Chapter 3: Encounter

Shelia's POV

“I never liked that guy. You were so fixated on him, as if under a spell," Travis Warner said.

"Come on, Travis. I'm already miserable. Can't you comfort me first?"

"You'll be fine. My sister won't be heartbroken over the unworthy. At worst, I'll teach him a lesson for you."

"Don't cause trouble. I don't want Dad to find out about this."

I reclined in the car seat, exhausted from a sleepless night. Travis, sensing my mood, fell silent.

The sunlight outside the window made the road shimmer with heat. As I closed my eyes, memories of my first encounter with Hugh flooded back.

It was a scorching summer five years ago. I was still a medical student then. During the summer break, my friends and I went camping in the mountains. That night, despite my initial objections, we decided to have a bonfire. We thought it would be safe near the stream with no wind.

Our carelessness led to a forest fire.

I ran aimlessly, choking on thick smoke. Before losing consciousness, I remember being lifted by strong arms. When I woke up in the hospital, my father berated me harshly. The firefighter who saved me had given me his protective mask and was now being treated for smoke inhalation.

As a top medical student, I hadn't saved anyone yet, but I had nearly cost someone their life. My father's scolding filled me with guilt.

The next day, I went to thank the firefighter, carrying a bouquet of sunflowers. But a woman stopped me outside his room,

“Don't disturb him. He's injured because of reckless students like you."

I still remember her contemptuous green eyes, though I didn't know then that she was Esther.

I left the flowers at the door and departed, filled with remorse. I spent the rest of the summer grounded, reflecting on my actions. From TV news, I learned the firefighter's name: Hugh Thornton.

His name took root in my heart. I searched for him on social media but found nothing. I could only glimpse him in fire department news reports, always with a poker face.

They say if you think about someone enough, fate will manifest. Two years later, our paths crossed again.

Three years ago, I was nearing graduation and working as an intern at a hospital when Hugh's grandmother was admitted after fainting due to high blood pressure. It was during this time that I learned Hugh was actually one of the heirs to the Thornton Aviation Group.

The long-standing feud between his father, David Thornton, and my own father, Luther Warner, was still a subject of gossip, with David often being the target of ridicule. Thirty years ago, my father had stolen David's bride at his wedding. He always boasted about this. I guess my competitive nature is something I inherited from him.

I have to admit, I took special care of Hugh’s grandmother to get closer to him. Over a few days, I became good friends with her, probably because we both loved Frida Kahlo’s paintings and mint chocolate. She seemed to notice my interest in Hugh and deliberately created opportunities for us to meet.

Perhaps out of gratitude, the usually aloof Hugh didn't refuse. That night, he drank more than usual and became uncharacteristically talkative. When I offered to take him home, he instead brought me to his private apartment.

"That's not my home," he said, a hint of pain in his eyes.

When he said that, his eyes showed a deep hurt. I couldn’t help but hug him, and he didn’t push me away. Emboldened by the alcohol, I kissed him. He kissed me back, his stubble rough against my skin, causing a mix of tickles and pain that made me moan softly.

He suddenly flipped me onto the couch, tearing off my underwear in one swift move. I felt like a bird with clipped wings, sinking into a steamy quagmire. As he lifted me and entered my body, I thanked God for the gift of life.

The following day, I woke up in his bed, but he had already left. I waited all day without hearing from him. Feeling a bit down, I decided to call him.

"Last night, I had too much to drink. I'm sorry," he said calmly, his voice devoid of the passion and charm from the previous night.

"I don't want an apology. You know I have feelings for you."

There was a brief silence before he responded, "We're not compatible."

His polite rejection didn't discourage me.

After more than a month of persistent efforts, he finally agreed to marry me. It caught me off guard, but I was too happy to question it.

Worried that my father would object to the marriage, I lied about my background. I told him that I only had a father in Mexico who had remarried and wasn't close to me, so he wouldn't attend our wedding. Little did I know, he hadn't planned on having a wedding at all.

This didn't diminish my love for him. During the two years after we got married, he worked as a firefighter and I kept track of his missions. He had over 300 assignments, helping thousands of people.

Office workers stuck in elevators, children who had fallen into sewers, elderly people injured at home, truck drivers buried in landslides... These strangers took up most of Hugh's time, but I never complained. In fact, my admiration for him grew.

Born into a wealthy family, he could have lived a life of luxury, but Hugh chose a difficult path. He was truly special.

Now, Esther was trying to take him away. How could I not be heartbroken? My indifference was just a facade.

......

"We're here," Travis said, bringing the car to a stop and helping me unbuckle my seatbelt.

I rubbed my eyes and looked around. It was a modest apartment. "You'll be staying here for now. It's not as grand as the Thornton mansion, but it's in a safe area."

That evening, Travis prepared a simple dinner of pan-seared steak for both of us. He took several calls during dinner, making me feel guilty for interrupting his work.

After dinner, Travis and I sat on the couch and watched a horror movie. It was his way of comforting me. Usually afraid of ghost movies, this time I found the makeup ridiculous and burst out laughing, startling Travis.

"This Saturday, I'm going to your ex-husband's award ceremony. There's a banquet in the evening. Dress up, and I'll introduce you to many handsome guys."

"No thanks, I don't want to go," I said, pouting.

"Are you afraid of running into him? I didn't know my sister was such a coward."

"Who says I'm afraid? Fine, I'll go."

Late at night, lying alone in bed, my mind cleared and sorrow began to resurface.

To this day, I still don't understand - if Hugh didn't like me, why did he agree to marry me back then?