Sometimes, what feels like a sudden accident is actually the universe aligning two paths that were always meant to cross.

Ausse Angelina, born into a destitute family, faced constant mistreatment from parents who had never wanted a girl child. When Ausse turned twenty, her parents, desperate for money, arranged her marriage to an old man named Jake Edward, who was rumored to have killed his first wife and was now seeking another bride.

Ausse was adamant she wouldn't marry him. On the wedding day, as the bride was called, she bolted. In her haste, with the groom's guards hot on her heels, she collided with someone. It was a tall figure. "Sorry," she gasped, looking up. There stood a man, cold yet strikingly handsome. "Who is he?" she wondered.

He approached the groom, withdrew a gun from his pocket, and fired a shot directly into the groom's head. Everyone's attention instantly shifted to the fallen man. Without a word, he departed, leaving Ausse stupefied. She ran after him, but he was too swift, and she couldn't catch him.

Scene 2

Ausse couldn't fathom returning home, knowing she'd face a brutal beating. Walking aimlessly down the road, deep in thought, all Ausse could contemplate was that strange man. Suddenly, a car veered towards her and struck her accidentally. Everything began to fade to black. She felt no pain, only dizziness. Stained with blood, she started to weep. "Is this my fate? God, why do you always do this to me? Why was I even born? I also wished for some happy days in my life..." With these words, she lost consciousness.

Scene 3

She drifted into a dream, a memory of herself as a child. She and her father were at an amusement park, enjoying their time together. Her father took her to play games. "Wait here; I'll be back soon," he said and left. She waited, but he never returned. The child began to cry.

Suddenly, she heard a deep, resonant voice. "You're awake." She opened her eyes.

"Why were you crying?" he asked.

It was the cold, handsome man from earlier.

"Murderer," she whispered.

He looked at her in mild surprise.

"Why am I here?" she asked, her voice raspy.

"You were hit by a car yesterday," he replied, his gaze unwavering. "I saw you, covered in blood, and took you to the hospital."

"How long have I been in the hospital?"

"Two days," he said simply.

She tried to sit up suddenly, but a jolt of pain shot through her body, forcing her back down. "Sorry, but I can't afford the hospital bill," she whispered, her voice laced with anxiety.

"You don't need to," he responded, his voice cold and low, before turning and leaving the room.

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preview:-

She tried to sit up suddenly, but a jolt of pain shot through her body, forcing her back down. "Sorry, but I can't afford the hospital bill," she whispered, her voice laced with anxiety.

"You don't need to," he responded, his voice cold and low, before turning and leaving the room.

You were here:-

Ausse lay there, confused, staring out the open window. A sudden, gentle breeze brushed her face. The wind was light, the weather serene and beautiful, but instead of enjoying the peaceful day, she remained lost in thought. What if my parents were searching for me? she wondered. But a part of her knew that would never happen. With the calming weather surrounding her, she drifted back into a peaceful sleep.

A Faint Awakening

Again, a faint voice called her, waking her up.

"Here. I thought you'd be hungry."

He placed something down and left before she could fully process his words. She pretended not to hear him and nestled back into the comforting embrace of sleep.

It was nearly noon when she truly woke. Her eyes drifted around the room, a spark of curiosity in them. On the bedside table, she saw some food with a note beside it: 'Eat properly.' Her eyes welled up with tears. A stranger, who barely knew her, was treating her with more kindness than the parents who had given her life.

Two more days passed. She waited for him, but he didn't return. Each time the nurse brought her food, she asked who had sent it. The food always came with the same note, 'Eat properly,' but that wasn't enough to satisfy her burgeoning curiosity. She longed to thank her savior, to see his face again. She didn't understand these unfamiliar feelings, but all she wanted was to meet him.

Over a week passed. She was recovering well, but the peaceful days were dwindling. She knew she had to return to reality. Days merged into one, her body mended, and it was finally time to leave the hospital. A new, daunting thought surfaced: Where shall I live? It had been three weeks since she'd fled her forced marriage. Returning to her parents was simply not an option.

Scene 2: A Fateful Encounter

She took a taxi to a nearby hotel, but she had no money for a room. Once again, she found herself walking the streets as darkness descended. Exhausted, she decided to rest on a nearby footpath. The cold wind bit at her, and she fainted, collapsing onto the pavement.

Suddenly, a car passing by noticed her motionless form. It stopped, and from it emerged the same handsome man.

