CLAIMED BY THE BILLIONAIRE'S ENEMY

Unexpected Gratitude

Chapter Four

A steady beeping echoed through the quiet hospital room. Damien Cross slowly stirred, his eyelids feeling heavier than stone. The sharp scent of antiseptic filled his lungs as he struggled to focus on the white ceiling above him. His head throbbed, he blinked several times before realizing he was lying in a hospital bed. "Mr. Cross?" A doctor stepped beside him, checking the monitor connected to his arm. "You gave us quite a scare."

Damien swallowed, his throat dry. "What... happened?" "You were involved in a serious car accident. Fortunately, you escaped with a concussion, a fractured rib, and a few cuts. Considering the condition of your vehicle, it's nothing short of a miracle."

Fragments of the accident flashed through Damien's mind, the truck, the screeching tires, the impact… Then darkness. "The driver of the truck?" he asked. "The police are investigating. It appears he lost control because of the heavy rain." Damien nodded weakly. He was alive. But something didn't add up. "I remember..." he murmured. "Someone was calling me." The doctor smiled. "Yes. A young woman.” Damien turned to him. "She was the one who pulled you from the wreckage before the car caught fire." His brows knitted together. "A woman?" The doctor nodded. "If she hadn't acted when she did, you wouldn't be here."

Before Damien could ask another question, the hospital door opened. An elderly man entered first, leaning lightly on an elegant walking cane. His silver hair was neatly combed, and despite the concern in his eyes, he carried the commanding presence of a man used to being obeyed. Richard Cross, Damien's grandfather. Behind him followed Ethan Brooks, Damien's trusted assistant. Richard crossed the room in long strides. "You stubborn boy," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "Must you always give me heart attacks?" A faint smile tugged at Damien's lips. "I'm sorry, Grandfather." Richard rested a hand on his shoulder. "The doctors said another sixty seconds inside that car..." His voice caught. "...and I would have lost you too." For a moment, neither of them spoke. Damien had rarely seen his grandfather show emotion, it reminded him that beneath the stern business person was simply a grandfather who had already buried his own son.

Finally, Damien broke the silence. "The woman who saved me..." Richard exchanged a glance with Ethan. "We've been trying to find her." "You know who she is?" Ethan shook his head. "No, sir." Damien frowned. "How is that possible?" "She left before anyone could ask her name," Ethan explained. "Witnesses said she disappeared as soon as the ambulance arrived." Damien stared at the blanket covering his legs. She had risked her life to save a complete stranger and walked away without waiting for recognition. In his world, everyone wanted something; money, power, influence. Yet this woman had asked for nothing.

"What do we know about her?" Damien asked. Ethan opened his tablet. "Very little. She appeared to be in her twenties. Several witnesses mentioned she was carrying flowers. That's all we've confirmed." "Flowers?" "Yes, sir."

Damien closed his eyes briefly. He remembered a soft voice. Stay with me, then the faint fragrance of flowers mixed with the rain. His eyes opened again, filled with quiet determination. "I want her found."

Richard looked at him. "There are thousands of people in this city." "I don't care if there are millions." His voice was calm but unwavering. "Someone saved my life. I won't rest until I've thanked her." Ethan nodded immediately. "I'll assign our best investigators." "No media," Damien added. "I don't want reporters chasing her." "Understood."

Richard smiled faintly, "Perhaps this mysterious young woman has reminded you that there are still good people in the world." Damien didn't answer.

But for the first time in years, his thoughts weren't on board meetings, contracts, or profit margins. They were on a stranger whose face he had never seen.

Across the city, Lena unlocked the door to Hart's Blossoms just as the morning sun broke through the clouds. She swept the front entrance, arranged fresh lilies in the display window, and hung the wooden sign that read OPEN. To her, it was just another ordinary day. She had no idea that the city's most powerful billionaire had made finding her his first priority, nor did she know that destiny had already begun leading him to her doorstep.