When Elena opened her eyes again, it was already the next day. She looked at the white ceiling and the white wall.

"I am back to the hospital again," she muttered, shaking her head in dismay.

She sat up. Slowly, questions and confusion clouded her face.

"Who brought me here?" she wondered, curious.

Then she remembered meeting a tall man in the rain, his steady voice, and his dark eyes.

Elena’s pulse quickened. "What was his name?"

She raced her mind.

’Elias Rowan.’ The name echoed in the back of her head.

Her heart began to pound even wilder as another thought emerged. ’Is he Mr. Rowan’s grandson? The one he suggested for a marriage alliance?’

Her mind drifted to the day she had met the old man.

Flashback...

Elena paid the bills. "Thank you."

She smiled at the lady behind the counter.

"Here are your bags, Miss Hart." The woman handed her the bags.

Elena took the shopping bags and stepped out of the supermarket. She had barely taken a few steps toward her car when something caught her eye.

Her steps froze.

An old man collapsed onto the pavement.

The bags slipped from her grasp. Elena rushed toward him. She crouched down beside him.

"Sir, are you okay?" she asked.

The man’s face was pale, twisted in pain. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He clasped his chest tightly as he squeezed out the words, "My medicine."

He pointed weakly at the bag lying a little away from him.

Elena quickly grabbed the bag and searched through it. She pulled out a small yellow vial.

"Is this the one?" She held it out.

The man nodded faintly, his breathing coming out in ragged gasps.

Elena spilled out some pills and helped him take them, then handed him a water bottle.

He swallowed with difficulty. His breathing steadied gradually. His pain began to subside.

"Thank you," he breathed, trying to smile a little.

Elena studied his face. "You look pale. Let me take you to the hospital."

She helped him up and guided him to her car. Gathering the carrying bags she had dropped earlier, she shoved them into the trunk and hopped behind the wheel.

The car rolled down the street in no time. She glanced at him from the rearview mirror. "Could you give me your family member’s number? I’ll call them and inform them about your condition..."

"No," the old man said before she could finish her sentence. His already pale face paled even more. "Don’t tell anyone. My grandson will scold me."

Elena blinked, stunned. "You mean your grandson is strict? Overbearing?"

The man laughed softly. "No, no... He just cares too much."

Elena didn’t push further. She kept her focus on the road.

The man’s gaze lingered on her. "My grandson is single, handsome, and successful in his life. I am looking for his bride. And you, young lady—I think you are perfect for him."

Elena laughed, amusement glinting in her eyes. She was already Noah’s wife and had recently found out about her pregnancy. She couldn’t think of another man.

"I have a fiancé, and we are getting married soon."

"Oh..." The man’s face fell.

The rest of the journey went in silence.

At the hospital, Elena stayed until the doctor finished examining him.

"He is getting old, and with a heart condition like that, he shouldn’t roam around alone," the doctor said to Elena. "He is lucky you brought him in time. Or he would have a heart attack."

Elena glanced at the old man, who remained silent, with his lips pressed tightly.

"He needs to be admitted," the doctor said.

Elena personally handled the formalities. Before leaving, she met the old man in his room.

"Grandpa, you heard what the doctor said. You should inform your grandson."

The man smiled. "I’ll talk to him later. Anyway, thank you so much for helping me today. Take my number. Call me if you need anything. I’d love to help you."

Elena didn’t want to upset him. So she saved his number.

"If you ever change your mind, consider him. He is really good."

End of flashback...

Those words seemed to echo in her ears.

Back then, she had laughed it off, never imagining things would fall apart so quickly.

She had contacted him out of desperation a few days ago. At the time, she had not thought beyond escape from Noah and from his suffocating lies.

But she had not thought that the old man would actually send his grandson to rescue her.

Her cheeks flushed. "What was I thinking? Marry a stranger?"

The sound of the door opening interrupted her thoughts.

She looked up and noticed a man in a black suit stepping in. She looked at him from head to toe in surprise.

The man was tall and handsome, but it was not him.

’Who are you?’

Before she could ask this question, the man said, "Hello, Miss Hart, I am Owen."

"Hello, Owen."

"How are you feeling today?" he asked.

"I’m fine." Elena smiled gratefully. "Thanks for helping me."

Owen nodded slightly and put a carrying bag on the side table. "Fresh clothes for you," he said. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Then he held out a small box. "This is for your scars," he said. "Mr. Elias Rowan arranged this for you. Use this. No scars will be left on your skin."

Elena took it, her heart thumping. She had not expected such care from a stranger.

Warmth instantly spread through her.

At that moment, Elias was no longer someone unknown to her. He was her savior.

"Where is he?" she asked softly.

"He has some important work to deal with. So he left. But he asked me to convey a message."

Elena held her breath, wondering what message he had left for her.

"He is ready to marry you," he added.

Elena’s heart skipped. Her fingers curled on her lap instinctively. She had prepared herself for rejection, not this.

"He will meet you in a week," Owen added, "at the city hall to register the marriage."

Elena gaped at him, still shocked. She didn’t know whether she should be happy or worried.

"I’ve already saved my number in your phone," Owen continued. "Call me if you need anything. And...you can stay here one more day if you want."

Elena shook her head. "I want to leave."

Owen nodded. "Then I’ll talk to the doctor for discharge."

As he turned to leave, she called him.

"Wait."

He paused.

"I have a request," she said. "I want to meet him before we get the marriage certificate."

Owen didn’t reply instantly. He held her gaze a moment longer, studying her. "I’ll inform him and get back to you."

With that, he left.

A deep breath escaped her mouth. She leaned back against the headboard, her heart racing wildly. "I can’t believe he is willing to marry me," she murmured. "But why? What does he want in return?"

Her chest tightened.

She wrapped her arms around herself, uneasy. This was not a fairytale. Nothing came without a price.

"I need to talk to him," she said with resolve.

Just then, her phone rang. The moment she saw Noah’s name, her expression turned cold. She hesitated for a moment, but she still answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Come to the City Hospital and apologize to Tessa." Noah’s voice came, sharp and commanding.

"What? No," she snapped, her composure cracking. "I didn’t push her. I won’t apologize."

"Don’t make me repeat myself. You have thirty minutes. Come here and apologize. Or forget about this month’s medication for your aunt."

The words hit her like a knife. Elena’s face drained of color.

The line went dead, but she remained frozen in her place, the phone still pressed to her ear.

Her aunt, her father’s sister, was the only person left in her family. She couldn’t lose her.

’No... I can’t let that happen.’