A few minutes passed, yet Ronan remained frozen in the driver's seat, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white. He was breathing heavily, his eyes fixed on the body lying in a pool of blood a few meters away, illuminated clearly by the car's headlights. The strange surge of energy and strength he had felt moments ago had finally begun to subside.
Opening the car door with trembling hands, Ronan forced his shaking legs to carry him toward the body. As he drew closer, bile rose in his throat. The body looked crushed and deformed from the impact. No matter how tough a man he was, Ronan's heart hammered against his ribs in terror.
Gathering every ounce of his courage, he leaned in to check for any sign of life. To his shock, even after such a catastrophic accident, he felt a faint pulse. Her heart was still beating, though weakly.
Without thinking twice, he decided to rush her to the hospital.
But as soon as Ronan reached out to lift her, a massive web of electricity flashed across the sky. Stunned by the sudden phenomenon, Ronan looked down and saw a glowing blue symbol appear and vanish on the girl's forehead. At the same moment, a similar mark flashed on his own forehead, but his was red. It appeared and faded so instantly that Ronan couldn't make out its shape.
ignoring the strangeness, Ronan scooped the person up with both hands and ran back to his car.
In that short distance, something impossible happened. By the time he reached the vehicle, there was no trace of the grisly injuries on either of them. Ronan, barely registering this through his panic, pulled open the passenger door. Ignoring the blood that should have been on his clothes, he placed her inside and quickly jumped into the driver's seat. He spun the car around and sped toward his personal doctor's hospital in London.
During the drive, Ronan focused entirely on the road. He didn't dare look at the unconscious figure beside him, so he didn't notice the miraculous change in her appearance. He stared straight ahead, his mind racing with the potential fallout. He thought about the impact on his business if she died unexpectedly; he could already see the media twisting the story, turning his life upside down.
He decided then and there: he could not let this person die.
Ronan parked the car right in front of the hospital entrance. Acting on pure adrenaline, he picked her up in his arms and ran inside. He went straight to the ward where his personal doctor worked. The doctor and nurses, seeing the panic in his entrance, rushed over in surprise.
"Mr. Brown! What happened?" the doctor asked urgently.
"D-Doctor. H-hurry, get her to the ICU. She can't die. You know who I am, please, just hurry up!" Ronan stammered, his voice trembling.
"Mr. Brown, are you okay?" the female doctor asked, leaning in to look closely at the person in Ronan's arms. Her expression shifted from worry to recognition.
"Oh, did this girl get into trouble again? Where did you find her? She doesn't look like she's in any serious condition for the ICU. Bring her in quickly, I'll check her out. She looks exhausted. That's probably why she's unconscious-"
"Dr. Parker!! What are you talking about?! Put her in the ICU, now!! Or else she-"
Ronan stopped mid-sentence, his voice dying in his throat as he finally looked down at the person in his arms.
His eyes went wide, and he nearly stumbled back in shock.
Cradled in his arms was a beautiful, angel-like girl, sleeping peacefully. Ronan stared in horror and confusion at the flawless skin, there wasn't a single bruise, bloodstain, or scratch.
"W-Who is this? Then where is the person who was in the accident with my car? Then..."
Ronan felt the room spin. The sudden shock was too much for his mind to process. Luckily, his friend, the doctor, caught him by the arm before he could collapse.
"Mr. Brown, let's talk about this later. Let's get this girl onto the bed, and you need to sit down right here," the doctor said in a kind voice, realizing Ronan was in distress.
Ronan did as he was told. The doctor handed him a glass of water, which he drained in one large gulp before handing the empty glass back.
"Thank you," Ronan said, his breathing calming down slightly.
"Ron, tell me what happened to you," the doctor said while attaching a medical monitor to the girl Ronan had placed on the bed.
Ronan remained silent. Instead, he replayed the entire incident in his mind, trying to find a logical explanation. Ronan was a smart man. He knew if he argued with the doctor, insisting that he was holding a mangled body just minutes ago, no one would believe him. Anyone looking at the girl now could see nothing serious had happened.