"What a fate," he murmured, his eyes fixed on her. He then gently lifted her and carried her to his car.

Even in her unconscious state, she could almost hear the steady beat of his heart. A faint, inexplicable obsession stirring within the girl, carried by this enigmatic stranger.

(next chapter:-Introduction)

Lying on a remarkably soft bed with a fluffy blanket, she began to stir. "What a soft bed," she murmured, still half-asleep. Then, a jolt. "Wait! Soft bed?" Her eyes snapped open, and she sat bolt upright, scanning the room. It was huge, vintage, yet undeniably aesthetic and comforting.

She swung her legs out of bed and opened the door, a mix of curiosity and unease bubbling inside her. "Where am I?" she whispered, then suddenly remembered the previous night: collapsing on the road and being rescued.

Following the faint sounds, she found herself in a grand drawing-room. There, sprawled on a plush sofa, was a man. "It's the same man!" she blurted out, a little too loudly. He stirred, his eyelids fluttering open. He was in pajamas, the top few buttons undone, revealing a glimpse of sculpted muscle. Her thoughts immediately veered off-course. "Very sexy," she mentally sighed, her gaze lingering on his abs.

"Falling for it?" he drawled, a hint of amusement in his voice, though his eyes remained unreadable.

A hot blush crept up her neck. She whipped her head away, cursing herself. "I really am a pervert!" she wailed internally. Clearing her throat, she managed to steady her voice. "Ugha! Umm... who are you?"

"Why do you want to know?" he replied, his face still devoid of expression.

"Why, my foot!" she fumed silently. "You rescued me twice, and I still don't know who you are?" Aloud, she said, "I just simply asked because I don't know you properly. But if you insist, 'Mister Murderer' will do for me."

"Okay then, Mister Murderer," she continued, "could you please explain how I ended up here?"

He twitched, closing his eyes for a moment before speaking. "Jades Bai."

A small smile touched her lips. "I'm Angelina Ausse. You can call me 'Ausse'."

He simply shook his head slightly. "I just found you fainted on the road and took you here."

"Oh," Ausse said, a little taken aback. "Well, thanks for the hospital bill and last night." A rapid-fire volley of questions then tumbled out. "Is this your house? What do you do? Why did you kill my fiancé that day? Why did you help me? And blah, blah, blah..."

Jades held up a hand, a flicker of something in his eyes – exasperation, perhaps? "Don't rush. Ask one by one."

Just then, her stomach let out a rather embarrassing, loud growl. He looked at her, a hint of something unreadable in his gaze, then got up and headed toward the kitchen. "It's so embarrassing!" she thought, wanting to sink through the floor.

Flop! A sudden, clattering crash of falling utensils echoed from the kitchen. Ausse rushed in to find Jades standing amidst a cloud of flour, his face comically dusted white. She burst out laughing, unable to stop herself.

"Is it that entertaining?" he asked, a hint of a dry tone in his voice, though his flour-streaked face made it hard to take him seriously.

"You don't know how to cook? Ha!" she teased, still giggling.

"Do I look like a chef to you?"

"No problem! I'll cook by myself. What do you want to eat?"

"Just simple egg soup will do," he conceded.

She took her spot in the kitchen, ready to perform her culinary magic. Jades watched her, his gaze intense. "Why is he looking at me? I'll end up dead this way," she thought, suddenly self-conscious under his scrutiny. "Ah... could you please wait outside? I'll cook by myself."

He looked a bit tangled, as if debating, but then quietly left the kitchen. "Hash! Now I can cook properly."

A few minutes later, she called out, "The food is ready to eat!" But there was no response. Deciding to find him, she began her search.

Her quest led her to a massive library. It was breathtakingly beautiful, lined with shelves stretching to the high ceiling, filled with countless books. She was so captivated by its grandeur that she completely forgot her initial task, wandering among the towering stacks.

As she reached for a book, she accidentally tripped, stepping on something unexpected. With a startled yelp, she tumbled forward, landing squarely on top of Jades. He was sprawled on the floor, surprisingly pale and bare from the waist up, yet radiating a disarming warmth. Her gaze flickered to his face. "He looks even more handsome from here," she mused, her eyes then falling on his beautiful soft, red-pink lips. "How beautiful!" she whispered aloud, a purely instinctive reaction.

(Next chapter - Brutally assaulted)