Rose’s tears kept streaming down her face. The cutter machine was whirring toward her.
Max, seeing this, spoke in a sinister tone, “I hate you more than anything. Because of you my younger brother tried to finish me off, and now you have no right to live.” He laughed loudly. Suddenly, gunshots rang out. Hearing the shots, Max’s expression changed. He turned around and saw Daniel standing there with a rifle in his hands. Max froze. Rose — looking at Daniel — screamed, “Uncle, please save me!”
Daniel’s eyes were burning with rage. He pointed the rifle at Max and said in a cold voice, “You’ve gone too far. I won’t leave you alive for this.” He fired at Max. Max dropped down and shouted angrily, “Are you crazy? Would you kill your own brother for this girl?”
Daniel stepped forward, grabbed Max by the collar and said, “Yes, I would. I will kill anyone who tries to harm her. She’s not just a girl to me…” He stopped suddenly.
Max sneered, “What is she to you? Tell me. What is this girl to you that you’re ready to destroy us all? Daniel, listen carefully — this girl will never stand by you. Only we will be with you in life. Don’t forget who you really are. You’re Daniel Wilson, someone who never had a heart, who never felt anything for anyone. That’s why you’re in a position I never reached. But if you feel for a little girl like this, that won’t be good for you.”
Daniel shoved Max away in fury and ground his teeth. “I don’t care. Whoever she is, I’ll protect her with my dying breath.” With that he picked Rose up in his arms. Rose screamed and sobbed, “Uncle, uncle, thank you so much. You saved me. I knew you would save me. They’re so bad — please take me away. I don’t want to stay here.” She kept crying, and Daniel silently walked out cradling her.
Max lay on the ground watching angrily. Diler came up, helped Max up and said, “I told you from the start — it won’t be possible to kill that girl, because our own blood has gone mad over her.” Hearing that, Max shouted, “What does that little girl have that makes a mafia like Daniel go insane? I want to see her dead. I don’t know how, but I can’t bear to see her alive.”
Diler thought for a moment and said, “If brute force won’t work, we’ll need to use our heads. We tried strength and we failed. Now we must do something that will make Daniel push the girl away himself.” Diler smiled craftily. Max’s expression changed.
Night had fallen. Rose was sleeping deeply. Daniel sat beside her, watching. Rose’s face was like a rose; her fragile lips were dry. Daniel looked at her carefully.
After a few seconds he bent down, kissed her forehead and said in his cold voice, “I don’t know what you are to me, but you’ve become a lot to me.” He rose and went to the washroom. In her sleep, Rose’s face softened into a faint smile.
Around two in the morning Daniel felt something — a light weight — on top of him. He opened his eyes. Rose was sitting on his chest, looking straight at him.
Seeing her stare like that, Daniel said in his stern voice, “Why are you awake so late? And why are you sitting on me like that? Has your big bed become too small for you?” Rose nodded quickly. Daniel ground his teeth, “Why do you always answer the opposite to everything I say?” Rose lowered her head.
After a moment, Daniel asked, “Will you tell me why you’re awake? Is something wrong?” Rose put her hand on her stomach and said softly, “It hurts here. It’s hurting, uncle.” Daniel’s expression changed. He looked closely at her stomach. “Why? Why does it hurt?” he asked.
Rose shook her head. “I don’t know. But when it hurts, Daddy gives me injections.” Hearing this, Daniel’s face hardened. He sat Rose back on the bed and demanded, “Who is it that used to give you injections — your father?” Tears welled in Rose’s big eyes as she looked at Daniel. “It hurt so much. Daddy’s injections made it hurt worse, but then I would fall asleep. Please give me an injection too, so it won’t hurt and I can sleep.” Hearing her, Daniel stared at her for a moment and then said, “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”
Rose cried, “Don’t leave me! Please don’t go. Give me the injection — it hurts so much.” Daniel snapped, “Shut up! I’m not going to give you any injection that will numb you. I’ll call a doctor. I’ll get your full checkup done. Then I’ll know what problem you have and what your father used to do.” Rose lowered her head and Daniel went out.
A female doctor came into the room a short while later. Rose was writhing in pain and sobbing. The doctor approached to examine Rose, but Daniel said sharply, “Can’t you check her without touching her?” The doctor hesitated. “But Mr. Daniel, how can I examine without touching? That’s not really possible,” she said.
Daniel replied, “Tell me how to examine her then. I can do it. You don’t need to touch her.” The doctor was surprised and unsure what he meant. Daniel then insisted the doctor proceed properly; she asked him to trust her and perform the checkup. Realizing the situation, the doctor calmed down and did the examination professionally while Daniel watched closely.
After about half an hour the doctor looked at Rose and said, “The checkup is done. The tests will confirm tomorrow. For now I’ve given a safe injection so she can sleep. I’ll have clearer answers by tomorrow.” Daniel didn’t reply. The doctor left.
Daniel gently carried Rose, stroked her hair and she fell into a deep sleep with her head tucked against his chest. He watched her for a few seconds, kissed her forehead and whispered, “I’ll make you completely well. Just trust me.” Then he closed his eyes.
The next morning Daniel was in the study room working on his laptop, face impassive. Diler entered and said, “Daniel, do you realize the huge mistake you’ve made?” Daniel, still expressionless, said, “I know.” Diler ground his teeth, “I’m serious — I’m not joking.”
Daniel continued working and said, “When did I say I was joking?” Diler took a deep breath. “Daniel, she’s the storm man’s daughter. Don’t you remember what her father did to you? Did you forget he did that to your own mother…?” Diler stopped midway. His words left a hard expression on Daniel’s face; Diler smiled a crooked, sly smile.
Diler added, “I knew you’d forget, so I came to remind you. You should get that girl away from you as soon as possible. Because if her father could do what he did, why wouldn’t her daughter be capable of something else? Think carefully. I’m your father — it’s my duty to warn you. I’ve said my piece. Now it’s your choice.” He left.
Daniel, enraged, threw his laptop against the wall. The crash reached Diler, who only smiled more. Daniel shouted at the top of his lungs, “I HATE YOU! NOW"