Chapter 9: An Unexpected Reaction
Anna Pov ….
I moved restlessly, my hands twitching with every motion my body made.
I felt my back pressing into something soft, but I didn't know what it was—nor did I know where I was.
My eyes were tightly shut, and I struggled to force them open.
A cool breeze brushed my skin, sending a tingling sensation crawling through it.
"Where am I?" My heart raced as I forced my eyes open. It struck me how much effort it actually took just to lift my eyelids.
My gaze landed on a black ceiling, and chills instantly ran down my spine.
"Where is this?" I whispered in fear, sitting up in the bed abruptly. Now I understood why whatever I had been lying on felt so soft.
But that wasn't my concern. Fear still crawled under my skin.
Where am I?
I looked around the room I was in—everything was black. The walls, the bed, the door, the clock hanging on the wall, the floor—everything was black and terrifying.
I had never been in such a frightening place in my entire life. It gave me the creeps.
Fear was sinking deeper into me; I couldn't control it. It was written all over my face, consuming me faster than I had expected.
I tried to remember how I had ended up in such a dreadful place, and then it hit me—the angel. It was him. He had touched my chest, and I fell. He must be responsible for this. He…
My thoughts halted as a sudden realization crossed my mind.
"He touched my chest. Did he heal me? Did he cure my heart disease? I need to find out."
I sprang out of bed with full force. I had to go to the hospital to confirm if I was truly free.
"I'm sure she's awake by now," a feminine voice said from outside. The voice drew closer, and I immediately sensed someone was coming to check on me.
I quickly got back into bed and waited for whoever it was, ready to pour out my confusion.
The door creaked open sooner than I expected, revealing an elderly woman, likely in her late forties. But she wasn't alone. He was behind her—the angel.
The moment I saw him, I couldn't hold back. I needed answers—desperately.
"How did I end up here? And did you cure my disease?" I asked at once, my ears burning to hear his reply.
He walked closer, his handsome face lit with a smile.
"You're awake?" Those were the first words out of his mouth.
Why does he always do that—answering questions with questions?
"I asked you a question first, angel," I said, unable to hide my irritation. My eyes locked on his like I was staring into his soul, demanding an answer.
"I never go back on my word, Anna. I don't bluff," he said.
That was it—he'd read my thoughts again. He knew I desperately needed an answer.
"Does that satisfy you? If it doesn't, you can go check for yourself in the hospital—or wait and see if you die in six months," he smirked, wearing that infuriating calm smile again.
Why does he always smile like that? So annoying. I rolled my eyes.
"You shouldn't be wondering why I always smile," he said, slicing through my thoughts again, "You should be thinking about how to get better."
He wasn't even hiding the fact that he could hear my thoughts. But still… how did I even get here?
"Do you want to go and confirm it at the hospital?" he asked, leaning closer and breathing softly into my ear.
I shifted and glared at him. "I'll do it when I please."
Somehow, I believed him. I believed that I was perfectly fine. And now, it was time to start planning my revenge—the reason I had chosen to live.
"Good. Now that you're satisfied and adjusting to the fact that I really healed you, I guess it's time I told you—our wedding will take place this weekend."
Damn. I had totally forgotten.
I had completely forgotten the deal we made—so I could stay alive.
"Aren't you happy that you're getting married to me? Come on, you should be," he said, tapping my shoulder with that annoying smile plastered on his face again.
I glared at him. I wished there was another way out of this mess. I couldn't marry a man I didn't even know—a man who wasn't even human.
Can we reconsider this? I wanted to say, but I held it back. What if he got angry and killed me? I couldn't forget the way he looked yesterday when he was angry—deadly and dangerous.
I swallowed hard and nodded instead. "Where am I?" were the next words that spilled from my lips.
"You're at my private hotel," he replied, "and this woman will take care of you until the day I take you to my house."
He gestured toward the woman who had entered the room with him. I had almost forgotten she was even there, quietly standing behind him.
I looked at her. She offered a sweet smile, and I forced one back, even though I didn't want to.
"You have just two days to sort out whatever you need to. I'm sure you want to see your friend," he added.
His words hit me—he really did know everything about me.
I should be terrified about marrying such a mysterious man, but somehow, the fear wasn't there. I should be afraid he might kill me or eat me alive, but I wasn't. I had no explanation for it, but that's exactly how it was.
"See you later, Anna. I'll ask the staff to bring you something delicious," he said with another smile before walking out of the room.
I watched him disappear, then turned my focus to the woman who was now seated beside me.
I wanted to speak with her. I was sure she knew something about this man—something I didn't.
"Hi," I greeted calmly.
"I'll take good care of you and make sure you don't lack anything," she replied warmly, placing her hand on my forehead to check my pulse.
"Thanks for your concern," I said with a small smile. She nodded, still wearing that pleasant expression.
I leaned in, ready to ask the questions that had been weighing on me. I went straight to the point.
"How long have you known your boss?"
Her reaction caught me completely off guard.
She flinched, visibly startled by my question. And in her eyes, I saw it—fear.
It was unmistakable, as clear as day. Even a blind man could have felt it.
But her fear was sudden and, to me, uncalled for.
Was she really this terrified of him?
And with that, one burning question echoed in my mind: What exactly is he?