Ch2: Not the enemy

Natalie slowly blinked her eyes open, trying to adjust to the bright light. The first thing she noticed was the searing pain coursing through her body. She groaned as she attempted to sit up, but her limbs felt unbearably heavy, as if she had been struck by a truck.

As her eyes finally focused, she realized she was in an unfamiliar place. The walls were constructed of stone, and the only illumination emanated from a small window near the ceiling. She could hear the distant sound of water dripping.

Suddenly, her memories flooded back. The assault on her home, the loss of her mother, and the abduction of her father and brother.

Tears welled up in her eyes once more as she wept, acknowledging the permanent absence of her mother. Perhaps she would be laid to rest without Natalie ever getting the chance to say goodbye.

Recollections of being dragged to the road to meet the assailant, a man relentlessly pursuing them, resurfaced. It was the same man who coveted something her father possessed.

However, her father had entrusted it to her the night before, warning her of its dangerous nature and instructing her not to surrender it to the enemy, even in the face of a dead end.

Then, everything went black. She couldn't remember anything beyond that until now. No! Wait… The man had actually appeared, cldiming that she had a debt to pay. He had taken her away from the other men.

Was she in his prison? Ah! But the room she was in looked more than normal. It was a bit prestigious. Why hadn't he chained her to a sit or something?

As she attempted to move her arms, she realized they were securely bound with bandages. Panic surged within her as she struggled to recall what had transpired. Was she a captive? Was she being held hostage?

That was it! She had thought that she was safe! What if this man came and killed her? What if he had killed her dad and brother when she was still sleeping here?

She fought to sit up, but the pain coursing through her body proved too intense. She laid back down, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps outside her room seized her attention. She tensed up, unsure of what to expect. The door creaked open, and a man entered.

He stood tall, with broad shoulders and a stern expression. Clad in a business suit, he exuded an air of authority.

Natalie hugged herself, attempting to create distance between them. To her, he represented the enemy, and she was certain he had come to claim the object.

Yet, the man merely gazed at her, calm and composed. His eyes pierced through her, resembling those of an eagle poised to strike.

"I don't have it," she stammered, trembling. "Please... let me go!"

For a brief moment, a flicker of surprise crossed the man's face as he regarded her. "I am not your enemy," he stated.

His statement perplexed her. What did he mean by that? Was he not the man who had pursued them?

"I won't release you just yet, as it's still unsafe," he added.

Natalie looked at him, her heart pounding loudly. Uncertain whether to trust him, she sought clarification.

"You're not the enemy?" she inquired, eagerly awaiting his response. Why had he locked her here then?

The man remained silent, his gaze fixed on her. Natalie couldn't discern his thoughts. However, when he finally spoke, she was taken aback. "Don't you remember me?" he asked in a calm voice.

Natalie once again studied his face, her heart skipping a beat. He was the most handsome man she had ever encountered.

Nevertheless, she shook off her thoughts, realizing this was not the time to dwell on such matters. This was her enemy!

“You… don't pretend to be so good. You all behave like this! I don't know you! I will never know you!“ She shouted.

Was he trying to set up a trap for her so that she could be fooled? Did he think that he could take that thing from her that easily?

However, she paused when recalled him mentioning that she had a debt to repay when he took her from her initial captors.

"Do you know me?" she inquired, perplexed. How could she owe him a debt when they had never met before? She had not lost her memories again, right?

The man merely looked back at her, his mind seemingly occupied. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but Natalie's attention was diverted by another occurrence.

The door had been left ajar, and she caught sight of a young child, around three years old, entering the room.

At the sight of his face, her heart pounded even louder. She couldn't deny that she had never encountered a child as adorable as him in her entire life.

He was a little boy, a spitting image of the man before her. Sporting navy blue shorts, one hand casually tucked in his pocket, he wore a pristine white t-shirt and a navy blue cap atop his head. Every detail about him was captivating.

Locking eyes with Natalie, a small smile appeared on his tiny lips. “Daddy, where did she come from? She's beautiful!" the child exclaimed in his innocent voice.

The man froze in his tracks upon hearing the child's words. He swiftly scooped him up in his arms, concealing his face.

It was an impulsive act that left Natalie bewildered. She observed the pair and, even though she couldn't see the child's face anymore, she was certain they were father and son.

"What are you doing here, Carter?" the man inquired, his voice tinged with tension.

"Carter saw Daddy coming this way, so Carter followed Daddy," the child responded with youthful exuberance. "Daddy... Can Carter say hello to the beautiful big sister?"

Natalie's heart continued to race, unsure of the reason behind it. She simply felt a connection of sorts with the child.

Was it because he was adorable? She acknowledged her fondness for cute things.

"Not today," the man replied. He glanced at Natalie in the bed, then exited the room with the child, still shielding his face.

Natalie was left in a state of confusion. She still had countless questions for the man, but he had vanished, leaving her alone with the door locked once more.