Chapter 2

"Mr. Charles?" Caroline's eyebrows shot up.

"Yes, Miss."

The servant walked toward the door and called someone over. Caroline winced in pain as she tried to stand. Johan's kick still lingered, causing her pain.

"Miss, what's wrong with you?" The servant rushed over to Caroline with a worried look on her face. "Is it still hurting?"

"Yes."

"Andrew, quickly call Mr. Charles to come to the room." The servant shouted and asked a man to call Mr. Charles.

Caroline didn't even know the servant's name yet. The woman was very beautiful with such beautiful hazel eyes. Her smile was also very charming.

"May I ask what your name is?" Caroline asked softly.

"Of course. My name is Florence. Just call me Flo."

"My name is Caroline."

Caroline and Flo shook hands. They both smiled at each other. Suddenly, a man walked into the room. Caroline's eyes were fixed on the man.

"Mr. Charles, you finally came." Flo called her master while bowing.

Caroline was still staring at Ben without blinking. She wanted to know more details about why he was brought here. Ben walked closer to her. Flo moved to the back of Ben's body.

Suddenly, Ben pulled Caroline's chin lightly. Ben's eyes and Caroline's eyes met each other.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Ben asked.

He let go of her chin and asked Flo to leave the room, wanting to be alone with Caroline.

"Do you have anything to ask me?" Ben sat down beside her.

Caroline felt a little scared and moved away from him. Ben noticed her fear and looked confused. The trauma of Johan and Victoria's abuse haunted her, making her fear resurface at the sight of Ben.

"Why did you bring me to this house?" Caroline gripped the pillow tightly.

"Don't be afraid of me. I won't harm you," Ben said gently.

But Caroline didn’t trust his words. Perhaps he was just being polite.

"Stay away from me," she pleaded.

Ben now understood her fear and resolved to uncover what had caused such deep trauma.

"I found you soaking wet and collapsed by the roadside. Your body and face were covered in bruises. You were unconscious," Ben explained.

The memory came rushing back. Caroline had been thrown out of Johan’s house and forced to walk despite her injuries. The recollection of her suffering made her tremble.

Seeing her reaction, Ben felt compelled to comfort her. He wanted to embrace her and ease her fear.

"What happened to you?" Ben asked softly, his eyes filled with compassion.

Caroline shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked at Ben, who had saved her life.

"Talk to me. Maybe I can help," he urged.

"There’s nothing I can tell you now, Mr. Charles." Caroline's grip on the pillow loosened. "But I’m very scared."

"What are you afraid of? Who hurt you?"

Ben seemed genuinely concerned. He gently touched her hand, stroking it softly.

"Did someone abuse you?"

Caroline remained silent, though she believed Ben was not an ordinary man and probably knew more than he let on. His gaze was sincere, something she hadn’t seen in a long time. Ben brushed aside her messy bangs.

"May I ask your name?" Ben finally said.

"My name is Caroline."

"Alright, Caroline. If you’re not ready to talk, you should rest." Ben pulled up the blanket and urged her to sleep.

Caroline obediently lay down. As Ben turned to leave, she grabbed his shirt.

"Thank you for bringing me to your house," she said.

"You’re welcome. Rest well." Ben gently patted her hair, calming her down.

***

Later, that evening, several servants entered her room, including Flo, bringing various dishes under Ben’s orders. Caroline needed to eat nutritious food.

"This is too much food," Caroline said, surprised. In Johan’s house, she was rarely given meals.

"Is this not enough, Miss? I can bring more," Flo offered, stepping toward the door, but Caroline stopped her.

"This is already too much. I can't possibly finish it all," Caroline replied, glancing at the servants holding plates of delicious dishes.

"This is an order from Mr. Charles. You must eat well in this house," Flo said with a smile.

Just then, Ben entered, pushing a trolley loaded with food. Caroline’s eyes widened at the sight.

"Flo, has Caroline eaten yet?" Ben asked.

"Not yet, Sir. She’s still deciding what to eat."

Ben sighed, picked up a plate of Sauerbraten, a marinated beef dish served with rich gravy and vegetables, and approached Caroline.

"Try this. You’ll love it." Ben fed her with unusual care.

Caroline opened her mouth, tasting the food. A smile spread across her face as he fed her another bite.

"How is it?" Ben asked.

"It’s delicious. I love it."

Her happiness was evident. Ben dismissed the servants, leaving the room to themselves.

"You need to eat well to recover quickly. Don’t forget to take your vitamins after eating."

Caroline noticed a vitamin box on the bedside table. Ben truly seemed concerned for her. After finishing her meal, Ben handed her a glass of water and a vitamin.

"Take this. I hope you recover soon," Ben said, softly patting her head.

Caroline accepted the vitamin and quickly swallowed it. However, she began to feel uneasy with Ben’s continued kindness. Her face turned sour, catching his attention.

"What’s wrong, Caroline? Why do you look upset? What’s bothering you?"

Ben’s gentle tone made her feel cared for, like a queen in his grand house. But she didn’t want to let herself be charmed by another man.

"Are all men like this? Sweet at the beginning?"

Caroline averted her gaze, her voice trembling. She had been hurt deeply and wasn’t ready to trust a man’s words so easily. 

"Caroline, I don’t know who broke your trust, but I’m not that kind of man," Ben said, speaking seriously as he looked at her. 

"What makes you worthy of my trust?" Caroline asked, clutching the blanket tightly. 

"If I had bad intentions toward you, you wouldn’t be safe in my house," Ben replied firmly. 

Caroline fell silent for a moment, processing Ben’s words. She looked into his eyes. 

‘Can he be trusted?’ She thought, gazing at Ben with a wary look.