to her inner turmoil, simply nodded. "You both must be tired. Come in, wash your hands, and get ready for dinner."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and headed inside.

Nathan followed without hesitation, walking past Siara without so much as a glance in her direction.

Siara opened her mouth—she wanted to say something, anything.

Apologies.

Questions.

She wanted to ask if he was okay, if he was hurt, if he needed anything. But the words lodged in her throat, suffocating her.

And then, just as he stepped inside, her gaze fell to his hands.

Her breath hitched.

Nathan’s fists were bruised, knuckles split open, faint traces of blood smeared awkwardly across his skin, as if he had tried to wipe it away but hadn’t bothered to do it properly.