But how? Ronan knew something impossible had occurred. Being rational, he accepted that the girl the doctor was examining was the one he had hit, her clothes were exactly the same. He frowned deeply, trying to make sense of the puzzle.
"Ah, it's okay if you don't want to say it," the doctor said gently. After finishing her examination, she pulled a chair over and sat next to Ronan.
"She's fine. It's not as bad as usual. Maybe she just got tired and lost consciousness," the doctor explained.
"You mean 'like usual'? Has she been here before?" Ronan asked, confused.
"Yes, she definitely comes here at least three times a week, just like this, fainting spells. So I'm really good at recognizing her. Usually, she comes here with a lecturer from London Uni. Sometimes she comes with a shorter, cute girl. But you bringing her here today is a surprise. How do you know her? As far as I know, you don't have friends like this. Or have you been dating her for a while?"
The doctor grinned mischievously. "Haha, you're a good match for her. After all, the most handsome CEO in England would be a perfect match for a beautiful angel like this. I've honestly never seen a girl this beautiful before."
When the doctor started her teasing rap, Ronan shot her a dismissive glare.
"Oh, sorry. I guess it's not like that," the doctor said, backing off.
Ronan thought for a moment before speaking.
"She was lying on the street while I was on my way home," Ronan lied. Who would believe the truth anyway?
"Oh, really? Then we should hand her over to her guardian," the doctor suggested.
"Do you know who she is? You said you know her, don't you have her address, or the phone numbers of those two friends? If you do, I can go and drop her off somewhere," Ronan asked hopefully.
"Oh, sorry, Mr. Brown. I don't know her personally. She comes here abruptly, never makes an appointment. We treat her, and then she leaves. We don't keep detailed files on temporary walk-in patients."
When the doctor said that, Ronan looked down in disappointment.
"Aaa, what do I do now?" Ronan sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"Let me explain, Mister. You can't leave her here. We can't keep her without any medical reason or explanation. If possible, check her pockets, find an address, and hand her over to her family. I'm sure those people are already worried sick," the doctor said reasonably.
"Worried? Haha, look at the time. It's 10:30 PM. Do people with loving homes walk around the streets alone at this time? She seems like a good-for-nothing drifter," Ronan snapped angrily. In his mind, if she hadn't crossed his path, none of this nightmare would have happened.
"You're so mean, Ron. You can't see past your own nose to look at that innocent girl. When will your meanness stop?" the doctor teased.
Ronan rolled his eyes.
"There's no point in waiting any longer, Ron. You're tired, too. There's no way to tell when she'll wake up. So try to find her address," the doctor urged. She seemed to have a different plan in mind; she was studying Ronan's behavior closely.
Ronan silently got up and walked over to the hospital bed.
At that moment, Ronan looked at the girl directly. His gaze stopped on her closed eyes. He stared at her long eyelashes for a while, then his eyes traveled to her nose, her slightly parted mouth, and her pink lips, finally resting on the small black beauty mark under her lip.
He stared at this angel-like girl as if he were mesmerized. Ronan had never looked at anyone with such admiration in his entire life. He suddenly regretted calling her a troublemaker moments ago.
"Lily."
"Hmm?" Dr. Lily replied, continuing to study Ronan's facial expressions.
"Why does she always come here?" Ronan asked, his eyes still fixed on the angel lying on the bed.
"She's been weak since birth. Her body can't handle much stress. She often comes here unconscious because of the kids at the university she attends."
When Lily said that, Ronan immediately whipped his head around to look at her.
"Why? What are they doing to her?" Ronan asked, his voice rising sharply.
Lily looked at him in surprise. "Oh, oh, what are you shouting for?"
"N-No, I was just wondering what those kids were doing to make her lose consciousness, knowing she was weak," Ronan stammered, trying to act normal. But he couldn't hide his strange reaction from his friend.
"So why do you care about her? She's none of your business. You only saw her about half an hour ago. Even though you act cold, you're already worried about her-"
"Lily, will you stop?" Ronan snapped.
