Chapter 5 Meeting The Stranger.

Andrea woke up with a painful headache; as she looked around the unfamiliar room, she found herself. Her eyes caught the hospital gown she wore.

The sharp smell of disinfectant and the faint beeping of medical monitors crept into her awareness. Blinking against the harsh hospital lighting, she struggled to piece together how she’d ended up here. She has a sudden flash of memory—Anthony, Evelyn, their betrayal, and the accident— it all rushed back to her, hitting like a wave down to her skull.

She felt her eyes wet up, but she swallowed them down. Crying felt like losing and she was done losing to people who didn’t deserve it.

“You’re awake.”

A deep and steady voice startled her. She turned her head slowly, and saw a tall handsome man standing by the window, illuminating against the afternoon light. He was striking in his early thirties, with piercing dark eyes that seemed to see right through her. His well-tailored suit and polished demeanor spoke of power, but there was a softness in his cold expression, an unexpected warmth that no one could easily place in his stoic features.

“Wh..o… are you?” Andrea asked, her voice cracked, dry, and weak.

“I’m Colton,” he replied and stepped closer. “The man whose car… hit you.”

Andrea frowned, her dizzy brain struggling to process. “You hit me?”

Colton nodded, he looked calm but firm.

“It wasn’t intentional. You ran into the street, and my driver couldn’t stop the car in time. The impact wasn’t serious, but you fainted from shock. The doctors say you’ll be fine.”

Andrea shifted in the bed, wincing at the dull ache in her body.

“Why am I here?” she asked, her voice filled with suspicion.

“You didn’t have to bring me to a hospital.” she continues.

Colton tightened his jaw slightly and said,

“Leaving you there wasn’t an option. I don’t walk away from people in need. Especially the ones I hurt”

Andrea was caught off guard by his response. Never in her life has anyone shown her kindness. It wasn’t something she was used to—especially after her mother's death.

“Well… thank you,” she murmured, unsure how else to respond.

Colton studied her; his gaze was intense but oddly comforting.

“Why do you run blindly on the road?" He asked tenderly.

Andrea’s heart skipped. “What?”

“When I saw you, you looked…” He hesitated, searching for the right word.

“Broken. Like the world had caved in. People don’t run blindly into traffic unless they’re trying to escape from something.” he doesn't know why he was concerned, so he cursed himself for saying too much already.

She looked away, her fingers gripping the hospital blanket. How could she tell him what happened? He was just a stranger and would not even care.

The weight of her pain, which was too heavy for her to carry alone, weighed her down. Instantly the words tumbled out her mouth before she could stop them.

“I was hurt and betrayed,” she said quietly.

“The man I loved cheated on me… with someone I trusted. My family, my sister" Andrea didn't know when tears started dropping down her cheeks.

Colton’s expression darkened. “I see,” he said after a pause. “And you think running away will fix that?” his words are sharp and show no pity.

His bluntness made Andrea flinched.

“I didn’t know what else to do,” she admitted. “I just needed to get away from everything”

"That's cowardice," he murmured, but Andrea heard it still.

For a moment, he didn’t say anything. Then, his tone softened.

“People will always let you down. But letting them destroy you? That’s a choice. You deserve better than that.”

His words hit something deep inside her. For years, Andrea has done nothing but to please the people around her. Her grandmother, her father, her stepmom, and sister Evelyn, but none of them considered her a family. They hurt and abused her. She took Anthony like a family yet he crushed her like this.

She’d bent over backward for Anthony, Evelyn, and even her family, only to be discarded like she didn’t matter. It's high time she stopped living for others and started living for herself.

Colton stared as if he sensed the battle going on within her, and he said,

“It's time you start living for yourself.” This was the longest he has ever spoken to any woman other than his girlfriend. Why did he feel like doing something to erase the pain in her heart?.

She stared at him, unsure of what to say. She didn’t know this man, yet his words felt more genuine than anything Anthony had ever said to her.

“Why do you care?” she asked finally, her voice soft.

Colton’s lips twitched into a faint smile. Care? Who says he care.

“Let’s just say I know what betrayal feels like. I’ve been there before. But pain can be a weapon—if you learn to wield it.”

Before Andrea could respond, his phone buzzed. Colton glanced at it, his expression shifting.

“Excuse me,” he said, stepping toward the door. “I’ll be back.”

He stepped into the hallway and answered the call. “Grandpa,” he greeted.

“Why didn’t you pick up earlier? And you promised to visit me once you're back, are you avoiding me?” The older man’s voice boomed through the line. He was enraged that Colton didn't come to his place as promised. Colton opened his mouth to explain, but his grandfather cut him off.

“I hope you remember your promise. I expect to meet your wife tomorrow at my birthday party. If you don’t, I’ll hand everything I own, including the company, to your useless stepsister.” the old man was really annoyed and he did not hesitate to show his anger.

Yesterday when Colton brought Andrea to the hospital, he did't find it in his heart to leave her all by herself. When the clock ticked 9 pm, the doctor assured him that she will be alright and that she was still sleeping because of the drug they infused in her IV. Unfortunately, Colton was exhausted and decided to go back home instead going to see his grandfather as promised and now the old won't let that slide, he saw it as an excuse to escape from their agreement.

The line went dead before Colton could reply. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Time was running out" he muttered"

Back in the hospital room, Andrea was staring at the ceiling, lost in thought, when Colton returned

. “I have to go,” he said simply. “But I’ll check on you later.”

“Thank you,” Andrea said softly. “For everything.”

He gave her a brief nod and left.

Outside the hospital, Colton’s assistant, Steve, was waiting.

“We’re behind schedule, boss,” Steve said.

As soon as he saw him.

Colton nodded, sliding into the backseat of his car. His mind raced as they drove to City Hall. He has to get married now and stop his old man from threatening him all the time.

Tomorrow was his grandfather’s 80th birthday, the deadline for the promise he’d made a year ago. Back then, it had seemed like a distant problem—he’d find a wife, or at least someone to play the role. But now, time is up, and the weight of his grandfather’s ultimatum loomed over him. He couldn’t let his stepsister take control of the company. He has to get married to his girlfriend and stop his grandfather from doing the unimaginable.

At City Hall, Colton stepped out of his car, his face composed despite the storm brewing inside him. Minutes later, he returned, frustration evident in his stiff posture.

“Ms. Thompson isn’t here,” he told Steve.

“ I will call her again.”

Steve dialed Ms Thompson's number and still got no connection. He shook his head and said.

“It's not connecting.”

Colton’s jaw tightened. “Take me back to the hospital.”