After a few monts, she found the strength to move. Her limbs felt heavy as she walked to the washroom, where she took her ti under the warm stream of water.
She scrubbed away the rain, the dirt, and the cold, but no matter how long she stood there, she couldn’t wash away the lingering feeling of dread.
Nearly an hour passed before she finally erged. She was dressed in modest pajamas Ross had left for her—simple yet comfortable, and far different from her usual wardrobe.
Her damp hair frad her face, her skin still faintly flushed from the hot shower. Even in the plain attire, she radiated a natural beauty that couldn’t be hidden.
Ross looked up as she entered the room, and his breath caught for just a mont. He hadn’t expected her to look so effortlessly stunning, even after the night’s ordeal.
His body reacted before his mind could catch up, a wave of desire hitting him like a freight train. He quickly masked his reaction, his years of self-control kicking in.
"Here’s your coffee," he said, sliding a steaming mug onto the table in front of her. His voice was calm, soothing even, as he gestured for her to sit.
Faith hesitated for a mont, then moved to the table and sat down. She wrapped her hands around the mug, letting the warmth seep into her cold fingers.
"Thank you," she murmured, her voice barely audible.
Ross nodded, leaning back slightly as he studied her.
"You’re safe now," he said softly.
"No one’s going to hurt you here."
Faith gave him a faint, shaky nod, but her eyes were still distant, haunted by the mories of what had almost happened. Ross knew better than to push her for conversation.
For now, all she needed was ti—and perhaps soone to remind her that she wasn’t alone in the aftermath of her nightmare.
A few minutes of silence passed before Ross finally sensed the right mont.
"I’m just in the other room, okay? You can sleep here, and I’ll have soone take care of your car. It’ll be outside in the morning. Try to rest, at least. Good night, Faith," Ross said.
"Thank you," Faith replied softly.
With that, Ross left. She locked the door behind him and went to bed. However, sleep eluded her. Wrapping herself tightly in a thick blanket, she waited.
Faith wasn’t naive; she suspected Ross might have orchestrated everything—from the gang’s ambush to her dramatic rescue and now this situation.
She wondered if he would creep into her room in the middle of the night to do sothing unspeakable.
Even the locked door didn’t ease her anxiety; after all, this was Ross’s place. He likely had access to every key in the house.
Minutes turned into an hour, then another thirty minutes. The clock ticked relentlessly, yet nothing happened. The room remained quiet, devoid of any suspicious sounds.
"Was I wrong?" Faith mused, though she stayed alert.
Three hours later, the clock struck 2:30 a.m. Still, the room was silent. No footsteps, no creaks—nothing sinister ca her way.
Faith’s mind began to wander as she lay there, eyes fixed on the faint outline of the ceiling. Her body was tense, her breathing shallow.
Every slight sound—a distant car passing by, the rustle of tree branches outside the window—made her flinch.
She considered getting up to check the lock again but decided against it, fearing she might make herself more vulnerable.
The thoughts swirling in her head grew darker.
Why had Ross been so quick to co to her aid? Why had he gone out of his way to ensure she was safe, even offering her his own room?
It seed too convenient, too calculated. Faith replayed the events of the night, searching for any clue she might have missed.
Her instincts scread that sothing wasn’t right, yet she had no tangible evidence.
The hours dragged on. At so point, exhaustion began to creep in, though Faith fought against it. Her eyes grew heavy, and her grip on the blanket loosened.
Faith exhaled shakily, her body still rigid with fear. She knew she wouldn’t sleep tonight, not until the sun rose and she could leave this place for good.
For now, all she could do was wait and hope that her suspicions were unfounded. Stay connected with .Côm
At 3 o’clock though and Ross still hasn’t co or hard her in any way. She now knew and believed that Ross had no ill intentions toward her, Faith still found herself overwheld by conflicting emotions.
"I’m such a bad girl," she muttered to herself, ashad of having doubted the man who had saved her life tonight.
The thought of what might have happened if he hadn’t intervened sent shivers down her spine.
If those gang mbers had succeeded, there was no doubt in her mind that her corpse would have been discarded in so remote location, left to rot and be discovered weeks later as an unknown Jane Doe.
But even that grim fate wouldn’t have been the worst of it. The agony, sha, and desecration she would have endured beforehand—violated by twenty n—made her stomach churn.
"I could have died tonight," Faith whispered, the reality of her close brush with death sinking in. A wave of shock hit her again, leaving her montarily frozen.
The fragility of life had never been more apparent, and for the first ti in a long while, she felt an overwhelming gratitude for simply being alive.
This mont marked the beginning of a new chapter, one she silently vowed not to waste.
As her thoughts settled, mories of her life began to surface. She recalled the good monts, the simple joys that had once brought her happiness.
But with those ca the painful mory of Tristan and the betrayal that had left a deep scar on her heart.
Faith exhaled a long, deep sigh, allowing the bitterness to fade, if only a little. And then, for the first ti in what felt like ages, she smiled.
Her smile wasn’t one of unbridled joy, but rather of quiet determination. Rising from her bed, she stepped out of her room, ready to embrace whatever the future held.
Tonight was not the end; it was a rebirth. Faith was ready to face her new life head-on.
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