Scorched Thorn

The night breeze carried the faint scent of champagne and gardenias, wandering around a magnificent villa standing on the hillside of Sunset District. The villa, a classic European-style mansion with white colonnades and a sloping roof covered in dark tiles, was brightly lit, as if a pearl had fallen into the quiet night. In the backyard, a large rectangular swimming pool sparkled under the warm yellow string lights, the water rippling gently with the breeze, reflecting the silhouettes of the young men and women by the poolside.

They were all teenagers around eighteen years old, dressed in expensive and exquisite clothes—tailored suits, high-end evening dresses, limited-edition sneakers, and luxury accessories that subtly revealed their distinguished identities. Each of them had a refined and elegant demeanor, their laughter clear and bright, echoing in the backyard, a true portrayal of the children from wealthy and prominent families.

The protagonist of the birthday party, Kiran Thorne, stood in the middle of the crowd. He was extremely handsome, with sharp facial features, deep blue eyes like the Mediterranean Sea, and light brown hair neatly combed, exuding an innate sense of old money elegance and nobility in every gesture. He greeted his friends warmly, his smile polite yet unrestrained, but his eyes would occasionally drift away, glancing towards the villa gate from time to time, as if he was eagerly waiting for someone to arrive.

After greeting a group of friends, Kiran quietly walked to an elderly man in a neat tuxedo—he was the housekeeper of the Thorne family, Mr. Hale, who had been taking care of him since he was a child. Kiran leaned slightly closer, his voice lowered, with a hint of imperceptible urgency: “Mr. Hale, hasn’t Aria arrived yet?”

Mr. Hale raised his wrist, glanced at the luxury watch on his arm, then looked around the bustling crowd calmly, and replied in a low and respectful voice: “Young master, she is indeed late compared to the time she agreed upon. I have sent someone to check, but there is no news yet.”

A hint of disappointment flashed across Kiran’s handsome face, his bright blue eyes dimming slightly. But in the next second, he quickly adjusted his expression—when a friend waved at him and shouted his name, he forced a smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes, and waved back politely.

Just as the smile on his face was about to fade, a familiar soft voice came from the villa gate, cutting through the noise of the party: “Excuse me, please let me through.”

Kiran’s body stiffened slightly, and he immediately turned his head to look in the direction of the voice. There, a girl wearing a light pink dress was pushing her way through the crowd gently, nodding and apologizing to the people around her from time to time. When she raised her head, her eyes met Kiran’s exactly. The moment she saw him, her lips curved into a bright smile, as if she had met an old friend in a crowd.

The disappointment and dimness in Kiran’s eyes disappeared instantly, replaced by a dazzling light, as if stars had fallen into his eyes. ”Aria! Over here!” He waved at her enthusiastically, his voice full of joy and excitement, gesturing for her to come to him.

When Aria walked up to him, she leaned forward gently and pressed a soft kiss on his cheek, a gesture of politeness and enthusiasm among their circle. Kiran stared at her without blinking, his voice full of sincere praise and admiration: “You look so different today, so cute—like a real-life Barbie doll.”

Aria had long black curly hair cascading down her back like a waterfall, thick and lush as a jungle. Her eyes were as bright as rubies, reflecting the warm lights of the party. Her skin was flawless, smooth and translucent, with a natural blush on her cheeks that exuded innocence and playfulness. Her plump and moist lips added a touch of subtle sexiness to her. Her figure was perfect, with a golden ratio—her skeleton and limb proportions were just right, making her look like a flawless work of art carefully designed by the most talented designer. Kiran’s praise of her being like a Barbie doll was completely well-deserved.

“Really, Kiran? It’s not that good.” Aria tugged at the hem of her pink dress, a hint of embarrassment in her voice, “To be honest, I don’t like this style at all—it’s too pink. I wouldn’t have worn it if my father hadn’t insisted. He said I look as cute as my sister did when she was little, but I’m not my sister. He always likes to compare me to her.” As she spoke, she put her hands on her hips, pouted her lips slightly, looking a little helpless and annoyed.

