Chapter 2- Who Are You?

"Ow!" My hand flew to my head, a heavy throb blooming behind my eyes. My body felt stiff, each tiny movement sending a sharp prick across my skin. Slowly, I forced my eyelids open. My eyes snapped wide at the sight.

"Where am I?"

I was lying on a queen-size bed that seemed to swallow me in its softness. A plush pink comforter was pulled up to my chin. Above, a grand chandelier, made of glittering crystals with hints of pink, hung directly over the bed. Across the room, an oval-shaped mirror with a whimsical pink bow border reflected the light. The walls, mostly painted in soft pink and white, were adorned with many framed paintings. A small, glowing lamp sat on a nightstand beside me. A dark hallway stretched away, leading to what I guessed was another room, but I couldn't see past the shadows.

I couldn't tell if it was morning or evening because the curtains were so thick and heavy, blocking out any light. The air conditioner hummed softly, keeping the room perfectly cool, not too cold, not too warm.

Carefully, I shifted my lower body to the side, trying to slowly slide off the bed and check that dark hallway. A sharp jab of pain made me wince again. My knee.

"Huh?" I looked down. My knee was wrapped in something white, like a plaster bandage.

And then I noticed: I wasn't wearing the dress I had on before—

Wait.

A jolt went through me. The events of that night, sharp and painful, rushed back. I had thought it was a dream, a terrible nightmare, but it wasn't. It was horrifyingly real. I saw him again, lying in his car, still and lifeless.

I didn't know if the sudden ache in my knee or the vision of Orion's death hit me harder. My legs gave out, and I crumpled to the floor. I didn't feel the coldness of the tiles, only the burning heat of endless tears streaming down my face.

"It's my fault," I sobbed, the words choked and raw.

I didn't immediately notice the door, a few feet away, slowly creaking open.

"M-ma'am?"

A woman stood there. She wore a crisp white outfit, like a nurse. She looked to be in her twenties, holding some medical equipment. She rushed forward, quickly helping me to my feet and back to the bed. When I looked into her face, she quickly averted her gaze.

"Who are you? Why am I here?" I demanded, my voice rough, my face still wet with tears.

Once I was back on the bed, she knelt down, carefully unwrapping the bandage from my knee. I saw the raw, red scratches and wounds underneath. I couldn't quite remember how I got them, but my focus quickly returned to the woman's answers.

"Sir just sent me here, ma'am. And if you ask who my boss is, I'm not allowed to say," she said, offering a small, tight smile. My eyebrows drew together, a frown creasing my forehead.

"All I can tell you is that Sir helped you because he saw you lying on the side of the road. So, he brought you here to his house," she added, her voice soft. Then, her eyes met mine again, a question in them. "Why did it seem like someone was chasing you that night?"

When our eyes locked, I quickly looked away. My heart hammered against my ribs at her question. The terrifying memory of running, of the woman pointing, flashed in my mind. Someone had seen my face. What if they thought I did it? What if I was blamed for the crime?

"No one must know what happened that night," I whispered to myself, a silent promise.

After she finished cleaning and re-bandaging my wound, I didn't ask her anything else. I started to get off the bed, intending to follow her out. She turned back to me, her eyes wide. She gently took both my arms.

"Ma'am, please rest first. You need to get well."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "No, I'm okay. Please tell your boss thank you for helping me. I need to go home," I insisted, my voice firm.

Even though each step sent a jolt of pain up my leg, I forced myself towards the door. I heard the woman calling out to me, but I ignored her. Just as my hand reached for the doorknob, I jumped, startled, as she suddenly appeared directly in front of me, blocking the exit. Her body was pressed against the door, her hand still gripping the knob.

She looked at me, breathing hard. "Please, ma'am. Don't leave. Sir didn't give any order to let you leave."

I closed my eyes, taking a long, deep breath to calm myself. Then, I raised my arm, showing her my fist. Slowly, I stepped closer to her. "Even like this, do you know I sometimes do boxing? I might try it now?" I threatened, a playful yet firm edge to my voice. I saw her eyes widen, and she winced, slowly easing the door open.

"I'm dead, Sir will kill me," she muttered under her breath.

When I stepped out, the sight that met my eyes left me utterly speechless. I was on an upper floor, and I could clearly see the lavish space below. The living room was filled with expensive furniture that looked like it belonged on the pages of a high-end magazine. Huge, artistic paintings adorned the walls. But what truly amazed me was how to get downstairs. Instead of a regular staircase, there was what looked like a single-person escalator gliding downwards. This house was incredibly high-tech.

"Are there no stairs here?" I glanced back at the room where the woman had been. I saw her talking to someone, not on a cellphone, but pressing something near her ear, like an advanced earbud.

"Ma'am, before you leave. Sir wants to talk to you first," she said.

I don't know where it came from, but my chest suddenly felt heavy, and goosebumps prickled all over my body.

"W-why?"

"Follow me, ma'am." She left the room, and I trailed behind her. We didn't go downstairs; instead, we went straight down a hallway and turned left. I noticed more paintings on almost all the walls we passed. There wasn't much furniture on this upper floor, but there were many CCTVs in every corner. I also noticed we passed a room with a red door. I didn't ask questions because the girl seemed to be in a hurry.

"Wait a moment, ma'am." She took something from her pocket that looked like an ID and swiped it on the doorknob. The door clicked open with a soft hum.

The woman even glanced back at me, a slight smile on her face, because I was so amazed. When we entered, I was even more amazed by the beauty of the room. Unlike the house's exterior with its CCTVs and high-tech escalator, the inside of this room was surprisingly simple. The walls were a soft gray, and there was a king-size bed. Across from it, an 11-inch TV screen was mounted. The room was incredibly clean, and the books on a shelf near the window were neatly organized. Like the room I was in earlier, there was also a hallway on the left side, but unlike that dark room, this one was lit, and I could feel the presence of the person who wanted to talk to me.

"Hey, wait, girl!" I almost tore the woman's clothes trying to pull her back as she was leaving the room. I was about to leave too when I heard footsteps approaching.

I froze when I smelled a scent I hadn't encountered before. It was hard to describe. It had a unique mix of citrusy, spicy, and woody notes. It just screamed hot and elegant. It wasn't harsh at all; in fact, it was utterly addictive.

"Why are you always running away?" I swallowed hard when I heard the voice of the man behind me.

Unlike Orion, who had a somewhat feminine voice, this man's was deep but clear and so seductive to listen to. I don't know why my hands were trembling, but I just found myself slowly turning to face him. My gaze was fixed on the floor; I felt so embarrassed by my current state. I could already feel my heart pounding and my whole face burning.

My swallow deepened at what greeted me.

He was only wearing a towel, just covering his lower body. And damn, I knew I had sinned right then and there. He was big, and something was saying hello to me for no reason! I slowly lifted my gaze higher, and my knees weakened even more when I saw his V-line and matching six-pack abs glistening as if he'd just stepped out of the shower. When I finally looked up, my breath caught. I was stunned to see the man standing in front of me.

I was turned on, for a reason.