Chapter 2: Mysterious Savior

Mother's words hung like a heavy cloud of grim finality.

When her words finally registered, I cried, "Please! Let me stay here first! I'll do anything you want, Mother. Clean the house, cook, and do the laundry. Don't throw me out, please!"

Despite my pleas, Father grabbed me by my shirt collar, hoisting me up with a grunt of exertion. I could barely find the strength to resist as he hauled me to my feet, my legs shaky and uncertain beneath me.

"Get out," he growled, his voice barely more than a whisper but carrying a weight that made my stomach churn. "And don't you dare show your face here again?"

"Please! Don't throw me out, Father!" I pleaded, kneeling before him.

However, Mother shoved me toward the front door, throwing me out onto the porch of our house. With that, I stumbled forward, my balance teetering precariously on the edge of collapse. The cold night air rushed through my back as I felt the hard, concrete material of the pavement.

"Leave our house! Get out! We don't want you here, you thief!" Mother hollered as she hit me with her feet, forcing me to leave the house without a single thing or item with me.

I barely had time to register what was happening before I was out on the front porch, the door slamming shut behind me with a finality that sent shivers down my spine. I turned away from the house with a heavy heart as I held my hurting ribs.

Around me, the world was eerily quiet. I shuffled along the empty street, enduring the bruises and scrapes on my body.

As I wandered, I noticed my disheveled reflection staring back at me from the polished door surface. It made me pity myself. "Oh, God! What will I do?"

I had nowhere to go. They didn't even give me a choice about packing my bags and belongings. Who would I run to right now? I had no one in mind who I could ask for help from.

Before they adopted me, all I had was myself. I thought I already had a family I could belong to, but they turned into a nightmare eventually. When Mia recovered from her sickness, Rebecca's attitude changed. She constantly cast me out and beat me even if I did nothing wrong. Oliver, my foster father, did the same.

Living for them for more than half of my life was a struggle. But knowing I'd be homeless if I went, I had to endure their mistreatment and beatings.

I was hopeless in my case. Sobbing, I roamed the street without knowing where to go. I stepped into the middle of the road to cross and saw a bright light that hurt my eyes. Abruptly, something heavy struck me, throwing me on my back.

My consciousness shadowed as my world went still.

*****

When I opened my eyes, I was lying on a plush mattress, the luxurious softness starkly contrasting my recent memories of the cold, unyielding pavement. The lavishness of the room in the soft light made me feel a world away from the hellish landscape I had fled.

Looking around, I saw a man with an imposing stature. The dim lighting highlighted his erect body, broad shoulders, and unyielding jawline. His eyes were as stormy and gray as a winter sea, and he was unapproachable.

I knew right away that the man gave off an air of authority. Still, his true identity was as mysterious as the events that had brought me here.

A dull groan escaped my lips from the exertion as I pushed myself upright. He did nothing but watch me with those cold eyes.

"Who...?" My voice was a whisper, a ghost of sound in the oppressive quiet of the room.

His lips barely moved as he responded, "Ethan, talk to the lady."

The man's attention shifted briefly to the room's shadowy corner, signaling another presence I hadn't registered earlier.

I was about to ask him a question when, suddenly, a second man emerged from the shadows, his approach marked by a soft-spoken introduction. "Hi, I'm Ethan. Behind us is my boss, Mr. Maverick Hauss. We sincerely apologize for hitting you. It was an unfortunate accident, and we are here to make amends. Is there anything we can do to rectify the situation? Perhaps, a name for the start?"

"Lily. Lily White, sir," I replied, looking away.

Despite my aloof response, Ethan said, "Nice meeting you, Ms. White. Don't worry. All expenses in the hospital are paid." His voice filled the room with gentle warmth, a pleasant counterpoint to the man's austere nature. Ethan seemed to take charge of the conversation, allowing the other to retreat into his silent observance.

"Thank you, Sir." Still confused, I leaned against the plush pillows and looked at Ethan's concerned gaze.

"So, how are you feeling?" he asked, his voice soothing in the stifling silence.

"I'm fine," I finally said, my voice barely more than a whisper.

Ethan nodded, offering me a small, sympathetic smile. "I reckon that's a good place to start," he said. His gaze shifted to Maverick as if seeking some approval.

He gave a slight nod, his gaze never wavering from mine.

Meanwhile, Ethan reassured me, "You're safe. We couldn't find any ID or contact information with you that we could use to find your relatives."

"I... I don't have a family. I'm alone," I firmly replied, looking away from Ethan.

Ethan's eyes went agape. Shocked, he asked again, "How about a friend? You can give us her number, and we'll call them."

"Um, you can call my friend Beth," I shyly said as I peeked again at the man named Maverick.

Ethan nodded and pulled out his phone, ready to make the call. "Okay, do you remember it, Miss Lily?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

I hesitated momentarily before quietly sharing Beth's contact information with him.

Ethan's fingers moved swiftly over the phone, dialing the number I had just provided him. The room sank into a tense silence, the monotonous tone of the dialing tone amplified in the hush.

In the meantime, I turned to Maverick. He was a silent statue, a sphinx in the dim light, his stern eyes holding a strange, hypnotic allure.

"Miss Beth?"

My attention was tugged back to Ethan as his call connected. His usually calm and composed voice crackled with urgency as he spoke into the phone.

When Ethan ended the call, his eyes met mine with a quiet understanding. "Your friend is on her way."