Chapter 1 Happybirthday to Myself!

Eden's POV

"Table four, latte and vanilla cake!"

I grabbed the plates and walked through the packed coffee shop, careful with each step. Last time I spilled coffee, my boss took half a day's pay from me.

"Here you go. Enjoy." I forced a smile as I set down the order.

When I turned to leave, the girl stopped me.

"Hey, your eyes are so cool!" she said.

I froze. When people notice my eyes—that weird green with gold circles—it usually means trouble. I made myself look at her, ready for the mean comments.

But she just looked curious. "Are those contacts? They're so pretty."

"Um... no, they're my real eyes," I said quietly.

"Wow, that's awesome!" she said.

I quickly nodded thanks and hurried away. Even though she was nice, I hated when people noticed how different I was. Being different has only ever caused me problems.

During my break, I hid in the kitchen corner, thinking about my past. I don't remember anything before I was three. Mrs. Wilson from the orphanage told me I was left at their door on a rainy night, with just a note saying my name: Eden.

The orphanage was tough. I was smaller than other kids my age and they picked on me. They hid my blankets, and put salt in my food, calling me "freak" and "fairy eyes." Once, some older kids locked me in a dark closet overnight until a janitor found me the next morning.

The only nice person was a boy a few years older than me at the orphanage. He would protect me when other kids bullied me and sometimes sneak me candy or bread.

When I was ten, a rich-looking family adopted him. The day he left was one of my worst days ever. Sometimes I miss him and wonder how he's doing now, that boy with the warm golden eyes who used to protect me.

School life was even worse. By middle school, the students would chase me during breaks and throw my books in toilets.

High school was absolute hell. I developed earlier than most girls, and suddenly the attention changed in a way that made me even more uncomfortable.

Boys who had ignored me for years started following me in the hallways, making crude comments about my body.

The girls were even worse. They started spreading rumors that I was sleeping around for money.

"How else could an orphan afford new clothes?" she'd sneer loud enough for everyone to hear. Her jealousy turned into a campaign to make my life miserable.

Then came that horrible day in sophomore year. I was walking past the school fountain when that girl and her friends surrounded me.

"Hey, Eden, I heard you've been texting Jake," she said, her voice sweet but her eyes cold.

"I haven't—" I started to say, but she cut me off.

"Liar!" she screamed, and suddenly they were all pushing me.

I lost my balance and fell backward into the fountain. The water soaked through my white shirt, making it completely see-through. As I struggled to get up, I saw Jake and his friends recording everything on their phones, laughing and zooming in on my chest.

The video spread through the entire school by lunchtime. Teachers saw it but did nothing. That afternoon, I walked out of the school and never went back. I couldn't handle the humiliation anymore.

The orphanage staff didn't care if I went to school or not. As long as I did my cleaning chores, they left me alone.

"Eden! Break's over!" My boss's voice snapped me back to reality.

At six o'clock, I finished my coffee shop shift and headed to my next job at the warehouse. By 8:30 PM, I finished packing the last orders. If I hurried, I could still catch the bakery before closing, then head back to the orphanage.

When I pushed open the bakery door, warm air and sweet smells hit me.

"Can I help you?" the friendly woman asked.

"I want to buy a birthday cake," I said quietly.

"Want me to write something on it? Like 'Happy Birthday'?"

"Happy Birthday, Eden," I whispered.

The woman smiled, wrote the message, and carefully put the cake in a nice box. I paid, spending almost all my tips.

As I walked out holding the cake box, I felt strangely happy.

The night had fallen completely, only a few streetlights casting long shadows across the cracked sidewalk. I decided to take the shortcut through the old industrial area—desolate and eerie at night, but saving me ten precious minutes.

The sound of my footsteps echoed between the abandoned buildings. A cold breeze made me shiver, and I clutched the cake box tighter against my chest. Something felt off tonight. The usual distant traffic sounds seemed muffled, as if the world was holding its breath.

My heart skipped a beat when I heard the low rumble of an engine behind me. Headlights suddenly illuminated my path.

Just someone driving home, I told myself, stepping closer to the wall to let the vehicle pass.

But the black truck slowed down, matching my pace.

I quickened my pace, my knuckles white around the cake box. The truck sped up too.

Run. Run now.

Just as the thought formed in my mind, the truck swerved sharply, cutting off my path ahead.

Two men jumped out before I could even turn around. One appeared in front of me, a mountain of a man with a face hidden beneath a ski mask.

I opened my mouth to scream, but before any sound came out, a rough hand clamped around my throat from behind.

"Don't even think about it," a gravelly voice warned in my ear.

I dropped the cake box and clawed at the hand crushing my windpipe. The chocolate cake spilled across the dirty pavement—the "Happy Birthday Eden" now a smeared mockery of my eighteenth birthday celebration.

"This one's perfect," the man in front of me said, his eyes cold as they assessed me like merchandise. "Young, pretty. She'll fetch a good price."

I managed to gasp, kicking wildly.

The man behind me tightened his grip.

The man in front reached into his pocket and pulled out a white cloth. The chemical smell hit my nostrils before the cloth even touched my face.

"No, please—" My plea was cut short as he pressed the cloth hard against my nose and mouth.

I held my breath as long as I could, struggling with every ounce of strength I had left. But eventually, my lungs betrayed me, forcing me to inhale the sickly-sweet scent.

The world began to spin. I blacked out, everything went dark in front of my eyes.