Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

"Thanks!" I felt touched but also uneasy. His clothes smelled like soap, but I was filthy.

"I'll take you to the hospital," he said.

I had just escaped from there. I gave a bitter smile. "I just want to go home."

Thinking about home made my heart ache. Did I even have a home anymore?

He looked at me for a bit, then nodded. "I'll take you."

I glanced at his mountain bike, thinking it seemed like a tough task.

He probably guessed what I was thinking and smiled, then called someone. "Dennis, bring the car over." He gave the address and hung up.

I awkwardly rubbed my shoulders, and we fell into silence. He lit another cigarette. He seemed to smoke a lot.

"Aren't you afraid I'll deceive you?" he asked calmly.

I shrugged, feeling desolate. "I have nothing left to lose."

Before I could finish, several mountain bikes stopped in front of us.

The guy in front propped his bike with one foot, looked at me, then at the clothes draped over me.

He smirked. "You're really lucky, huh? Even out here, you have a beautiful lady with you."

The guy next to him kicked his front tire. "Take a good look."

The first guy looked closer and saw the blood on my legs. His eyes widened. "What happened here?"

Just then, headlights shone from a distance. A black car approached, turned around, and stopped in front of us.

The driver got out; he was a well-dressed man in his thirties.

The guy beside me got up and sat in the driver's seat. The first guy realized what was happening and cursed, "Ethan, that's too much! We agreed to ride back together, but you called for a car. Where's your sense of commitment?" 'So his name is Ethan,' I pondered.

Ethan rolled down the window, flicked his cigarette butt out, and smirked. "Rescuing a beautiful lady is more interesting than riding with you guys. Dennis will ride back with you."

Then he looked at me. "Aren't you getting in?"

Afraid he might drive off, I quickly opened the passenger door. But as I lifted my foot, I hesitated. 'Can I really trust this stranger?'

After a moment, I got in but didn't sit down, keeping my feet close together to avoid making a mess.

Unexpectedly, the car started, and I fell back into the seat. My face blushed. "Sorry, I'll pay for the car wash."

He smirked and laughed. "A car wash costs $50. If there are stubborn stains, there will be an extra charge."

He handed me some alcohol wipes. "Clean yourself up a bit. Going home like this, people might think I bullied you."

'$50? A regular car wash costs at most $30. But his car does look upscale. Considering the car wash and the ride, $50 isn't too much,' I thought.

I searched my belongings and realized I had left my wallet at the hospital. I had nothing but my phone. I was penniless.

Calming down, I realized I was temporarily safe. I looked at him. "I don't have any money on me right now. If you trust me, I'll take your number and pay you later."

I picked up my phone to record the number, but it had shut off. Before I could explain, he pulled out some papers and wrote his number on the blank side. "It's okay, I'll wait. No rush, I'm not afraid you'll skip out on the bill." I forced a smile and asked for his name. He wrote it down after the number: [Ethan Windsor].