Luna's Payback: Claiming My Fate!

13:

Javier frowned at her question. He couldn’t understand why someone would need a reason to help another person. Yet, he understood what she was feeling.

“How deeply were you hurt and betrayed by others to think such negative thoughts? Not everyone who wants to help has an ulterior motive. Not everyone who offers help expects something in return. It's not really help if you’re waiting for something in exchange. I want to help you because that’s what I want to do. You deserve my help. I hope that answer is enough,” Javier said seriously.

Veronica paused, feeling slightly ashamed of herself. She knew she had crossed a line, and she shouldn't have thought badly of someone who had helped her.

“When will we do the operation?” she asked, breaking the silence between them.

Javier's eyes widened. “Does that mean you agree?”

She nodded. “I admit I still have doubts. But in my situation, I don’t have the right to be choosy, right? We both know I need help.”

Javier couldn’t explain why his heart filled with joy at her decision. Shouldn’t he be the one who was glad to help her? Why did it feel like the situation had turned around? But he didn’t care about that anymore. What mattered was that Veronica had decided to take the first step toward changing her life.

"If there's one thing I would ask for, it's just one thing."

Veronica felt a sudden pang of anxiety. Was he going to ask for s*x? But she quickly dismissed the thought. That was ridiculous. What man would want to have s*x with her? She must be losing her mind.

Even the ugliest man in the world wouldn’t want to have s*x with her. She had no face. She was disgusting. The thought overwhelmed her with sadness and insecurity.

Why did this have to happen to her? What did she do to deserve such suffering? She wasn’t a bad person, she was a good daughter, a decent woman, and an exemplary wife. Why did God allow this to happen to her? Was she a forsaken child?

"W-What are you going to ask for...?" she asked nervously.

Even with her damaged face, it seemed that the man could sense what she was thinking. “I have never taken advantage of anyone, Veronica. Especially not a vulnerable, fragile woman. Don’t worry. My intentions in helping you are pure."

She felt all the blood rush to her face in embarrassment. How mortifying! Javier might think she was imagining that he was interested in her. He looked rich and was incredibly handsome; there was no way he'd be interested in her disgusting face! Even before the accident, he probably wouldn't have liked her. She was just an ordinary-commoner woman.

She cleared her throat to dispel the lump in her throat. “I don’t think you’re going to take advantage of me. What is it that you want?”

She gasped when he suddenly took her hand. She felt a sudden rush of electricity between them. His hands were big and warm, giving off a sense of safety. Startled, she quickly pulled her hand away.

"I'm asking you to trust me. I can't perform the surgery properly if my patient doesn't trust me. Can you do that?"

She gasped again at his request, feeling a lump in her throat. Why did he have to be so nice to her? After being betrayed by the people she trusted, why had Javier come into her life, ready to help even though they were strangers?

"Does there really need to be a reason to help someone?" she heard his words echo in her mind.

She closed her eyes tightly. She needed to make a decision. Could she really trust him? Could she entrust her face to him?

"Trust again, Veronica. You have nothing to lose if you trust one last time..." she heard her subconscious whisper.

"Okay. I’ll trust you, Javier. Please… don't waste the trust I'm giving you. I know, as a doctor, it's important for them to be trusted by their patients. I will entrust my face to you," she said sincerely.

Given her financial situation and current state, she knew that no one else could help her but Javier. She couldn't afford to be picky. Beggars can’t be choosers.

She saw the light pass through his face, as if he couldn’t believe what she had just said. "Thank you so much, Veronica. You won’t regret this."

The next moments went by so quickly. She let Javier take care of everything. She was discharged from the hospital, and she knew that he had spoken to her doctor and the staff, telling them she was going to see a plastic surgeon. She knew Javier couldn’t tell them he would be the one fixing her face since his license had expired and he could no longer perform surgery.

It felt like she had become a wind-up doll, moving according to what the situation required. But she didn’t feel anything against her will.

She knew, deep inside her mind, that Javier was a good person with good intentions. She should let him help her. Now, they were inside his car. There was an older man driving and another man around Javier’s age.

"Veronica, I want you to meet them. This is Nick, and that’s Jordan," Javier said, pointing to the man driving the car. "He’s the one who actually saw you fall off the cliff."

Her eyes widened, and she bowed her head to them in gratitude. "I owe you a lot, Nick. Thank you so much."

The nurses had temporarily wrapped her face in bandages before she was discharged. This was to prevent her face from being exposed to bacteria. As a result, only her eyes and mouth were visible to them now.

She was seated in the back passenger seat, so Nick glanced back at her. "You're welcome, Miss Veronica. I'm relieved that you're no longer in a critical condition. We're happy to help you."