But this little gesture made Kiran’s heart flutter—even when she was angry, she looked so cute and charming. He stared at her blankly, a silly smile on his face: “Hahaha, what I meant is that you rarely wear dresses. You look lovely in it.”

“Oh, that’s true.” Aria nodded, agreeing with him, “I prefer wearing pants. They’re more convenient for moving around, and they make me look cooler.” She continued to tug at her dress, looking a little uncomfortable in the unfamiliar attire.

“By the way, Kiran! Happy birthday!” Suddenly, Aria seemed to remember something, her eyes lit up, and she quickly took out an exquisitely decorated box from her small bag—its surface was inlaid with small crystals, shining under the lights. “This is your 18th birthday gift. I hope you like it.”

Kiran took the gift happily, his fingers brushing against hers gently, his face full of joy: “Thank you, my lovely junior girl Aria. I’ll love whatever you give me!” He couldn’t wait to open the box, his eyes filled with anticipation. Just as his fingers were about to touch the lid of the box, a loud shout suddenly came from the villa gate, shattering the warm and joyful atmosphere of the party: “Watch out!”

Kiran and Aria were both startled by the sudden shout, and they subconsciously turned their heads to look at the security guard at the gate. There, three or five men with grotesque appearances and covered in scars were rushing in, holding guns, electric batons, knives, and other weapons. Their clothes were tattered and dirty, and they had already broken through the security guards’ defense line—several security guards at the gate were lying on the ground, seriously injured by their weapons, unable to stand up and control the situation.

“I want the Thornes to pay with their lives!” They roared loudly, their voices hoarse and ferocious, rushing towards Kiran Thorne in the middle of the crowd at top speed. It was as if they had spotted him at a glance in the crowd, confirming that he was a member of the Thorne family.

Anyone who stood in their way was ruthlessly pushed down or thrown aside. Some of them seemed to have mutated, possessing immense strength—one of them lifted an innocent guest with one hand and threw him to the ground heavily in an instant. Another man’s hand touched a guest’s clothes, and in the next second, the clothes burst into flames, as if his hand had the magic to ignite objects. In the blink of an eye, the warm and lively birthday party turned into a hell filled with the screams of guests, the sounds of people scrambling to escape, and the chaos of pushing and shoving.

Kiran hadn’t even reacted yet. A man with a long scar near his eye, holding a knife, rushed up to him at lightning speed, the sharp blade gleaming coldly in the light, stabbing straight at his heart. Aria, standing next to Kiran, was horrified when she saw this scene, her adrenaline soaring. In that moment, she was too panicked to think, and instinctively stretched out her left arm to block in front of Kiran, shouting frantically: “No!”

……

……

“Aria, you’re such a brave girl, risking your life to protect Kiran.”

“Aria and Kiran are so lucky. Thank God, that madman suddenly got burned to death at the last second when he was about to stab Kiran—it was as if he had been struck by lightning. I even felt the power in the villa go out for a moment. It’s really a miracle, like God himself intervened. Kiran is truly lucky to be alive.”

“Those madmen are ugly, shabbily dressed, like monsters. They must be from the Dust Domain. I don’t know how they got the chance to come to Sunset District—it’s the most expensive community in the entire Sky Domain. Logically, they shouldn’t have any access at all.”

……

……

Amidst the people’s continuous praise and admiration, Aria seemed a little distracted. She stared at her left hand, her face filled with disbelief and dullness, as if she had just woken up from a terrible nightmare.

“Are you okay, Aria?” Kiran looked at her anxiously, his voice full of concern, reaching out to gently touch her arm.

“N... Nothing.” Aria blinked, her eyes gradually calming down, and a hint of firmness appeared in them. She forced a slight smile at Kiran, though it looked a little tired and reluctant.

But at that moment, for some reason, she had a strong premonition, as if a voice deep in her heart was telling her—her life would never be the same as before.