Shit, what happened to me? Ronan thought to himself. Lily is right. She's none of my business, no matter what happens to her. But why did I get so angry when I heard that? Oh, Ronan, you're going crazy.
"One day, a kid hung her bag from the top of a tree. She went to get it, fell, and ended up here. Another day, some boys were bothering her. You know, she's so pretty, that's why she had a panic attack and came here. Another day-"
"Enough!!" Ronan shouted, actually shaking with rage.
He couldn't imagine what was happening to him. He was clenching his fists tightly, grinding his teeth. Lily watched all this in surprise. She had pushed the story a little harder intentionally just to see Ronan's reaction, and now a knowing smile broke across her face.
"Go on, go on, Mr. Brown. That's how it always starts," Lily said, trying her best not to laugh.
"What?" Ronan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, nothing. Quickly, check her pockets."
Ronan sighed and checked the girl's pockets, pulling out an old, worn wallet. Opening it, he saw a small amount of cash, an ID card, and a few receipts. Ronan felt a pang of pity seeing the few bills, realizing her financial situation was poor. He picked up the ID card.
"Liora Miller. Looking at the birth year, she should be around twenty-two. Where's the address? Hmm... There's an address in Manchester. Shit," Ronan muttered to himself, shaking his head in disappointment.
He checked her other pockets and found an employee ID card.
Does she work at a hotel? It must be late, then. But why work so late? Someone so beautiful... What if she got into trouble? Ah! What's wrong with me?
He checked the card, but it only listed the hotel's address. He searched more, but he couldn't find a local London address.
"What? Doesn't she have an address?" Lily asked.
"No. Shit! What am I supposed to do now?" Ronan said, putting his hands on his hips in frustration.
"What else can you do? Take her home," Lily stated simply.
"What?! I can't."
"Why, what's wrong? She's not a thief. Put aside your meanness and just take her to your home. You brought her here, so take her back. Ask for her address when she wakes up, and drop her off. It's that simple," Lily argued.
"But I don't even know her. What if she gets upset when she wakes up?"
Lily laughed at his hesitation. "You can handle it."
Ronan rolled his eyes, but he resigned himself to the task. He was ready to take Liora away. He leaned down and picked her up with both hands, walking toward the door.
Can a person really be this light? Ronan wondered, surprised by her fragile weight.
"Oh, Mr. Brown. I still remember you shouting about that accident earlier," Lily called out. "Let's talk about it when we meet again. This wasn't the right time, so I didn't push it before."
Ronan paused, holding Liora, and turned back to Lily.
"Ah, um... forget it, Lily. I was just nervous at the time. That's why I said crazy things," Ronan said awkwardly.
"Is that so?" Lily smirked. "Take your angel home carefully. I know there's something happening between you two! Stay in control in front of that innocent girl, she's tired!" Lily shouted the last part teasingly as Ronan kept walking, ignoring her.
"Dr. Lily Parker! I hate you!" Ronan called back as he walked away.
"I love you too!" Lily laughed.
No matter what you say, your eyes don't lie, Ronan Brown, Lily thought to herself as she watched him carry Liora toward the car. The way you looked at her was different. Even though it's been less than an hour since you met, love and feelings can form in an instant. I think your life will change a lot starting today... for the better.
At an Unknown Place
A man dressed in a heavy black robe, seated upon a throne-like chair, suddenly bolted upright. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, his face twisting in a mix of fear and shock.
Noticing his master's erratic behavior, a servant approached him cautiously.
"Your Majesty? Is there something wrong?" he asked.
"How did it happen?" the master whispered.
"What, Your Majesty?"
"The Power! The Two Gems!" the man said, frowning deeply. "After twenty-two years, I feel the power again. B-but how? I destroyed one gem. How... how did they meet now? Where did I miss it?"
"Lucas!"
"Your Majesty?"
"Get ready. Our time has come again. After twenty-two years, we have to go on our usual journey."
"Very well, Your Majesty," the servant replied, bowing low.
"I will come again. This time, I will not let anything go wrong," the man in the robe laughed loudly, his voice echoing in the darkness as he plotted his next move.