She could sense the sincerity in the older man's voice. "And this is my friend, Jordan. He's my trusted man and my assistant," Javier added.

Jordan waved at her. "Hello, Miss Veronica. Trust Javier. He's a great surgeon. Did you know he's one of the best plastic surgeons in our country?"

She gasped, not expecting that! Now she understood why the name Javier Romanov sounded familiar. Her heart was more at ease knowing that a retired plastic surgeon would be the one to fix her face.

She had no idea where they were headed. Where were they going?

She looked at Javier, who was sitting beside her. "Javier...?"

He was staring at the view of the buildings they were passing. "Hmm?"

"Where are we going?"

He turned to her. "To the countryside, one of my villas. It's beautiful there, and you'll be able to relax. It's far from where we found you. I thought it wouldn't be safe for you to stay here. Your killer is probably still around. It's better to be cautious."

She shuddered as she recalled the monster who had done this to her. He was right. It wouldn't be safe for her to stay here.

"Aside from that, I thought we could do the surgery there. The villa is large, and it has a built-in clinic. I used to practice there. The equipment is complete, so it's the best choice for me," Javier explained.

She simply nodded, letting him make the decisions for her.

"Veronica," he called her name.

She looked up at him. "Are you excited? Soon, I’ll be able to give you a new face."

His words filled her with hope. She had many questions on her mind. One of them was why he retired so early from being a doctor, especially since he didn’t seem much older than her. There were many other questions as well.

But she didn’t want Javier to think she was prying into his life. She had no business knowing about his personal life. He wanted to help her, and that’s where it should end. Unless he chose to open up to her about it.

She closed her eyes. She wanted to rest, to relax her mind. She hoped this was the right decision. She hoped she was on the right path now.

"God, I know I don't pray often. There have been many times when I questioned and blamed you for everything bad that happened in my life. But please, this time, help me walk the right path. I hope Javier is the key to my justice. I hope... he's different from the rest. I’m entrusting everything to you," she prayed silently in her mind.

She wasn’t the type to pray, nor was she particularly religious, but at this moment, she wanted God's guidance. He had given her a second chance at life, so she decided to believe in Him once more.

Due to exhaustion and stress, Veronica quickly fell asleep inside the car. Meanwhile, the three men remained silent during the journey. Nick couldn't help but comment.

"Poor woman. She seems kind and decent. Have you asked her who did this to her, Javier?" Nick asked.

Javier sighed. "Not yet. But once we arrive at the villa, before I operate, I'll ask her. I hope she trusts me."

"She has every reason to trust you, Javier. What you're about to do for this human is no small thing," Jordan remarked seriously.

Soon, they arrived at the villa. It looked like a palace in a quiet countryside. It had a large gate that seemed wide enough to fit five cars entering side by side. The expansive garden, though uninhabited, was well-maintained by a gardener.

From the gate, the fountain, fishpond, and circular swimming pool were visible. The house within the villa grounds was long and wide, resembling a high school building. It had two floors. Although the outer design was old-fashioned, its beauty was undeniable. It was a vintage house, so to speak.

Jordan got out to open the large gate, and they finally entered the villa's grounds. Javier glanced at the woman beside him, who was soundly asleep. "Veronica," he called softly.

"Hmm?" Veronica mumbled sleepily, her eyes still closed.

"Wake up. We're here at the villa," Javier said gently.

Upon hearing this, Veronica's eyes automatically opened, and she quickly woke up. "We're here already?" she asked, glancing at the view outside the window.

Her jaw literally dropped when she saw the scenery outside the car. "Are we in a movie? Is this a film shoot?"

Javier chuckled at her innocent question. "Silly. We're not in a movie or a film shoot. We're not actors. Come on, get up. The villa is waiting for us."

Veronica still couldn't believe it, even as she stepped out of the car. She hadn't realized people could be this wealthy. To her, it looked like a palace.

"Wait, Veronica..." Javier's voice made her pause, suddenly nervous. Had he changed his mind about helping her at the last minute?

"You remember I told you I wouldn't ask for anything in return for helping you, right?"

Her heart raced. Was he about to demand something? She didn't have enough money yet. "Y-Yeah. You told me that."

"I'm not asking for money or anything else. No monkey business. But surely, I have the right..." He trailed off, leaving his sentence hanging.

Her heart pounded even harder. "R-Right?"

"I have the right to know the truth before we proceed with the surgery."

"What do you mean, Javier?"

He looked straight into her eyes, his gaze intense, as if trying to read her soul. "Who the hell did this to you?" he asked, a question that made her gasp loudly.

Who indeed had committed this heinous crime against Veronica?