Chapter 2 Let's Get Married

The man suddenly fell to the ground.

Despite the chaos, Rena knew she couldn't abandon her savior. With determination, she hoisted him up and labored to carry him upstairs.

Reaching her home, she placed him gently on the couch.

He was undeniably handsome, with long lashes framing his eyes, a well-defined jaw, and lips that spoke of softness, yet his chest bore a deep, bleeding wound.

Realization struck Rena-he had been shot, using his fleeting energy to save her life.

"I promise, I'll do everything in my power to help you," she whispered to him.

She hurried to retrieve a first-aid kit from her supplies.

The metallic scent of blood filled the air, but Rena steeled her nerves as she began to staunch the bleeding and cleanse his wound.

Although skilled in medical treatment, she had never before dealt with a gunshot wound herself.

Steadying her breath, she took up the scalpel and tweezers and set about removing the bullet with careful precision.

As she worked, the man's face contorted in pain, his lips parting slightly from the pressure.

"Stay strong, you're not alone." She soothed him softly.

With the bullet removed, he simply needed rest to regain his strength.

Relieved, Rena looked around at the home filled with her grandmother's echoes, emotion welling up within her.

"Grandma, I promise, Mom's death will not be overlooked," she promised solemnly.

That night, she lay in her mother's old bed, seeking solace in her lingering essence.

Yet sleep eluded her, her dreams invaded by the haunting images of her mother's untimely demise.

As the first light of dawn filtered in, the man on the sofa began to stir, slowly opening his eyes.

He took in his surroundings with a groggy gaze and gingerly sat up, his chest sending jolts of pain through him at the movement. Glancing down, he noticed the bandaged wound.

Who had taken care of him?

Memories of the prior evening trickled back-he had been escaping his pursuers, had leapt from his car under gunfire, and had sought refuge.

A cry for help had reached him, prompting his intervention.

The house was modest, barely a handful of strides from one end to the other, and then he noticed a woman sleeping peacefully in her bed.

A surge of emotions stirred in his once numb heart.

Was this not Rena Barnett, the same woman who had once rejected his proposal so publicly?

What a twist of fate.

At a Payne family's gathering, he had been utterly enchanted by Rena's luminous allure and felt an irresistible pull towards her.

On a whim, he had resolved then and there that she must be his wife.

Under the intense gaze of his father, he had talked him into agreeing to his proposal to Rena.

Given the Payne family's formidable standing, Alexander had felt compelled to accept when he had been informed of his desire to marry Rena.

Yet, just as he envisioned his desires coming to fruition, Rena had proclaimed before all that she would sooner wed a beggar than align herself with an illegitimate son like him.

The rest of his family mocked him for being rejected by a girl from a lesser-standing family.

Following his father's demise amidst familial discord, he had clawed his way above his five siblings to assume leadership of the Payne legacy.

Though he had solidified his claim, his brothers and sisters bore grudges, seizing any chance to undermine him.

This very strife had led him right to Rena's doorstep.

Rena awoke abruptly, her eyes widening at the sight of him beside her bed. She gasped, momentarily speechless. "You..."

Emilio Payne's lips twisted into a sardonic smile, his expression otherwise unreadable. "Let's get married."