Chapter 2: The Unknown Savior
1029 Words
Chapter 2: The Unknown Savior
"This is the happiest day of my life."
"That cursed girl is finally gone."
"No one will ever stand above me again."
Melissa raised her glass with a smile.
"To our new life."
Ethan smiled as well.
"And to billions of dollars."
The four of them clinked their glasses together.
They had absolutely no idea…
That the girl they believed to be dead…
Was still alive.
And that the true story of her life…
Had only just begun.
Golden rays of the morning sun filtered through the dense trees and reached the small cabin hidden deep within the forest.
The terrible storm from the previous night had finally disappeared, leaving behind the refreshing scent of wet earth and fresh grass. Inside the wooden cabin, an unusual silence prevailed.
Claire lay quietly on the bed, her face still pale, though her breathing had become much steadier. Clean bandages covered the wound on her abdomen, and the faint scent of medicinal herbs lingered in the room. In one corner, a tall young man sat silently on a wooden chair.
His eyes looked perfectly normal now, and the strange crimson glow they had carried during the night had completely disappeared.
The young man observed the sleeping girl quietly for a while before letting out a long sigh. A faint smile appeared on his handsome face as he spoke softly to himself.
"Seriously… even someone as beautiful as you has enemies cruel enough to stab you and throw you into a river."
"Humans really are strange."
"Sometimes they are far more terrifying than monsters."
He had no idea whether she could hear him or not. He was merely voicing the thoughts in his mind.
"I don't know who you are or where you came from."
"But until you recover completely…"
"I'm not leaving you alone."
Claire's fingers moved slightly. Deep inside the darkness surrounding her consciousness, she slowly felt herself returning. Sounds gradually began reaching her ears once again. The memory of rain, distant voices, and the faint warmth around her slowly guided her back to reality. Her eyelids trembled before she finally opened her eyes. At first, everything appeared blurry, but little by little, her vision cleared. The first thing she saw was the young man sitting nearby. Nearly six feet tall, broad-shouldered, strongly built, and unbelievably handsome, he almost looked unreal beneath the golden morning sunlight.
For several moments, Claire simply stared at him. Then a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Wow…"
"I guess I really made it to heaven."
"I never imagined heaven would have such handsome people."
Hearing her voice, the young man blinked in surprise before laughter spread across his face.
"Impressive."
"After losing so much blood, you still have enough strength left to joke."
"Looks like you'll recover sooner than I thought."
His cheerful tone carried an unexpected warmth.
Claire continued staring at him before confusion suddenly filled her eyes.
"Wait…"
"If I'm in heaven…"
"Then why does everything hurt?"
She slowly glanced down at her abdomen. The moment she noticed the bandages covering her wound, her expression changed completely.
"Hold on…"
"I'm not dead?"
The young man rose from his chair with a slight smile.
"Not yet."
"You are still alive."
Claire froze.
"Alive?"
The young man nodded calmly.
"Yes."
"But if you don't rest properly, you might actually die for real."
Confusion spread across Claire's face. She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, but no words came out. After several moments, she finally asked softly,
"Who are you?"
Without answering immediately, the young man picked up a clay cup resting on the table and held it toward her.
"Drink this first."
"We'll talk afterward."
Claire frowned as she looked inside. The strange green liquid instantly made her face twist.
"What is this?"
The young man smiled.
"Medicine."
Claire immediately shook her head.
"No way."
"I'm not drinking that."
The young man remained completely expressionless.
"Fine."
"Then keep suffering."
The two stared at one another in silence. Eventually, defeated, Claire accepted the cup. The moment the bitter liquid touched her tongue, her entire face twisted in horror.
"Ugh!"
"How can anyone drink something this awful?"
Trying hard not to laugh, the young man answered,
"By wanting to stay alive."
Claire glared at him but lacked the energy to argue. Somehow, his amused smile made her irritation seem meaningless.
Afterward, the young man pulled his chair closer and sat down in front of her again.
"By the way…"
"My name is Adrian."
Claire slowly nodded.
"I'm Claire."
Adrian smiled warmly.
"That's a beautiful name."
Silence filled the room once again while birds sang peacefully outside. Then Adrian's expression became slightly serious.
"Do you remember what happened to you?"
The moment those words entered her ears, Claire's entire body trembled. Her breathing became uneven as memories from the previous night flooded her mind one after another. Ethan's cruel laughter. Sophia's mocking smile. Melissa's hateful words. Her father's cold face. The knife piercing her stomach. The freezing river. The terrifying darkness. Everything rushed back with such force that her heart trembled.
Tears quickly gathered in her eyes. One tear rolled down her cheek, followed by another, until the emotions she had desperately tried to suppress completely shattered. Covering her face with both hands, Claire burst into tears. Her body trembled uncontrollably as years of loneliness, pain, and betrayal poured out with every sob.
Adrian remained seated quietly. He neither interrupted nor tried to comfort her with meaningless words. He simply allowed her to cry. Perhaps he already understood that not every wound could be healed with herbs and medicine. Some injuries existed far deeper than the body itself. Claire felt as though her entire world had collapsed. Her family, her love, her home, and her future had all been stolen from her in a single night.
With every tear she shed, she became increasingly aware that nothing remained in her life. But she had no idea that the unknown young man sitting silently before her would become the greatest turning point of her destiny.
And she had no idea…
That the true story of her life had only just begun.
- Writer
