Chapter 1

Ivy's POV…

My legs burned as I ran, but I pushed harder. I wouldn't stop running. I turned back to look at the house that broke me, but I was long past it. It wasn't in sight. 

The rain had just begun to pour down angrily. It poured so heavily I began to wonder if it was angry at me for running away from a place I once called home when I should have defended it from the intruders. But no, I said in my mind. Not today.

I kept on running, you could mistake me for a thief or criminal. The number of cars on the road began to reduce as some of their owners might have decided to wait for the heavy downpour to reduce.

At some point, I was beginning to get tired. I was wearing out. The last meal I had, which was yesterday morning, couldn't sustain me to keep running.

My wicked step mother made sure I ate nothing. My father had married her after my mom died and she's been hell bent on ruining me.

I stopped running at that point and started walking, shivering from the rain that had poured on me. The night sky was murderous. I was feeling very cold and I didn't have proper clothes on, just my nighties.

I stopped by an old store to regain my strength. I needed to put something into my stomach. I was feeling very tired and sleepy. 

I heard some noise coming from the next street. I looked ahead to see what was happening. A shop owner who was leaving for his house was attacked by robbers. 

I tried hiding inside the store when I saw they were coming towards my direction, but I gave myself away by falling hard on a wooden chair inside the dark store.

"I'm so clumsy," I muttered to myself.

I stayed there in silence praying they would leave. The moment I thought they had gone, I started hearing bangs on the door. My heart dropped to my stomach.

"We know you are in there so open the door" One of them said harshly.

"Oh no. What have I done? I'm gonna get killed" I started crying silently, wishing I had never attempted running away.

"Open this door or we break it" Another voice roared.

I was sobbing like a little child now because I knew how ruthless these people could be. They were capable of raping a woman or worse killing their victims. My sobs were becoming louder now.

I was looking for an escape route or some place to hide when…

Crash…

I looked up only to see three hefty men in black clothes and masks in front of me. 

One of them had a gun and he was pointing it directly at me.

"Please d...dooo..don't kill me. Please don't. I'd do anything. Just d..do..n't kill me" I was practically on my knees begging for my life to be spared.

"You know, you are a beauty. I've never seen your type before" The one with the gun said, dropping the gun pointed at me.

"Where have you been hiding all this while?" He ran his eyes over my body and bit his lips.

He motioned to the others to hold my hands and legs, pinning me to the floor.

I was kicking and screaming at the top of my lungs.

"Help, help, somebody please help me" I screamed for help.

"Cover her mouth. Tie it with a cloth and hold her hands firmly" He ordered the one holding my hands.

"Please, don't do this" I begged, hoping he would listen to me. But he didn't, rather he gave me a hard slap across my face. 

I winced in pain. I was a crying mess. I wished my life would end at that moment.

Slowly, his hands moved closer, rough as he grabbed my nighties. 

 I regretted wearing that. I regretted running away. I regretted my mother's death. I regretted my entire life.

The moment I thought my life would end, I heard a police siren. A ray of hope sparked within me. 

The men holding my legs and arms stood up to alert their leader who seemed to be carried away with lust, about the impending trouble.

That gave me an opportunity to put my jiu jitsu skills to good use. My late mother made sure I attended fighting classes. I kicked him and fell on top of him as I hit his face hard.

I was filled with so much rage I felt like strangling him, until the police officers came and slowly pulled me away from him.

"Young lady. We're here now" the female officer said. “We'll take it from here"

"He deserves it. He tried to rape me” I said with gritted teeth. I wanted to pour all my frustration on him.

"We understand your situation and we apologize for not getting here any sooner. But thank God, this kind Mister over here alerted us before it was too late" The female officer gestured towards a man I hadn't noticed earlier. 

He was in a corporate black suit. He didn't look anything more than thirty. He smiled warmly at me. I couldn't help but smile back.

"Don't worry. You are safe now " His voice was smooth and kind, if that made sense… and for some reason, I felt assured.

The police were leading the criminals away. They were all cuffed.

The kind Mister came beside me and put his coat over my shoulder. It was until that moment I discovered my nighties were torn. 

The strong scent of his cologne in his coat filled my senses and it made my mind hazy. I leaned into the coat for comfort.

"In all my life, today would have to be the worst day of my entire life" I said out loud, not minding he was there.

"I'm sorry you feel that way" He looked at me and I felt something I haven't felt ever since my mother died.

That smile…

This strange man was my saviour today.

There were lots of things I have observed about this strange man, but the most dominant of them all is that he was very handsome.

His jaw was perfectly shaped and his brown eyes pierced into my soul.

I turned to look at him while he spoke with the officers…

He was indeed My Handsome saviour on a stormy night.